Socialization

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The process by which individuals learn and internalize the norms, beliefs, and values of their society.

Socialization: The process by which individuals acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to participate effectively in society.
Agents of socialization: The different groups or institutions that socialize individuals, including families, schools, peer groups, mass media, and religious institutions.
Socialization and identity formation: How socialization shapes an individual's sense of self, including their gender, race, and socioeconomic status.
Socialization and social control: How socialization influences individuals to conform to societal norms and values and behave in ways that are socially acceptable.
Socialization and stratification: How socialization contributes to the maintenance and reproduction of social inequality, including the perpetuation of class, race, and gender disparities.
Resocialization: The process by which individuals consciously or unconsciously learn new attitudes, values, and behaviors that are incompatible with their existing norms and values.
Anticipatory socialization: The process by which individuals learn to adopt the norms and values of a future role or occupation, such as a student preparing to enter the workforce.
Cultural socialization: The process by which individuals learn the norms and values of a particular cultural group, including practices related to religion, language, customs, and traditions.
Political socialization: The process by which individuals learn about political systems and acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to participate in politics effectively.
Socialization and globalization: How socialization is changing in the context of increased global interconnectedness, including the emergence of new forms of identity and the spread of cultural values and practices across borders.
Structural-Functional Theory: This theory suggests that socialization aims to maintain social order by instilling shared cultural values and norms.
Conflict Theory: This theory asserts that socialization perpetuates existing power structures and inequalities by teaching individuals to conform to societal expectations and norms.
Symbolic Interactionism: This theory emphasizes the importance of individual experiences in shaping socialization processes. It suggests that through interactions with others, individuals develop their sense of self and learn to interpret and respond to social cues.
Social Learning Theory: This theory argues that socialization occurs through modeling the behavior of others, particularly those who hold power and authority.
Cognitive Development Theory: This theory focuses on how individuals' cognitive abilities develop through socialization processes, and how they learn to reason, think critically, and solve problems.
Social Constructivism: This theory posits that socialization is a process of constructing shared meanings and interpretations of the world.
Feminist Theory: This theory suggests that socialization processes reinforce gender roles and stereotypes, and that feminist socialization seeks to challenge and subvert these expectations.
Postmodern Theory: This theory critiques traditional notions of socialization, arguing that individuals are increasingly self-directed and autonomous in their socialization processes. It also emphasizes the importance of fluidity and change in social norms and values.
"In sociology, socialization or socialisation (see spelling differences) is the process of internalizing the norms and ideologies of society."
"Socialization encompasses both learning and teaching and is thus 'the means by which social and cultural continuity are attained'."
"Socialization is strongly connected to developmental psychology."
"Humans need social experiences to learn their culture and to survive."
"Socialization essentially represents the whole process of learning throughout the life course..."
"Socialization is a central influence on the behavior, beliefs, and actions of adults as well as of children."
"Socialization may lead to desirable outcomes – sometimes labeled 'moral' – as regards the society where it occurs."
"Individual views are influenced by the society's consensus..."
"Socialization provides only a partial explanation for human beliefs and behaviors, maintaining that agents are not blank slates predetermined by their environment..."
"Scientific research provides evidence that people are shaped by both social influences and genes."
"A person's environment interacts with their genotype to influence behavioral outcomes."
"Socialization is the means by which social and cultural continuity are attained."
"Socialization encompasses both learning and teaching..."
"Socialization is a central influence on the behavior, beliefs, and actions of adults as well as of children."
"Agents are not blank slates predetermined by their environment; scientific research provides evidence that people are shaped by both social influences and genes."
"Genetic studies have shown that a person's environment interacts with their genotype to influence behavioral outcomes."
"Socialization may lead to desirable outcomes – sometimes labeled 'moral' – as regards the society where it occurs."
"Individual views are influenced by the society's consensus and usually tend toward what that society finds acceptable or 'normal'."
"Socialization essentially represents the whole process of learning throughout the life course..."
"Socialization is strongly connected to developmental psychology... In sociology, socialization or socialisation is the process of internalizing the norms and ideologies of society."