What is the Socialization Process

What is the socialization process? Socialization is the process by which children and adu lts learn from others. We begin learning from others during the early days o f life; and most people continue their social soc ial learning all through life (unless some mental or physical disability slows or stops the learning process). Sometimes the learning is fun, as when we learn a new sport, art or musical technique from a friend we like. At other times, social learning is painful, as when we learn not to drive too fast by receiving a large fine for speeding. speed ing.  Natural socialization occurs when infants and youngsters explore, play and discover the social world around them. Planned socialization occurs when other people peop le take actions designed to teach or train others -- from infancy on. Natural socialization is easily seen when looking at the young of almost any mammalian species (and some birds). Planned socialization is mostly a human phenomenon; and all through history, people have been making plans for teaching or  training others. Both natural and planned socialization so cialization can have good and bad features: It is wise to learn the best features of both bot h natural and planned socialization so cialization and weave them into our lives. Positive socialization is the type of social learning that t hat is based on pleasurable and exciting exc iting experiences. We tend to like the people who fill our social learning processes with positive motivation, loving care, and rewarding opportunities. o pportunities. Negative  Negative socialization occurs when others use punishment, harsh criticisms or anger to try to "teach us a lesson;" and often o ften we come to dislike both negative socialization and the people who impose it on us. There are all types of mixes of positive pos itive and negative socialization; and the more positive social learning experiences we have, the happier we tend to be -- especially if we learn useful information that helps us cope well with with the t he challenges of life. A high ratio of negative to  positive socialization can make a person unhappy, defeated or pessimistic pessimistic about life. One of o f the goals of Soc 142 is to show people how to increase the ratio of positive to negative in the socialization they receive  from others -- and that they give to others. [Some people will defend negative socialization, since painful training can prepare people to be read y to fight and die in  battle, put themselves at great risk in order to save others, endure torture and hardship. This is true; but many people receive far more negative socialization than they need, and hopefully fewer and fewer people will need to be trained for battle, torture and hardship.] Soc 142 shows that positive socialization, coup led with valuable information about life and the skills needed to live well, can be a powerful tool too l for promoting human development. We all have an enormous human potential, and we all could develop a large portion of it if we had the encouragement that comes from positive socialization and the wisdom that comes from valuable information about living. Information about both natural and planned socialization can  be especially useful. Our  prior  prior socialization helps explain a gigantic chunk of who we are at present -- what we think and feel, where we plan to go in life. But we are not limited by the things given to us by our prior social learning experiences; we can take all our remaining days and steer our future our future social learning in directions that we value. The more that we know about the t he socialization  process, the more effective we can be in directing our future learning in the ways that will help us most.

Because we were not able to select our parents, we were not able to control much of the first 10 or 20 years of our socialization. However, most people learn to influence their own socialization as they gain experience in life. It takes special skills to steer and direct o ur own socialization, and many of us pick up some of those skills naturally as we go through life. Having a course on socialization can help us understand which skills are most effective in guiding our socialization toward the goals we most value. It is important to know that we all come into life with a variety of psychology systems that foster self-actualization and favor the development of our human potential. These are the  biosocial mechanisms that underlie natural socialization. We can see and study natural socialization by examining the socialization of primates and other mammals. Once we under t he natural biosocial processes, we can try to build strategies of self-actualization that are compatible with the natural biosocial mechanisms we are born with to make self-development as easy and rewarding as possible. Soc 142 shows how the natural self-actualization systems operate in everyday life so we can create as many good social experiences as possible. The study of  behavior principles in everyday life is crucial to this, and that is why John and Janice Baldwin wrote a book with that name. If we understand the ways to create positive socialization experiences, we can take our  human potential and develop the happy and creative sides of that potential. If we had too much negative socialization in the past and have learned to be too sad or inhibited, knowledge about  positive socialization can help minimize some of the pa in and allow us to build toward a more  positive and creative future.

