Socialization — Sociology STD 11 Commerce / Arts — Question

The process of unlearning old norms, roles, values and behavioural patterns and learning new patterns is called re-socialization. Sometimes an individual is caught in a situation where one has to break away from past experience and internalise different norms and values. Re-socialization can also be defined as a process which subjects an individual to new values, attitudes and skills according to the norms of a particular institution and the person has to completely re-engineer one’s sense of social values and norms.

The person may be in a jail, hospital, in religious organization, police, army etc. In such institutions there is total break up from the normal social life outside. A prison sentence is a good example. The individual not only has to change and rehabilitate one’s behaviour in order to return to society but must also accommodate the new norms required for living, while in prison.