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Unlock This CourseImagine a newborn baby. They don't know how to speak, what clothes to wear, or how to behave in public. So how do we all learn these things? The answer is socialisation - the lifelong process through which we learn the norms, values and behaviours expected in our society.
Key Definitions:
Without socialisation, humans would not develop the social skills needed to function in society. Studies of isolated children (like "Genie", who was discovered in 1970 after being kept in isolation for 13 years) show severe developmental issues when socialisation is absent. These rare cases demonstrate that social interaction is essential for normal human development.
Socialisation happens throughout our lives, but sociologists identify two main stages:
This occurs during early childhood, usually within the family. It's when we learn basic skills like language, toilet training and fundamental social rules. Primary socialisation forms the foundation of our social identity and shapes our basic understanding of the world.
Example: A child learning to say "please" and "thank you" from their parents.
This happens later in childhood and throughout life as we encounter institutions beyond the family. It builds on primary socialisation and teaches us how to behave in different social contexts and roles.
Example: Learning classroom behaviour at school or workplace etiquette in a job.
Several key social institutions play important roles in the socialisation process:
The family is typically the first and most influential agent of socialisation. It's where we learn language, basic social skills and cultural values. Family structures vary across cultures, but all provide the initial framework for understanding society.
In collectivist cultures (like many Asian societies), families often emphasise group harmony, respect for elders and interdependence. In more individualist cultures (like the UK and US), families may place greater emphasis on independence, self-expression and personal achievement.
Schools teach more than just academic subjects. They also transmit cultural values, prepare children for work and teach them how to interact with authority figures and peers outside the family.
The Hidden Curriculum: This refers to the unwritten, unofficial lessons, values and perspectives that students learn in school. For example, learning to queue, raise your hand to speak, or follow timetables - all preparing you for adult life.
As children grow, friends become increasingly important in shaping attitudes and behaviours. Peer groups provide a space where young people can develop identities separate from their families and experiment with different social roles.
Peer Pressure: This can be positive (encouraging studying) or negative (promoting risky behaviours). Either way, it's a powerful socialising force, especially during adolescence when young people are establishing their independence.
In today's digital world, media has become an increasingly significant agent of socialisation. From television and films to social media platforms, media influences how we see ourselves and others.
Social Media: Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube now play a major role in socialising young people, teaching them about trends, values and social norms that may differ from those taught by family or school.
Workplaces socialise us into professional norms and expectations. We learn specific skills but also workplace culture, hierarchy and appropriate behaviour.
Religious institutions teach moral values, rituals and beliefs. They often provide a community and framework for understanding life's big questions.
Local communities, neighbourhoods and cultural groups all contribute to socialisation by reinforcing shared values and providing a sense of belonging.
Different sociological theories understand socialisation in different ways:
Functionalists see socialisation as essential for society to function properly. It creates social cohesion by ensuring people share common values and understand their roles. For functionalists, socialisation is how society reproduces itself and maintains social order.
Key thinker: Talcott Parsons argued that socialisation helps maintain the stability of society.
Marxists argue that socialisation often reinforces class inequality. They believe the ruling class uses agencies like education and media to promote values that maintain their power. For example, schools might socialise working-class children to accept authority and prepare for manual jobs.
Key concept: Ideological state apparatuses (Althusser) - institutions that spread ruling class ideology.
Feminists focus on how socialisation creates gender differences. They argue that children learn gender roles through toys, clothing, media and different treatment by parents and teachers. This socialisation often reinforces traditional gender roles that can limit opportunities.
Example: Girls being given dolls and praised for being neat, while boys receive construction toys and are encouraged to be active.
Interactionists emphasise that socialisation isn't just passive learning but involves active interpretation. People don't just absorb social norms but negotiate and sometimes resist them through everyday interactions.
Key concept: The looking-glass self (Cooley) - we develop our self-image based on how we think others see us.
Cases of "feral children" (children raised with minimal human contact) provide striking evidence of socialisation's importance. In 1800, a boy named Victor was found in the forests of Aveyron, France. Despite efforts to teach him language and social skills, Victor never fully developed these abilities. More recent cases show similar patterns - children deprived of normal socialisation struggle to develop language and social skills later in life, suggesting there may be critical periods for social development.
Sometimes people need to be resocialised into new norms and values:
Resocialisation happens when people must learn new values and behaviours, often in total institutions like prisons, the military, or psychiatric hospitals. These institutions deliberately break down existing identities and rebuild them according to institutional needs.
Social control refers to the methods society uses to encourage conformity to norms. This includes:
Socialisation is the primary way that informal social control works - we internalise norms so deeply that we follow them without thinking.
Socialisation is fundamental to both individuals and society. For individuals, it provides the skills needed to function in society and develop a sense of self. For society, it ensures enough shared values and norms for social cohesion.
However, socialisation isn't just about conformity. It also allows for creativity and change. As new generations are socialised, they don't just passively accept everything but may question and transform aspects of culture. This is how societies evolve over time.
Understanding socialisation helps us recognise how our identities and behaviours are shaped by social forces, while also appreciating our capacity to reflect on and sometimes challenge these influences.