The goal of Soc 142 is to help you learn how to be most effective in directing your own socialization and self-actualization processes toward the goals that you value most. Special attention will be paid to exploration, play, creativity, wisdom, and positive reinforcement -- five centrally important aspects of positive socialization. THE processes by which society is changed from a simple, unorganized stat e to an organic, complex, heterogeneous body may be enumerated as aggregation, communication, association, cooperation, combination, and organization. They are here named in order of their initial sequences. But for the purposes of analysis they are taken up in the order of their beginnings. Aggregation. ² By aggregation is meant the collection or massing of individuals, the co ming together of the population. There are many causes for human aggregation, most of which are also common to animal societies. First among these are t he impelling forces of physical environment, discussed in an earlier chapter? People gather together because of a warm climate and the repulsion of a cold one, o r because of an abundant food supply, as illustrated by tribes of Indians who, during the fishing season on t he Columbia River, assemble from the surrounding valleys and camp near the banks of the river, or by people who assemble where there are quantities of  shell fish, or plenty of wild game, wild fruits, and berries. A supply of good water, forests sought for their protection, or shunned because their density diverts a migratory group, determine to a degree where aggregations of people shall occur. When pastoral and agricultural pursuits began,

the tribes were obliged to seek the open glades. Sea coasts and mountains have proved barriers  preventing the dispersion of the race and confirming its habitation within limits. But there were subjective influences as well that caused people to assemble. Foremost among these was the simple desire for companionship. Only preying animals like the lion and tiger  spend a great deal of their lives alone. Feared by people, they are avoided as dangerous companions. Moreover, under certain conditions of food supply, only solitary animals can survive. Man is both carnivorous and herbivorous by nature, and therefore he had in the  beginning larger resources for survival than ot her animals. Yet his preservation has not been due so much to fleetness of foot, or savageness of attack, as to cooperative ingenuity in enlisting the forces of nature to fight his enemies, and serve his need. The individual cou ld not cope singlehanded with his enemies, nor, indeed, could his mind be developed without association. After the peaceful stage of early human society had passed into t he age of conflict,' in which each group struggled with all others for survival, aggregation was increased by social pressure. Many of the smaller groups were forced to unite for the sake of protection. So cial integration  began and continued with increasing power throughout the entire process of socialization. The sexual instinct became a po werful force in the close relationships of the groups and caused a continuous and permanent association. The physical influences, also, creating individuals of the same type and temperament, made the aggregation more compact and unified. The people of  similar characteristics and desires were inclined to go the same way a nd to be influenced by like satisfactions. Communication. ² While aggregation could scarcely be separated from the development of  communication, yet communication naturally follows aggregation. Moreover, the expression of  wants and desires by individuals to each other sets in motion psychical currents which are veritable social causes in the sense that they produce results in social phenomena. Through communication different individuals come to have like feelings and ideas, ² the sine qua non of  common activities. A group of people may be assembled at a fire or at a public meeting, or, indeed, in an open park without any effective influence upon each other until there is an interchange of feeling or thought through forms of communication. An expression of want or  desire may unite people into a common organization. There is, then, a difference between the mere grouping of people together and intercommunication, for out of the latter comes the development of a common sentiment and a common intelligence. In modern life our special methods of communication are the human voice and such mechanical contrivances as the post, the telephone, and the telegraph. An adjunct to these is the newspaper, and, in general, the  printing press. By means of these methods o f communication millions of people may have the same knowledge, think the same thoughts, and per-form the same deeds at t he same time. There is nothing more powerful in binding a co mmunity together into one social body than t his common knowledge and common thought brought about by rapid communication. Communication always leads to the exchange of commodities, and the use of the same articles has a tendency to develop homogeneity of social life. Moreover, the p ractice of trading has a tendency to develop unity of sentiment among groups. Savage tribes always express social good feeling to other tribes or to foreigners by the exchange of articles of value. These may be mere trinkets or shells, bits of cloth, or weapons, but t hey establish good feeling between those who

