Social Studies Lesson: Socialization and its Processes

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Meaning of socialization

Socialization is the process by which a child learns how to do things like other human beings in the society. As a child, an individual is helpless and dependent on other people around him for everything. However, as he grows, through daily and continuous contact, and his interactions with other human beings, he learns how to do things like others in the society. Therefore, socialization can be defined in any of the following ways:

(a) Socialization is the training of the child in the culture or ways of life of his people or society.

(b) Socialization is the process by which an individual acquires new behaviour through social interactions and direct learning from other human beings.
(c) It is the process by which a new member goes through understanding the needs, practices, and patterns of behaviour of his people or community and subsequently adapts to them.

Socialization is a life-long process. It starts early in life (from birth) and continues throughout our lifetime. The early form of socialization (primary socialization) takes place in the home (during infancy) and probably is considered the most important aspect of socialization. We learn the dos and don'ts and culture of our society through socialization.

Significance of socialization

Socialization is significant in the following ways:

1. Socialization helps children and adults to learn the do's and don'ts of the society. Every society or its members desire good things and dislike bad ones. Through socialization, members of such a group learn and do the things they desire.

2. Through socialization children earn
   respect in the society by learning and
   putting in practice what is desired by
   others. It promotes, in the people, the spirit of hard work.

3. Socialization helps to prepare new members of a society to behave in the manner of the society. It helps them acquire acceptable values, attitudes, and behaviours to help them fit in property as members of the society.

4. Socialization prepares children and enables them to learn how to live and interact with other members of the society in an approved way; therefore, it promotes peaceful living and social interaction among the people of a society.

5. It helps the people of a society to leam how to play their roles and be useful to themselves and the society or group they belong to. This would help to ensure the continued existence of their society.

Processes of socialization

Socialization is a continuing process that takes place either formally or informally. Sometimes, it is planned; at other times, it occurs naturally or unintendedly.

The various ways through which socialization could take place are as follows:

Education: This involves formal and informal learning. Socialization can occur when a child learns under a planned condition of teaching and learning, either in the classroom or elsewhere. Here, the child is taught, and he learns from the activities of the agent. This is called direct learning.

Children learn their culture, the do's and don'ts in their society from parents, relatives, elders and many significant others in the society, directly or indirectly. Sometimes, socialization occurs incidentally when people learn from things that are not planned as a result of their interactions with others. Such learning may or may not be desired. As long as we live and mix up as human beings, we are bound to be learning either formally or informally. Learning that is not intended to occur is termed incidental learning.

A child or an individual could learn through observing and imitating people around him. For instance, children may learn through their friends, peers, play-mates, parents, and others by observation and imitation. Also, they observe and imitate movie actors and actresses through watching video films and other television programmes. These could socialize them either positively or negatively. They serve as models to them. We should not watch or listen to television programmes and films that socialize us negatively, for our own good and the good of the society we belong to.

Through apprenticeship, individuals could be socialized. This is a situation where an individual agrees to work under somebody and be taught the particular trade for a number of years for him to be socialized.

For us to be properly socialized, during the socialization process, we are expected to do the following.

Our roles during socialization

1. Co-operate with our socializing agents; that is, the people that socialize us, as well as show readiness to learn by listening and showing interest in what we are being taught.

2. Participate (take part) in all the things we do that is necessary for us to be properly socialized, eg taking part in school debate, games or sports, etc.

3. Respect our socializing agents and behave ourselves in the way and manner the society wants.

4. Obey all rules and regulations during socialization. When all the above things are done, both the individual being socialized and the society to which he belongs or in which he lives will benefit from the socialization process.

Re-socialization: Re-socialization occurs in adults whose previous socialization was inadequate. Socialization at this stage always takes harder forms. No wonder Erving Gaffma termed a place for such socialization as 'Total institution', e.g., prisons, army camps, mental hospitals, etc.

Revision Exercises

1. What is socialization
2. State the significance of Socialization
3. Explain the process of Socialization

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