Component 1 - Sociology - Agents Of Socialisation Core

Agents of socialisation - from core booklet

What are the agencies of socialisation?

They are the social institutions that help transmit norms and values to us as individuals

How many agents of socialisation are there?

Six

Why is the family known as the primary agent of socialisation?

Because its the first and most important agent of socialisation 

Primary socialisation example - How do our parents teach us respect for our elders?

By using sanctions if we don’t obey them

As children grow up, what comes into play?

Secondary agents of socialisation

What are some examples of secondary agents of socialisation?

Peer group, education, mass media. religion and workplace 

Secondary socialisation example - Through rules, what does the education system teach us?

Routines and regulations. Such as, lessons start at 9am

What are we socialised in?

4 main ways

What are the four main ways we are socialised?

• Role Models 

• Imitation 

• Sanctions 

• Expectations 

4 Main Ways We Are Socialised - Role Models

Parents, peers, teachers and celebrities can act as ideal people children aspire to be like. They look up to them and wish to imitate them 

4 Main Ways We Are Socialised - Imitation

Physically copying. Children learn social skills by copying their parents, peers, teachers and aiming to be like them, which involve the process of identification 

4 Main Ways We Are Socialised - Sanctions

Rewards and punishments are used - informal means of social control

4 Main Ways We Are Socialised - Expectations

Parents, teachers and peers may have expectations of their child’s, pupil’s or friends behaviour which will link to their culture or subculture - which they will encourage - using sanctions to ensure they’re followed

What are we socialised into?

The norms and values of our society

By being socialised into the norms and values of our society, what does this influence?

Our behaviour, make up the roles we play and ensure social control

Primary Agency Of Socialisation - What is the primary agency of socialisation?

The family 

Primary Agency Of Socialisation - The Family - Through the family, what is estimated?

We learn half of everything we known in the first five years of our life 

Primary Agency Of Socialisation - The Family - Because we learn half of everything we know in the first five years of our life, what does this suggest about the family?

The family is highly significant in the socialisation process 

Primary Agency Of Socialisation - The Family - What will clearly vary across societies?

Patterns of child rearing, discipline, values, expectations, norms and roles 

Primary Agency Of Socialisation - The Family - What are children not like?

Sponges, soaking up parental attitudes, values and guidelines to behaviour without challenge or resistance

Primary Agency Of Socialisation - The Family - Why may children challenge or resist soaking up parental attitudes, values and guidelines to behaviour ?

Because they experience a variety of secondary socialising agencies too 

Primary Agency Of Socialisation - The Family - Gender Role Socialisation - From their family, what do children learn to acquire?

Their sense of identity. In particular, they learn their gender roles

Primary Agency Of Socialisation - The Family - Gender Role Socialisation - What is there clear evidence of, in relation to gender roles?

That children are aware of gender roles by the age of two. 

Primary Agency Of Socialisation - The Family - Gender Role Socialisation - What is contained within the family?

A child’s early experiences 

Primary Agency Of Socialisation - The Family - Gender Role Socialisation - Along with a child’s early experiences contained within the family, what else is set within the family?

The direction of personality development 

Primary Agency Of Socialisation - The Family - Gender Role Socialisation - What ways are gender roles enforced?

• Manipulation. For example, fussing, grooming or dressing 

• Canalisation. For example, sex differentiated toys 

PRIMARY AGENTS FINISHED

PRIMARY AGENTS FINISHED

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - What are some examples of agencies of secondary socialisation?

Education, peer groups, religion. the workplace and the mass media 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Education - Through the education system, what do we learn?

• To work in groups 

• Tolerate and respect other people’s opinions if different to our own

• The value of hard work and ‘getting on’

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Education - Through the education system, what is reinforced?

Society’s norms and values are reinforced. This creates, what Functionalists refer to as, ‘consensus’ 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Education - What two ways are norms and values passed on through?

• Through a formal curriculum 

• Through an informal curriculum 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Education - For example, through the formal curriculum, what do direct lessons pass on?

Direct lessons pass on heritage and meaning, such as Citizenship teaching pupils about Britishness 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Education - What else is the informal curriculum known as?

The hidden curriculum 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Education - What does the informal or ‘hidden curriculum’ pass on?

Things that aren’t part of the academic curriculum.

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Education - How can the informal or ‘hidden curriculum’ be seen?

• Some see this as positive : learning to fit in and accept authority figures 

• Conflict sociologists see it as learning your place of subordination and accepting failure 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Education - What aspects of school organisation encourage norms and values?

• Assemblies - Order, sitting in assigned seats. Listening and being quiet when somebody is talking 

• Rewards evenings - Value of hard work. Clapping when somebody gets a reward. 

• Sports day - Value of hard work. Tolerance and acceptance for opposing teams or winning teams. Fairness 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Peer Group - What is the peer group?

Typically made up of people of a similar status with whom you mix with and identify with, such as friends or workmates 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Peer Group - What does the peer group shape?

Norms and values.Especially adolescents 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Peer Group - What happens when  norms and values are shaped?

People within the group feel they are expected to conform to the expectations of the group

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Peer Group - What is youth rebellion often seen as?

Reflecting peer pressures to adopt oppositional values 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Peer Group - By adopting oppositional values, what could this form?

A subculture

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Peer Group - How is the mass media viewed by many?

As a powerful institution that manipulates its audience. Its the most significant socialisation agency 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Peer Group - How do many people use the mass media?

To make sense of the world around them

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Peer Group - What does the media offer?

A window to the world

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Peer Group - What does the media provide?

Much of the information required to make sense of the events that have a bearing on our everyday lives 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Religion - What does religion do?

Socialises its members into certain values with a sacred quality

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Religion - What do these values become?

Moral codes, into which everyone is socialised at a young age. 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Religion - What is an example of a value that then becomes a moral code?

The Ten Commandments 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Religion - What do these moral codes regulate?

Our social behaviour 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Religion - What do these moral codes influence?

Both formal and informal social control 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Workplace - What does the experience of work teach us?

Not only skills and work discipline, but also the informal rules that under pin work

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Workplace - What is an example of informal rules that underpin work?

The tricks of trade

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Workplace - What may happen in more formal work based organisations?

We may be influenced to behave in a particular way

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Workplace - What is an example of a way we may be influenced to behave in a particular way?

The interests of the group is the priority 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Workplace - What are those in professional occupations given?

A clear understanding of how they should behave by rules set out by the work place 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Workplace - What are two examples of people who are in profession occupations?

• Teachers 

• Doctors 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Social Control - What does the term social control mean?

It a broad term used by sociologists to refer to the social process by which the behaviour of individuals or groups is regulated 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Social Control - What is social control a mechanism for?

Ensuring conformity to norms in society and for dealing with deviance 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Social Control - How is deviance dealt with?

Usually through some form of sanction when people break society’s norms 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Social Control - How many ways is social control maintained in?

Two

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Social Control - What are the two ways social control is maintained? 

• Formal social control 

• Informal social control 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Social Control - What is formal social control?

Conformity to norms and behaviour regulation is maintained through force such as rule enforcement

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Social Control - What are some examples of formal social control?

Imprisoning deviants, criminals and dissidents

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Social Control - What is informal social control?

Involves controlling people through ideas 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Social Control - What is the main mechanism for enforcing social control informally?

This is through the process of socialisation, whereby individuals internalise norms and values. They experience sanctions if they break them 

Secondary Agencies Of Socialisation - Social Control - What examples are there for agencies of socialisation?

• Family 

• Education 

• Peers

• Media

• Workplace 

• Religion