(i)The family as a socializing agent
At the initial stages of a newly born child, the mother, the father and sisters, and finally other relatives, are often the first people he has contact with. For most of the first few years of a child’s life, the child is among and around these people and is therefore totally dependent on them for his many psychological, physical and other needs. These needs are essential features for the socialization of a child in the family. For this reason, the family is referred to as the primary socializing agent. That is, it is within family relationships that the child learns his first lessons in social living, social roles, and social behavior and in the general way of life of his society. It is within his family that the child takes the first major step in the process of socialization. As a primary socialization agent, the family has one major educational function. This function is related to the life of the socialize. The family provides the socializee with initial education. Using the family as his reference group a socializee learns some patterns of behavior, perceives some realities and acquires habits of thinking which features of his family and the wider society are. In this way, the family, teaches, the socializethe culture and subculture to which he belongs.
For example, a child who is born into a pastoralist family learns to behave in a different way from one born in an agriculturist family. Similarly, a child born into a Muslim family learns to behave differently from one born into a Christian family. In the wider context the Kenya child learns values, norms, behaviour and culture which are distinctly Kenyan. It is important to remember however, that most of the learning that goes on in the family is informal in the sense that it occurs without the parents or other members of the family being consciously aware that they are teaching. As the child grows up, he joins the school which becomes another major socializing agent in his life.
(ii) The school as a socializing agent
At the age of five or six, the child enters school to start another long period of socialization leading towards a time when he will become an adult member of his society. During this period, the school shares the role of socializing of the child with the family. However, while the family does is socializing in an informal manner, the school uses both formal and informal approaches in its socializing function.
iii) the peer group as a socializing agent
The peer group is comprised of people within the same age-group. It is a recognize agent of socialization whether among adults or growing children. Growing children living in the same neighborhood or attending the same school often associate or play with those of their age and thus form peer-groups. In the school, however, peer groups are usually formed by children in the same class. In their classroom, children continually interact with the classroom group which is an important feature of peer group socialization in school.In this peer group, the child learn adult values such as cooperation, responsibility, following rules, honesty, fair play in competition and many other good habits. These values are learnt through children’s play acting and games; for example, hide and seek can teach the children the value of being honest. The children imitate the roles of husband and wife and thus learn responsibility. Although these values appear meaningful to the child only at play level, they nevertheless become increasingly the basis of adult behavior. In addition, the peer group helps the child to learn his six roles and it also acts as a source of information for its members. In general, therefore, the peer group teaches the child and thus reinforces both the family and the school in their socializing roles in the society.
iv) Mass Media as a socializing agent
By mass media we mean such organs of communication and amusement as television, radio, pictures, magazines and newspapers. These are important in socializing all of us in various ways. Today, mass media is assuming great importance in socializing the children. For example, children are now more aware of the world and national affairs than children of past years. They learn from mass media certain manners, attitudes behaviors and values that exist in the society. They learn new dances and use of certain commercial products; no doubt, they also become aware of new issues pertaining to farming, diseases, social life, and language and so on, when such subjects are presented, analyzed, or discussed by the mass media organs. In the end, children come to view the world, their nation or society in the light of what they see, learn and read in the media organs.
(v) Religious Institutions as socializing Agents
Apart from the family, the school and peer groups, the other important agents of socialization are religious institutions. The role of the religious institutions is usually to perpetuate the orals, beliefs and practices as accepted in the respective religious groups. In this respect, the role of religious institutions in the socializing process is not so different from that of the family or the school.
Among the major functions of these institutions is the teaching of moral or good behavior to children. This teaching is usually done by pastors, Sunday-school teachers or madras teachers. In Sunday-school for instance, children as early as in the oedipal stage are taught that God is watching over them. They are taught to respect and obey their parents and teachers. In addition pastors and Sunday-school teachers provide models for character development to the children. Ultimately, these teachings and models reinforce or complement the role of the family, the school and the peer group with regard to socializing in the society.
Wilfykil answered the question on March 2, 2019 at 08:51