Key Concepts in Socialisation

Socialisation

The process of learning the norms and values of your culture

Agents of Socialisation

The institutions which teach you the norms and values of your culture

The Family

The first and most important institution which teaches you the norms and values of your culture

Secondary agents of socialisation

The agents of socialisation that come later and are less important than the primary agents of socialisation. These institutions teach you the norms and values of your culture later in life.

Role Models

People who are generally admired and perhaps imitated (if positive). They can be negative in which case people learn what NOT to do by watching these people.

Sanctions

Rewards and punishments that can be formal and informal. Positive or negative reinforcements.

Ideology (belief system)

A set of beliefs and ideas that explains the world. A coherent way of thinking which can be applied to any situation and which may appear to be ‘common sense’. Usually have norms attatched

Interactionism

The ideal that socialisation is not a one-way process with people always accepting the message presented. People interact differently and some may accept whilst others reject the messages from the agents of socialisation.