What are Agents of Socialization?

Socialization is a lifelong learning process essential for our development as human beings. Through socialization we acquire a sense of self as well as emotions. Socialization is an essential factor in shaping our behavior. Without socialization, people wouldn't be able to learn the language, symbols, values, and norms of the society their live in. They also wouldn't be able to find their place in society. Significant individuals and groups that have an impact on a person's socialization are referred to as agents of socialization. As life changes and individuals go through the various stages of life, their agents of socialization change as well. For example, the biggest influence on an infant's life is their parents or guardians. Almost everything an infant learns is learned from them. This changes during childhood as peer groups and schools start influencing the individual's perception of themselves and others. As we enter adulthood, co-workers or members of other groups to which we belong (church, special interest groups, etc.) replace peers. Agents of socialization prepare us to take our place in society.

Family is a very important, if not the most important, agent of socialization. The first few years of a child's life, that child totally depends on his/her family for emotional and physical support. The child learns from the environment that its family creates. During this time, parents also convey their political and social views to their child.

For example, my family consisted of my parents, my brother, my maternal grandmother and one of my aunts. While I had a much larger family, those are the people that had the most influence on my life because we all lived in the same house. Through their input, I learned, among other things, about acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. Specifically, my parents were very concerned with punctuality. They passed those values on to me by example as well as by verbally stressing the need for punctuality. In fact, their