Socialization

We learn how to act with others.

This is a way we grow up. We learn from our family first. This helps us know what is right.

Later, we learn new rules at school. We also learn how to do new jobs. People learn these things all their lives. Some people are born ready to be social. Even tiny babies can copy faces. It is a way to live together.

We are always learning from the world.

How do we learn to live with others? This is called socialization. It is a way we learn the rules of our world.

Socialization happens in many ways. First, there is primary socialization. This happens at home with family. It sets the base for our lives. Later, we have secondary socialization. This happens in places like schools. We learn how to act in new groups.

Some people say we learn everything from our surroundings. But science shows we are also born with some skills. This is called being "wired to be social." For example, twin babies in the womb move toward each other. This shows they are ready to interact early on.

We also learn throughout our whole lives. People might practice for a new job. This is called anticipatory socialization. Sometimes, people must learn totally new ways to live. This is called resocialization.

When people start a new job, they learn the company rules. This is organizational socialization. It helps them do their work well. We are always learning from the world around us.

Socialization is how people learn to live in a group. It is a lifelong process that shapes our beliefs and actions. Through this process, we learn the rules, values, and customs of our society. This helps our culture stay the same over many years.

We learn by both teaching and learning from others. This process helps us understand what is considered normal in our world. It is a key way that humans survive and grow together.

There are different ways this learning happens. Primary socialization starts at home with family and friends. This early stage sets the groundwork for everything else we learn. Later, we experience secondary socialization in places like schools. This happens outside the home when we join smaller groups.

People also use anticipatory socialization to practice for future roles. For example, a couple might live together to prepare for marriage. Some people even go through resocialization to learn totally new ways of living.

Many thinkers have studied how we grow and change. Erik H. Erikson studied how people face challenges from infancy to old age. He said babies learn trust, while teenagers work on finding their identity. Another thinker, Lawrence Kohlberg, looked at how we decide right from wrong. He found that children often act based on pleasure or pain. As people grow, they start to follow the rules of their society. Some people even reach a stage where they follow deep ethical principles.

Some experts believe we are born with social skills. This idea is called the social pre-wiring hypothesis. It suggests that humans are "wired to be social" from the start. Scientists studied twin babies using ultrasound to test this idea. They found that twins often interact with each other in the womb. These movements began as early as the 14th week of pregnancy. This shows that social behavior can start even before we are born.

Socialization also happens when we start new jobs. This is called organizational socialization. New employees learn the skills and history of their company. They learn the special words and rules used at work.

Learning these things helps them do their jobs well. Our environment and our genes both work together to shape us. We are always learning and changing as we move through life.

Socialization is the sociological process where individuals internalize the norms, customs, values, and ideologies of their society. This lifelong process involves both teaching and learning. It serves as the primary method for maintaining social and cultural continuity over time. Through socialization, people learn how to behave, what to believe, and how to act within their specific environment. While it shapes our identity, it is not the only factor. Scientific research shows that human behavior is shaped by an interaction between social influences and our specific genes.

Sociologists study different types of socialization to understand how these changes occur. Primary socialization is the first stage, occurring mainly through immediate family and friends. This stage is critical because it sets the groundwork for all future learning. For example, a child might adopt the opinions of a parent regarding certain groups of people. Secondary socialization happens outside the home in smaller groups. This involves learning appropriate behaviors for specific situations, such as in a school or a new job.

Other forms of socialization help people prepare for or change their lives. Anticipatory socialization is a process where people "rehearse" for future roles or occupations. A couple might move in together to prepare for marriage, or a student might study a specific career path. Resocialization is a more intense process of discarding old behaviors to accept new ones. This often happens during major life transitions, such as joining the military or becoming a religious convert. In some cases, this occurs in a "total institution," where people are isolated from society to learn radically different norms.

Many theorists have mapped out how we develop through these social stages. Erik H. Erikson proposed eight stages of psychosocial development from infancy to old age. He suggested that infants learn trust versus mistrust, while adolescents face the challenge of identity versus confusion. Similarly, Lawrence Kohlberg studied moral development. He identified three stages of moral reasoning. The pre-conventional stage involves decisions based on pleasure and pain. The conventional stage involves accepting societal rules. The rare post-conventional stage involves following abstract ethical principles.

Behaviorism offers another way to look at the development of the self. George Herbert Mead argued that the self is not present at birth. Instead, it develops through social experience and the exchange of symbols. Mead believed we learn to take the role of the "other" to understand intentions. Charles Horton Cooley added the concept of the "looking glass self." This is the idea that our self-image is based on how we believe others see us. Eventually, people learn the "generalized other," which refers to the widespread cultural norms used to evaluate behavior.

While behaviorism suggests we start as blank slates, the social pre-wiring hypothesis offers a different view. This theory suggests that humans are born as "prepared social beings." Research indicates that social behavior can be influenced by genetics even before birth. Scientists used ultrasound and kinematic analysis to study twin pregnancies. They found that twin fetuses began interacting with each other during the second trimester. These purposeful movements were observed starting at the 14th week of gestation. This evidence suggests that social actions can exist even before a child enters society.

In the professional world, socialization takes a specific form called organizational socialization. This is the process where employees learn the knowledge and skills needed for a specific role. As they join a company, they learn its history, values, jargon, and culture. The level of engagement an employee shows affects how well they master these procedures.

Successful organizational socialization allows workers to apply their abilities effectively within their new environment.