exchange the gifts. Wherever nations or tribes will not exchange commodities, there is little opportunity for social unity. When tribes have reached the stage of development where communication is possible and desirable, they are ready to adopt the customs and habits of one another through imitation. This is done more or less unconsciously at first, then a later stage is reached when it is recognized as advantageous to adopt foreign customs. When once people adopt the same social custom, they  become more alike from day to day, not only in their personal habits, but also in their larger  social life. Association. ² While the term " association " might in general apply to all acts of socialization, still there is a particular use to which it pro perly belongs. People may be collected in a body and communicate with one another without having community of residence, but p ermanent association can scarcely take place without it. Community of residence leads to an association in which persons regard each other as permanent members, having acquired many social relationships as a result of habitual companionship. Among settled forms of association that of  family relationship should be mentioned first. Here we have r epresented intimate relationship in thought, sentiment, and feeling, as we ll as practical cooperation in all forms of social life. This could not come about without more or less permanent association. This idea is exemplified in the fact that people closely related by blood or marriage frequently lose their interest in one a nother  after years of separation, while perhaps their next-doo r neighbors may be taken into a close social relation because of their proximity. We have many evidences to show that t he love and affection exhibited in the family life depend largely upon close association in the home. Common religious belief, a great force in the establishment of social order and in the establishment of unity of thought and feeling, springs up through association. As religion is a social rather than a personal matter, it is doubtful whether any religious system would prevail for  any length of time with-out community of worship. For an example, it is observed that as soon as any group ceases to worship together, its religion declines. It is evident from this and other  observations that religion is much more a social function than we are generally willing to admit. The church in which exists a common sentiment thrives, but it declines when its members begin to hold diverse religious beliefs. Gathered together in a common territory and living in close association, people natura lly played together. With the stimulus of social games the process of socializat ion went rapidly on. We have but recently come to have a proper appreciation of the social value of recreation. Not all  peoples have had educat ional systems, but all have had games. The process of socialization ²  that process whereby the many are welded together into a unity ² goes on most effectively in  play. Games connected by mimicry with the most important vicissitudes of savage life stir the deepest emotions. Such games are usually imitations of the critical moments in chase or battle and as such call forth the liveliest emotional stimulation. They relieve and relax the nervous organism and at the same time lift people out of the dead monotony of their humdrum lives. In the stir and emotional tension of such cr itical moments in games men throw off the reserve which usually separates them from each other as if by a wall. Their association beco mes more intimate for the time being ; they understand each other better. They are released from their  narrowed selves and enjoy the expansion of personality which the emotional " spree " provided

 by the game affords. In the pleasure experienced during these games the basis of social cooperation is laid.'  Not only association in active games, but association around the camp fire at night in the groupai settlement, did much to solidify the feelings of the group. Stories were told and songs were sung recounting the deeds of famous heroes and mighty warriors, and group actions were set forth in the lyric dance. Moreover, household and community meals did much to cultivate that common feeling and idealism which makes possible coo peration. Among every primitive people of which we have any evidence feast days were very numerous and played an important part in the formation of social unity. So ingrained in the very roots of the race is the habit of eating together  and so effectively does it, even in our highly artificial society, conduce to the cultivation of  sociability, that no great project is launched, no occasion for securing cooperation among men, who to begin with may not be agreed upon a program, is complete without a dinner or a luncheon or a banquet. With primitive men the feast counted even more in the development of a social mind. Furthermore, in connection with games and feasting there was usually to be found another  influence making for cooperation. Primitive man made such gatherings the occasion for breaking over the ordinarily accepted sex taboos which sexual jealousy had established. Wife lending and a promiscuity of sex relations prevailed at such times to a degree which was not tolerated at other  times. This liberality, while abhorrent to our sense o f the proprieties, was in the nature of a social re-lease from the rigidity of established custom for the individuals and at the same time cultivated friendliness between those of the same sex w ho otherwise might not have been  brought into social relations with each other. Moreover, as Giddings has pointed out, genetic relationships in consequence of these irregularities became co mplicated.2 This at a time when  blood relationships counted much in social relations made for social cooperation. Cooperation. This must have begun very soon after people began to assemble into groups. Unconsciously they acquired the habit of working together in procuring food and shelter. After  social order was well established in the co mmunity, each individual seeking his own immediate interest was, in a measure, ministering to the welfare of all. It must have been very ear ly in the development of group life, perhaps even before man had developed from the animal precursor, that individuals united in the hunt. Bands of animals like wolves hunt in packs. E ven pelicans have been observed to fish in bands, -some of them stationing themselves at riffles in the river, while others form a segment of a circle and drive the fish towards the riffles.' It seems certain that prehistoric man assisted the members of his group in captur ing the larger animals upon which he lived. The bones of extinct species of animals were found near the bones of the  prehistoric man recently exhumed in France; a nd it is more than probable that the cave dwellers of this period worked together to capture such animals as wild horses, cave bears, and mammoths. Moreover, in the offense and defense of war primitive men found it necessary to work together. The strife which prevailed so universally in the age of conflict made it necessary for an individual to attach himself to a group and join with his fellows in defense, o r perish. Community of interests in war essentially led to coo peration in other affairs. When the division of labor first appeared it was between the se xes, the women doing certain things and the men

