AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION AND ENCULTURATION

We call these agents of socialization and enculturation as participants that consists of

persons, groups and institution that we come in contact and we interact with throughout
our lives. It teach us essential knowledge to participate successfully in our society.

FAMILY

The primary agent of socialization of an individual upon birth throughout infancy and up
to childhood. Parents and other members are essential for the early care and as the child
matures, and family becomes an important venue of social engagement and political
socialization.

Aside and apart from defining the identity of the individual as a member of society,
family itself as an institution is also defined by the changes that society undergoes.

But despite all of changes to the dynamics of family, it continues to be the primary
network for transmission of values, attitudes and behaviors.

Examples:

1. Family exerts a great influence on religious affiliations of its family member.

Oftentimes, the child is baptized or indoctrinated into religious belief of the family. It is
only later in our adulthood, we assert our own religious beliefs.

2. The familys social and cultural backgrounds are significant factors that define a
childs social opportunities and experiences.

SCHOOL

It plays a critical and active role in socialization as their various academic and social
activities mold students beliefs, values and attitudes.

Activities and elements experienced and encountered in school that influences ones
view about society and his/her role in it.

1. Classes

2. The curriculum

3. Values

4. Interactions with teachers, classmates and other school administration/personnel

5. Extracurricular activities

6. Participation in student government

Through school/education students become more aware of the interactions between

people and social institution and how these influence society. We take on more mature and
responsible political roles as we grow into adulthood and we begin to exercise rights and
responsibilities in our respective communities by voting and becoming active supporters of
certain political and social issues and causes.

PEER GROUPS

These are people who shared the same interest or characteristics such as age or social
background.

Peer groups for the most part are formed by informal, spontaneous and voluntary
means.

Organized groups considered peer group.

1. Boy scout

2. Girl scout

3. Other youth group movements

MASS MEDIA

A powerful agent of socialization which is widely used by many institutions and

organizations involved in the use of print and electronic communication.

It includes forms of communication such as books, magazines, newspaper, other print

materials, radio, television, movies and the widely used, internet.

Source of information:

1. regarding events in society

2. It presents various viewpoints regarding events and developments within society

3. Provides entertainment by showcasing other peoples experiences

RELIGION AND STATE

Both are considered as the ultimate source of authority, making them an important
agents of socialization.

Religion exerts a great influence on the views of a person, legitimizes accepted social
practices, provides stability to society and can even be sources of social change.

Example: Catholic Church was an active instrument during the Martial Law and in the
mass movement that led to the ouster of Presidents Marcos and Estrada.
 State participates in socialization through laws and other regulations that re-enforce
appropriate behavior and help form values and attitudes of the citizen.

MAJOR SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL EVENTS

Changes and developments brought about by historical events often cause

transformation of values, attitudes and views that define socities, leading to further changes
in the behavior and traditions of societies (people).

It is definitely a significant socializing forces for an entire generation.

Some of historical events that affects the entire generations of Filipinos:

1. Second World War

2. Martial Law

3. First people Power 1986

CONFORMITY, DEV IANCES and SOCIAL CONTROL

Groups or society exert great influence on an individuals thoughts, values, attitudes ad

behavior. They also provide a sense of identity and belongingness that enable the person to
relate fully with other group members. For an individual to continue functioning as a
member of the group, he/she should conform to the general behaviors and attitudes
prevalent within it.

CONFORMITY

The process of altering ones thoughts and action to adapt to the accepted behavior
within his/her group or society. (a product of pressure exerted by the society/group on the
individual)

3 types

1. Compliance - the outward conformity to social pressure but privately disagreeing with it.
(the least enduring type of conformity since it is motivated by desire to gain rewards and
avoid punishment)

2. Identification - individual adopting a certain behavior because it enables him or her to

have a satisfying relationship with the members of his/her group. (motivated by an authority
figure such as parents, leaders and teachers, etc.)
3. Internalization or acceptance - both public compliance and inter acceptance of norm and
standards imposed by the group. ( most permanent and deeply-rooted response to social
influence since it is motivated by the desire to be right)

DEVIANCES

Elicits a strong negative reaction from group members and involves action that violate
commonly held social norms.

But it varies depending on the context of the group/society.

Examples:

1. During Nazi Regime in Germany, many individuals are labeled as deviates- they are
the gypsies, jews and homosexual.

2. Case of women driving cars. In Philippines, women driving cars are a common sight
so definitely it is a normal behavior, but in Saudi Arabia, driving a car is considered an
undesirable behavior and is banned by law.

But on general and criminology term, Deviances are anti-social behavior and it can be
acquire as to how we acquire good behavior.

1. biological theory

2. Psychological theory

Psychoanalytic theory- id (pleasure aspect0, ego (reality aspect), superego

(conscience)

Behaviorism - Past experience causes later behavior or behavior from reward anh
punishment.

3. Sociological theory

Structural theory - Individual ability to meet the goal will lead to deviance

Labellinh theory (symbolic-interactionist theory) - ther is no deviance in society, it

becomes deviance once the society labeled a certain action as undesirable or as
deviant.

SOCIAL CONTROL

Any systematic means and practices used to maintain norms, rules and laws, it regulate
conflicts and it discourage deviant behavior. And SANCTIONS is the most common means of
social control and often employed to address conflicts and violations of social norm.
Sanction may be ether formal or informal.
FORMAL - provided by the laws and regulation in society.

LAWS-formally designate certain deviant behaviors as crimes. And each society has its
own set of definitions regarding crime and have appropriate sanctions to be applied.

Example: States of USA impose death penalty for murder, also in the Philippines
provides imposition of death penalty on certain crimes but our government suspend it since
2006, so the capital punishment here in our country was Reclusion Perpetual or Life
Imprisonment.

INFORMAL - commonly imposed by smaller societies/groups. No set or regulations that

define the nature of these sanctions and these are often arbitrarily agreed upon by the
members of the group/society. Ostracism, social stigma and gossip are the most common
forms of informal sanction.

Ostracized individual is forcibly isolated from the rest of society for a certain time

Social stigma- the individual still remains within the society but it is subjected for rejection
by the member of the society.

Gossip considered as a way of imposing informal sanctions for it is an informal means of

monitoring and censuring the behavior of a certain individuals . (Tsismosa at tsismoso)