Socialization Agents and Activties of Young Adolescents

SOCIALIZATION AGENTS AND ACTIVrriES
OF YOUNG ADOLESCENTS
Sara Amon, Shmuel Shamai, and Zinaida Ilatov
ABSTRACT

Research examined the relative importance of peer groups for young adolescents as compared with diverse adult socialization agents—family, school, and community. The factors involved were teenagers ' activities, preferences, feelings, and thoughts as to how they spend their leisure time, their preferences for help providers, and their sense of attachment to their community. These comparisons were made with religious and non-rehgious youngsters, in both rural and urban communities, and in gender subgroups. Questionnsdres were administered to teenagers at secondary schools in a northern peripheral region of Israel. Findings showed the primary importance of peer groups and family in leisure activities and support, and the secondary importemce of school and community. No evidence was found of a sharp generation gap. Community could also be significant if its organizations accepted youth as a peer group, and not only individually, on an equal and cooperating basis.

INFLUENCE OF SOCIALIZATION AGENTS
ON LEISURE-TIME ACTIVITIES OF YOUNG ADOLESCENTS

The aim of this research was to examine the relative Importance and impact of peer groups, family, school, and community on young adolescents. The relative influence of these socialization agents were demonstrated mainly by the activities, preferences, feelings, and thoughts ofthe teenagers concerning the way they spend their leisure time, their preferences for help providers, eind the sense of attachment to their community. This study examined "normative" adolescents, in contrast to many studies that deal with problematic behaviors and their prevention. It focuses on three elements of the youngsters ' cultural background which are considered important explanatory factors of their subculture: gender, level of religiosity, and nature of their
Sara Amon, Tel-Hai Academic College, P.O.B.

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