following different pursuits. Thus the immediate care o f children, the care of the home, the  preparation of the food, the making of the clothing, and frequently the building of the home fell to the lot of woman. On the other hand, men did most of the hunting, fishing, and fighting. But as industries became diversified, as new pursuits sprang up, there g radually appeared a more general division of labor. Some killed the game, and still others cooked it. Some carried water, some brought the timbers for the building of the home, while others completed the structure. Then came new occupations, such as the keeping of flocks and herds, and later, agricultural  pursuits which caused people to divide into groups. These separate groups were all worked for  the common good of the community. Our modern economic life, so complex and so universally organized, is but a result of the simple, unconscious cooperation of individuals in a co mmunity. There came a time, however, in primitive development, when groups were organized for a specific purpose, such as the building of highways, the carrying on of commerce, the making of  tools and weapons, and t here is some evidence that there were sometimes guilds of citizens, such as arrowhead makers. Many of these methods find full expression in modern cooperation. Combination. ² Naturally, growing out of these cooperative activities combinations of groups developed in some cases. While conflicts sometimes arose in the occasional meetings mentioned above, on the whole the social feeling developed was such that normally there grew up closer  relations and ultimately a combination of the t wo or more groups concerned. Sometimes a combination of different groups, which had co me into contact in friendly relations, was made  permanent by an exchange of women begun in the festivities referred to above. Often an eponymous ancestor was invented to account for the fact of union.' The groups arising under  such conditions coalesced into a group both larger and more closely organized. It is probable that in the earliest times before conflict was produced by pressure upon food supplies, many such simple groupings arose out of the sheer social enjoyment as well as the greater so cial protection afforded by large numbers. The more important combinations, from the standpoint o f social evolution, however, developed in quite another way. Such groups were the result of conflict. Whenever multiplication of the number of the population once reached the point where there was a pressure upon the food supplies, then migration had to begin either amicably or by force. Such numbers necessitated the conquest of other food supplies, the enslavement of the conquered and t heir subsequent amalgamation by degrees with the conquerors. This amalgamation commenced in the taking of  the women of the conquered as wives and concubines of the conquerors and the production of a class of half-breeds, who later became, first, slaves, then trusted inferiors, and then were admitted to all the privileges, forming thus a new race. ' In this way all the great historic peoples were formed. A part of this great process is revealed to us when the curt ain of history rises. It has  been continuing ever since. There is no reason to suppose that it had not been going on for a long  period anterior to the time when written records were made. In fact, all the ethno logical and anthropological evidence we have points to such a process long continued before the historic races were formed. So intermixed had become the various peoples at the dawn of history that it is now almost impossible to say what the human race, or races, were like which de veloped in the original home, or homes, of the race. Very much later in the development of social order came the combination of different groups by agreement for the establishment of government. For government, being a form of social order, is

