Understanding of Culture, Agents of Socialization, and the Family

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Understanding of Culture, Agents of Socialization, and the Family

Introduction

Sociological theories are complex theoretical frameworks. Sociologists use these theories to explain and to analyze how different social actions, social processes and social structures work. The sociological study of society is an interesting and challenging endeavor. For the researcher of applied sociology, especially if you are considering intervening in families, communities or organizations, social perspectives provide valuable information to help understand these institutions, and to predict what will emerge from these interventions. The aim and objective of this paper is also to look at one of the facets of society from the perspective of socialization. The purpose of this paper is to reveal self development in the light of culture, agents of socialization and family.

Socializing Agents

Before delving in the profound discussion about the impact of socializing agents on the self development it is indispensable to understand the basic concept of socializing agents. Agents of socialization or social institutions that can cast its influence on social norms on a person, include family, media, religion, language, per groups, penal systems, economic systems and legal systems. Theresa (2008) further asserts that there are various other informal socializing agents that also cast its influence on the self development of an individual. These informal socializing agents include magazines, films and music (Theresa, 2008). Hye-Jin, Bryan and Ruthann (2010) identify different socializing agents and highlight various elements within these agents through which these socializing agents impact the development of an individual. The following figure shows these socializing agents and various elements that are associated with these socializing agents that affect the self development of an individual (Hye-Jin, Bryan and Ruthann, 2010).

During the days of childhood and adolescent, few of the major socializing agents include family, mass media, school and peer group. In the formation of basic values, family of an individual plays a significant role. Children are exposed to the life beyond family through schools. When an individual is in the peer group or belong to the group of friends then he or she learns to relate as equals. To make an individual fully integrated with the society mass media makes the provision of role models to the individuals (Donald, 2012).

How Socializing Agents can be both Positive and Negative in an Individual's Development of the Self

In the above discussion, various socializing agents are listed. These socializing agents can affect the development of an individual both in the positive as well as negative way. The following part discusses how these socializing factors affect positively and negatively on the self development of an individual.

Positive and Negative Influence of Socializing Agents on Self Development

Different socializing agents can cast different influence. All the socializing agents cast both the positive and negative impacts. The first and the most important socializing agent that affects the self development of an individual is family. By forming an emotional tie family allows an individual to understand emotions and feelings. This means that by providing emotional ...