People are highly social creatures who need to live in communities to survive and develop properly. Although genetic factors are critical, socialization is equally important and is defined in many ways. This process sets people’s social identity, teaches them to take roles, controls their behavior, and transmits culture, which is important for the development (and survival) of the group (Benokraitis, 2016). Nurturing is essential for building basic skills (such as breathing, eating, and others) necessary for existence, while socialization is vital for gaining skills to survive in human society. The vast majority of people want to fit in, so they follow the rules established in a group. Children adopt the culture and behavioral patterns they are exposed to and transmit these skills and knowledge to new generations.
I was raised in Ukraine, so I absorbed various patterns that are acceptable in that region. In that country, the level of gender equality is quite high, which is typical of any European country. Girls and boys are mainly socialized in mixed groups, but there are some rare cases of gender-segregated educational establishments. At the same time, girls are still expected to be more concentrated on household duties while boys are seen as major breadwinners. When I was in school, boys and girls had different DIY classes as boys mainly focused on such tasks as woodwork, and girls were trained to sew and complete tasks needed for bringing up children. Such differences in socializing are becoming less common, and society is gradually becoming more gender-neutral. It is necessary to add that this division is not sharp at present because females often take up leading roles in business and other social spheres. It does not seem inappropriate for a woman to focus on her career, although it is expected that she will have a child (or children) and play a significant part in their family life. Males are also expected to have families, and their role in household routine and child-rearing is increasing now.
References
Benokraitis, N. V. (2016). Soc: Introduction to sociology (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.