Agents of Socialization essay
SOC101
An individual is influenced by their surroundings throughout their entire life. There are six main “agents” of socialization. The author of our text maintains these agents are: family, religion, media, school, sports, and peers. Although they can be separate entities; they all become intertwined in various aspects of life.
One of the biggest socializing agents is the family. They are often times the people we are most exposed to growing up as well as the ones we confide in. The family is where we establish morals and values, along with a sense of belonging and being taken care of. Unfortunately there are many families that don’t provide security, love, and nutrition. When those conditions are unavailable they will have a tremendous effect on the physical and mental health of an individual, especially in children.
Another agent of socialization is school. School is a place multiple socializing agents act together. During the school years children are exposed to their peers, sports, media, and at times religion. For a child with a bad home life, school can be a safe haven and a positive place to be; which was the case for me. I didn’t exactly have the best home life. When I was at school I knew that I was safe and would be taken care of if I was sick. I knew that I would have at least two meals a day available to me. I enjoyed the positive relationships with my peers, teachers, and counselors. I was able to participate in various sports throughout my middle school and high school years which helped me to establish more peer connections and do something that I felt good about.
The media surrounds each of us with every turn we take. With television, movies, radio, and magazines available almost anywhere it’s easy to see how the media can have a major impact on someone’s perception. The media determines what is “popular”. It tells us what to wear, places to visit, foods to buy, many times without us even realizing. Personally I looked up to many
An individual is influenced by their surroundings throughout their entire life. There are six main “agents” of socialization. The author of our text maintains these agents are: family, religion, media, school, sports, and peers. Although they can be separate entities; they all become intertwined in various aspects of life.
One of the biggest socializing agents is the family. They are often times the people we are most exposed to growing up as well as the ones we confide in. The family is where we establish morals and values, along with a sense of belonging and being taken care of. Unfortunately there are many families that don’t provide security, love, and nutrition. When those conditions are unavailable they will have a tremendous effect on the physical and mental health of an individual, especially in children.
Another agent of socialization is school. School is a place multiple socializing agents act together. During the school years children are exposed to their peers, sports, media, and at times religion. For a child with a bad home life, school can be a safe haven and a positive place to be; which was the case for me. I didn’t exactly have the best home life. When I was at school I knew that I was safe and would be taken care of if I was sick. I knew that I would have at least two meals a day available to me. I enjoyed the positive relationships with my peers, teachers, and counselors. I was able to participate in various sports throughout my middle school and high school years which helped me to establish more peer connections and do something that I felt good about.
The media surrounds each of us with every turn we take. With television, movies, radio, and magazines available almost anywhere it’s easy to see how the media can have a major impact on someone’s perception. The media determines what is “popular”. It tells us what to wear, places to visit, foods to buy, many times without us even realizing. Personally I looked up to many