Children become social beings through the process of socialization
Children become social beings through the process of socialization. Through this process humans are taught their social rules. Learning social roles come through a complex array of agents and factors. These include the family, the media, formal education, toys, and peers. While some of media for socialization are formal, others are informal. Humans are innately sexual beings, and sexuality is an important medium through which a lot of life’s processes are expressed, and even human life finds its continuity through sexual expression. We learn, from the time of early childhood, the basic concepts of these expressions through a process called gender socialization.
There are several social groups responsible for gender socialization, called agents of socialization. Some primary agents of socialization include; parents, schools, toys, peers, and the mass media. In this paper I will examine these agents and how they are employed on children and adolescents.
We will first take a look at a child’s first lessons in gender socialization. A child 's earliest exposure to what it means to be male or female comes from parents (Lauer & Lauer, 1994; Santrock, 1994; Kaplan, 1991). From the time their children are babies, parents treat sons and daughters differently, dressing infants in gender-specific colors, giving gender-differentiated toys, and expecting different behavior from boys and girls (Thorne, 1993). One study indicates that parents have differential expectations of sons and daughters as early as 24 hours after birth (Rubin, Provenzano, & Luria, 1974).
Children internalize parental messages regarding gender at an early age, with awareness of adult sex role differences being found in two-year-old children (Weinraub et al., 1984). One study found that children at two and a half years of age use gender stereotypes in negotiating their world and are likely to generalize gender stereotypes to a variety of activities, objects, and occupations (Fagot, Leinbach, & O 'Boyle,
There are several social groups responsible for gender socialization, called agents of socialization. Some primary agents of socialization include; parents, schools, toys, peers, and the mass media. In this paper I will examine these agents and how they are employed on children and adolescents.
We will first take a look at a child’s first lessons in gender socialization. A child 's earliest exposure to what it means to be male or female comes from parents (Lauer & Lauer, 1994; Santrock, 1994; Kaplan, 1991). From the time their children are babies, parents treat sons and daughters differently, dressing infants in gender-specific colors, giving gender-differentiated toys, and expecting different behavior from boys and girls (Thorne, 1993). One study indicates that parents have differential expectations of sons and daughters as early as 24 hours after birth (Rubin, Provenzano, & Luria, 1974).
Children internalize parental messages regarding gender at an early age, with awareness of adult sex role differences being found in two-year-old children (Weinraub et al., 1984). One study found that children at two and a half years of age use gender stereotypes in negotiating their world and are likely to generalize gender stereotypes to a variety of activities, objects, and occupations (Fagot, Leinbach, & O 'Boyle,
References: 1.Witt, S. D. (1997). Parental influence on children 's socialization to gender roles. Adolescence, 32(126), 253-9. 2.Knesz-Greulich, F. (2007). How young children learn about gender: The influence of parents and peers. (Order No. 3278620, New York University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 127-n/a. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/304844233?accountid=27966. (304844233). 3.Pinias, C., & Sharon, M. V. (2013). Gender stereotyping and female pupils ' perception of studying advanced level sciences: A survey of one province in zimbabwe. Gender & Behaviour, 11(1), 5285-5296. 4. Knesz-Greulich, F. (2007). How young children learn about gender: The influence of parents and peers. (Order No. 3278620, New York University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 127-n/a. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/304844233?accountid=27966. (304844233). 5., L. B. (2000, Feb 14). Why girls and boys get different toys --- `Gender-neutral ' is out, as more kids ' marketers pitch single-sex products. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398875763?accountid=27966 6. /http://www.etfo.ca/Resources/ForTeachers/Documents/Gender%20Issues%20in%