Introduction
Socialization is an incredibly essential process that should appear in the life of every child. This process lasts during their whole life and allows individuals to function effectively and successfully in their social worlds, as well as learn about various social expectations. Precisely socialization provides people with many vital skills, including feeding themselves, walking, and talking! It also helps them fit into society and distinguish between appropriate and unacceptable behavior (Mitchell et al., 2020). There are several agents of socialization: social media, peers, parents, school, religion, government, and the workplace, and the purpose of this paper is to talk about the most important of the – family.
Family as an Agent of Socialization
It is well-known that parents, siblings, and other relatives can have a rather strong influence on a person. During the first years of life, it is the family that shapes a child’s behavior, character traits, and views on the world (Grusec & Hastings, 2014). It is also typical that kids to adopt their parents’ system of values and beliefs (Save, 2019). According to researchers, “mothers and fathers, siblings and grandparents, plus members of an extended family, all teach a child what he or she needs to know” (“Agents of socialization,” n.d.). Therefore, the family provides their kids with primary skills and knowledge; without them, it is impossible or extremely challenging to continue socialization and enter the world.
Conclusion
To conclude, one may say that considering family to be the key agent of socialization is rather rationalized. Most people would agree that they can feel the influence of their relatives throughout their lives, and this is the reason why some people prefer not to communicate with some family members. Additionally, it is also possible to explain some specific behaviors by analyzing the situation in the family. Finally, all parents need to be aware of their role in the socialization of their children.
References
Agents of socialization. (n.d.). Lumen Learning. Web.
Grusec, J. E., & Hastings, P. D. (2014). Handbook of socialization: Theory and research. Guilford Publications.
Mitchell, K., Burrows, M., & Staley, K. (2020). Preparing for university reading. Pressbooks.
Save, B. E. (2019). What are agents of socialization? World Atlas.