Socialisation is process through which people learn the various forms of behaviour consistent with membership of a particular culture

Socialisation is process through which people learn the various forms of behaviour consistent with membership of a particular culture. It is during socialisation that individuals learn the values and norms that play such an important part in shaping human behaviour. Socialisation provides the skills and habits necessary for acting and participating within one’s society. The functionalist view of socialisation is based on view that society is external to the individual and human nature is passive. Socialisation is a one way process – Society in man. Durkheim’s socialisation was very similar to training or even taming. During socialisation individuals learn to desire what the culture of a society provides and in doing so their personalities become structured by the social roles they learn. From a functionalist perspective deviant behaviour can to a large extent be explained in terms of inadequate socialisation. Though Marxists give a slightly differently explanation, they see little difference between culture and ideology. It is really the values and interests of ruling class which are transmitted as culture. Marxist analyse the agencies of socialisation in capitalist societies not just family but schools, mass media and political institutions. Bowles and Gintis emphasise the importance of schools transmitting the Hidden Curriculum. The values that are transmitted are capitalist values, acceptance of authority structures and competition. Similarly the mass media is seen as tool of the capitalist class transmitting materialistic values to passive consumers. Feminists such as Ann Oakley views patriarchal culture that is transmitted by the family, the key agency of primary socialisation. From the very first day they are born children are steered into socially accepted gender stereotypes. The media plays important role in gender socialisation because its influence across the border between primary and secondary socialisation. Children are exposed to the