The Bases of Human Behaviour — Psychology STD 11 Humanities — Question

Socialization is a process of social learning through which a child acquires the norms, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that are acceptable in his/ her culture.
Main agents of socialization are following:
Parents:

• Parents have the most direct and significant impact on children’s development.
• Parents encourage certain behaviours by rewarding them verbally (e.g. praising).
• They also discourage certain behaviours through non-approving behaviours.
• The conditions of life in which parents live (poverty, illness, job stress, nature of family) also influence the styles they adopt in socializing children.

School:

• In schools children learn not only cognitive skills (e.g. reading, writing, doing mathematics) but also many social skills (e.g. way of behaving with elders and age mates, accepting roles, fulfilling responsibilities).
• Several other positive qualities such as self-initiative, self-control responsibility, and creativity are encouraged in schools.

Peer-Groups:

• Friendship provides children not only with a good opportunity to be in company of others, but also for organizing various activities (e.g. play) collectively with the member of their own age.
• Qualities like sharing, trust, mutual understanding, role acceptance and fulfillment develop on interaction with peers.
• Development of self-identity is greatly facilitated by the peer groups.

Media-Influences:

• The exposure to violence on television enhances aggressive behaviour among children.
• In recent years media has also acquired the property of a socializing agent therefore children learn about many things from newspapers, television, books and cinema.