also a method of cooperation. It is easy to see that this combination must have been an implied or  real contract for the protection of the who le group, for, through the process of integration, when distinct groups became united for either particular or general purposes, there must have been a tacit or formal agreement between them. Organization. ² Out of even the natural combination of groups on the basis of blood kinship and social sympathy there developed organization. An example may be seen in the organization of  the tribes of the interior of Australia. After conquest had taken place organization proceeded very rapidly. Organization must begin at once in order to determine the relations of the two groups, the conquerors and the conquered, and fix the status of each for the advantage o f the former. This occurred piecemeal and rather slowly at first. However, gradually the organization was  perfected, the adjustments went on in both legal and in customary relations, until finally there developed a complete social machinery for the regulation of the two groups. Sovereignty and obedience were established, formal institutions appeared and customs and ideals were modified to meet the changes consequent upon the amalgamation of the two peoples, until, if the process worked out to its logical social conclusion, de mocracy developed. Together with these more formal expressions of organization there went on at the same time the development of private voluntary organizations within each group, and that more subtle, but none the less real, organization of relationships, in the sense in which Cooley uses the term, which expresses itself  in customs and social relation-ships in the more general sense of the term. In more recent  periods, as government has grown into a system, organization has found its largest field in industry. In this field large bodies of men have co mbined to accomplish certain econo mic results. To a degree these developments have made socialization possible, for they have united large groups of people into a common economic life. Nevertheless, one must not shut his eyes to the fact that the modern system of industry which combines labor and capital in the pro ductive  process has also made for the formation of classes which are to a degree antagonistic to each other. The industrial conflicts which are a feature o f our day are not without significance for  social development. They also teach the members of each group organization of government and thus make them more efficient. That modern industry has solidified each of the various economic classes, the capitalists, the landowners, the entrepreneurs, and the laborers, once scattered and not conscious of their common interests and o f the value of their united coo peration, is undeniable. While organization was inevitable, brought about by all the processes enumerated above, its development also owed much to leaders. As soon as society divided itself into two groups, those who led and those who followed, or, as it might be more formally stated, those who governed and those who were governed, it had gone a long way toward permanent organization. The status of the individual in the ho me was determined, and also the relation of the slave t o the master was recognized. Likewise, the social position of those supposed to be nobly born was firmly established. The development of leadership, which appeared in most striking manner in tribal and civil feudalism, gave a decided spur to what Mallock has called " the struggle for  domination," and greatly hastened the growth of organization. Consider what motives leadership,  based upon ability, enforcing the domination of others, brought to bear upon human endeavor ²  not only the motive of aristocratic prestige, but hope of the more substantial rewards of primitive wealth, ease, and sensuous enjoyment. These motives aroused with tenfold greater power the desire to emulate and surpass in achievement. They gave a decided impetus to the inventive spirit

of man, to his capacity for organization, and to the modern sp irit of cunning that reaps where others have sown. They gave direction to the latent energies of large numbers of men. They secured a development of the division of human labor and made each man more efficient in his social relationships. Men who were not spurred by them were forced to labor under the stern whip, not of natural need, but of fear of a directing mind. While this autocratic organ ization and direction had its dark side, it was a beneficent phase in the development o f social cooperation, appearing dark only because it has so often survived into an age when it has ceased to be consonant with developed democracy. Out of it has grown the more humane and democratized organization of our day, and it will end in the more complete democracy of which the best minds of the present dream. Differentiation. ² In the processes which we have described no mention has been made of a  phenomenon which often appears in modern societies as they grow from inchoate groups into a real community. Side by side w ith the development of social unity there is generally seen t he growth of groups closely united in opposition to some important individual or another group. In the mixing of ideas and ideals in a new aggregation of people there is bound to be some clashing. Sometimes in the early days of a community this strife of groups within the neighbor-hood is so sharp that the development o f a community spirit is very difficult and may be long delayed. Sometimes it takes a considerable lapse of time to heal the wounds made by such quarrels. Examples are to be seen in frontier and mountainous communities where communication is interrupted and association is difficult. It appears, also, however, in communities sometimes by reason of close contact. Peo ple who might be on fairly friendly terms together if they were not  brought into close association will on closer co ntact reveal essential differences. This serves the useful purpose of diversification of the mental and social ideals of their community. Before the end is reached in the process thus started there will be compromise and t he amalgamation of the two ideals. Out of the conflict will come toleration and a new ideal with a broader outlook than would have been possible otherwise. Moreover, in older communities there is constantly going on a process of differentiation growing up out of the fact that some people in that community go out of it and come back with new ideas. The young people go away to school, or to the neighboring city to business, sometimes to return with a stock of new ideas which start the process of social leavening of the community ideals. The same thing occurs when men go off to war. They return with new ideas and a new outlook. Again, it occurs when from any community there is an exodus to a new mining field or a new agricultural community, and for some reason t he emigrants return to the home community. If the returning members of the community are aggressive, the old process of debate, the ranging of   people on different sides, and the old conflict of ideas takes place all over again, but on a different plane.  Now out of this social differentiation which occurs constantly in all dynamic societies, there results social selection. Some tire of the conflict and move away. Some, because of it, are ready to listen to the call of oppo rtunity elsewhere. The struggle for more culture or wealth leads them to choose permanently some other field for their endeavors. In their places ot hers from elsewhere come into the old community. In the end a social ideal becomes established in the customs of t he  place ; traditions are set forth as the criterion of conduct and opinion. Old age upholds old customs. Established wealth secures a large following. The result is that unless the new comer 

