Socialisation and How It Influences Us Throughout Our Lives

In this assignment I will be talking about socialisation and how it influences us throughout our life.

What is socialisation?

Socialisation is the process of which new members of society develop awareness of social norms and values. It transforms a helpless infant into a self-aware, knowledgeable person who is skilled in the ways of a society’s culture.

Primary socialisation

This usually happens within the family in the first 5 years of a child’s life. In order for children to grow and thrive, caregivers must satisfy their physical needs, including food, clothing, and shelter. They must also teach them what they need to knowing order to function as a member of society. This means teaching them norms, values, and language. If they do not receive adequate primary socialisation, then they tend to become unsuccessful as an adult.

Children learn to speak from their families and other carers. An unborn baby can listen to the mother’s voice while in the womb and be able to recognise that voice among others. As soon as the baby is born they are learning the rules of language and how others use it to communicate. What the baby hears will later shape the way they speak. They also learn accents and dialects at an early age from the families and carers.

Beliefs are strongly held opinions and assumptions about the world that shows how an individual sees life. Peoples beliefs influence the way they think act and feel. An individual’s belief comes from their upbringing, events that happen in their life and the influence of others. If a child is taken to a mosque then they are most likely to grow up believing in god. However, it could change as they grow older and are influenced by social media and peers.

Values are what an individual considers important to them and morally right. We use our values for every decision we make. We learn these at a very early age from our family and carers when they teach us what is right and wrong and how to be polite to others. For example, when they are in an argument, they would try to resolve the situation rather than argue back. This shows that they know what is the right thing to do.

Secondary socialisation

This is the process that begins in the later years through education and peer groups. This is different to primary socialisation because the involvement of family is less as other social agents take up the important roles. In school, the child gains a new experience. They learn to be treated equally as others without the special attention they receive at home. They also learn to tolerate and work with others.

Children are influenced by the culture that surrounds them. If they are brought up in a culture with strong religious beliefs then they are most likely to grow up and consider those beliefs as their own. Religion teaches children what is right and wrong, how to dress and think. this controls their behaviour as they grow up.

People often find music very relaxing and it can help change their mood and feelings. The type of music people listen to can reflect their feelings and personality. We often find comfort and relaxation through the rhythm and beats of music. Music helps us find feelings we can’t express. It also helps us be up to date with what others are listening to which allows us to interact more with people.