and the iconoclast is very well intrenched in social prestige, or wealth, or unless he is unusually  persistent, what is established will remain undisturbed and he will go where his talent finds more congenial fields of endeavor. Nevertheless, the mingling of new ideas with old by reason o f the change in the population is bound to continue in all places w here ingress and egress is easy and where the economic oppo rtunity is inviting.' In this way variety is added to t he stock of ideas and ideals of a community, culture becomes broader, the spirit of the community more to lerant, and  personalities with the widest social interests are developed. Socialization is a process of learning norms, rules, regu lations, values and attitudes of society. It is a lifelong process which starts from childhood t ill to the death of a person. Socialization is a vital process of learning through which the so ciety exists. Each and every societ y socializes its members according to its own values. For example, if a baby enters in American society, he/she socializes according to the characteristics of American society. In t he same way, the children of  Russian societies are being socialized according to t he characteristics of Russian societies. A man learns ways of attitudes, behaviors, languages, and cultures of a society through the pro cess of socialization. What is human nature? The debate of "nature" (heredity) and "nurture" (the social environment) is being made since decades. Some scientists think that nature plays an important role in the socialization while others view that nurture is only the way through which a member can be socialized. To answer  this controversial question, one can give logical reasons that human beings do not have natural language. An infant comes in this society having only bones, flesh, and breathing system. If this very infant kept in isolation for several years, he/she cannot be able to speak even a single word. Heredity provides those essential things which are important to grow up but social environment is far important than heredity through which a children learns the language. Without the concept of language a member cannot create relationships with others. Language is a source to create relationships and to take part into the social interaction. So, nurture or social environment is so much important that it converts an animal into a social animal. Cooley and the looking-Glass self  Charles Hurton Cooley was a renowned soc ial scientist who thought that our sense of self  develops from interaction with others. To describe this process, Cooley coined the term "looking- glass self theory" in the year 1902. According to Cooley, there are t hree elements in the looking-glass self theory. 1. We imagine how we appear to the others. For example, we can guess that others see us as intelligent or stupid. 2. We interpret others' reactions. We may come to know that how others evaluate us. Do they like us for being intelligent? Do they dislike us for being stupid? 3. We develop a self-concept. After the reactions of others, we develop feelings and ideas about ourselves.

Looking-glass self theory is like a "social mirror" in which a p erson can see his/her reflection. This process of self development clearly shows us t he image of our personality. We can judge our personality by feedback o f others. So, the process of looking-glass self plays an important role in the process of socialization. Agents of socialization Agents of socialization are the peo ple and groups which influence our emotions, attitudes and  behavior etc. Family, religion, day care, school, peer groups and workplace are the agents of  socialization that prepare us to take o ur place in society.  Family Family is an important agent of socialization where a child starts learning the language of family. Slowly and gradually a children learns the roles of family members. He/she recognizes the roles of father, mother, sisters and brothers. It has been seen t hat most of the children follow the roles of others like putting on glasses and reading newspapers as their parents do.  Religion Religion is also an important agent o f socialization where an individual learns about right and wrong. Religions provide basic ideas of mora lity which become the part of our life in future. Religion teaches us about the way of dressing, speech, and manners which are suitable for us in formal occasions.  Day care Day care is another agent o f socialization in which the children are being soc ialized and  benefited by the others. It has been become a tradition in every society to hire a person for daily wages to take care of the children. Day care process stimulates the intellectual personality of  children.  The school and peer groups The school and peer groups are the agents of socialization where a child meets with a large group of people of similar age. Apart from education, the students are linked with each ot her for  common interests. In this way of sharing ideas and common interests, students find peer groups for themselves and they start learning from those peer groups. Friends, clubs, gangs, and the neighbors are some examples of the peer groups. While entering into a school and peer group a member starts learning new norms and character istics like athletics ability, coolness, toughness  physical appearance and attraction etc.  The workplace Workplace is another agent of socialization in which an individual enters into a mature age. Apparently, workplace is place where an individual serves as an employer and ear ns a few

dollars. Besides this, an employer has lot o f opportunities to learn essential things for future. It has been seen that co-workers always advise about the future plans and lifestyles. It can be said that it is a sort of rehearsal for future activities. Therefore, it is proved that workplace is an agent of socialization where an individual has the o pportunity to learn a lot. Summary Socialization is a lifelong process in which a n individual learns the essentials of society. The norms, mores, values, attitudes, thoughts and folkways are be ing transmitted from one generation to another with the help o f socialization. A Child brings only few things with him/her in heredity  but social environment provides the totality of life with the help of socialization. Charles Hurton Cooley presented the looking-glass self theory which contributes largely in the process of  socialization. As far as the agents of socialization are concerned, there are five main agents such as family, religion, day care, schoo l, peer groups and workplace. Important Aspects of the Process of Socialization The development of an individual is a slow and steady process. Human beings are believed to be the most intelligent creatures on the earth. However, proper training, guidance and motivation is essential for them to understand what is good and bad for them. The socialization process aims at improving the knowledge of people by instilling vital values, customs and traditions. In the case of a newborn child, its parents are the first one who shoulder the responsibility of training it in the best possible way till the child becomes joining years old school. The atmosphere which the parents provide the child at home has a lot to do with the child's overall progress. It has been often observed that children who have a good environment which is conducive for learning at home, end up being the winners in the fields which they choose in their later life. The things which are taught in the childhood remain with the children throughout their lives. The learning of values from parents can also be called primary socialization. More on self-improvement. The next phase in the life of these children is the school phase. In the school, the children interact with much more people than they do in the days before joining school. The result of this interaction is that children are able to learn new things by indulging in group activities and games. Teachers too, play a vital role in the child development process. The job of these teachers involves finding out the strengths and weaknesses in their students. They suggest innovative ways to improve the weaknesses and prepare the children for the f uture challenges. Apart from the academic subjects, teachers at school encourage their students to participate in non curriculum activities and programs which can bring out the best in them. This generates a lot of self confidence, pride and ambition to chase their dreams. The socialization process does not end here. The school can be described as a safe haven for all the children. This is because the atmosphere in schools is very protective. But, once students step out in the outside world by taking admission for higher learning, they have to deal with big challenges. These can be both-related to studies and with social l ife. Overcoming these challenges and difficult times becomes possible due to the stability of mind achieved over the years. Socialization process of the workplace can help a person acquire new skills and be able to tackle emergencies. However, socialization process can be beneficial only if it is positive. The process of learning can never

be successful by the use of force. The use of methods such as punishment, criticism and force will never help to make the learning simple. In fact, such kind of socialization can be termed as negative socialization. In order to do away with negative socialization, re-socialization can be extremely useful. In re-socialization, a person attempts and successfully changes his ways of behavior to suit the prevailing circumstances and situations. A person becomes ready for this process when he is convinced that what he did earlier was not the ideal behavior. The socialization process continues from childbirth till old age. Hopefully, you are satisfied with the explanation given in this article. All the best!