Agents Of Socialization Examples

There are many agents of socialization, such as family, peers, school, and religion. These groups influence our perception of the world, and in essence, we need them because our experiences with them are what shape our socialization skills. We draw from our interactions in each group to mold our self-concept, attitudes, and behaviors, and each of which affects us in its own way. The family is with us from beginning to end, creating our first learning experiences and starting us on the road towards who we become. It is through their eyes that we first start to see ourselves, and begin to create our “looking-glass” selves and role taking. It is by their standards that we first start to judge ourselves, and others and social class environments …show more content…
It is constantly changing, depending on our social interactions, teaching us how to think, feel and behave and use these experiences as a yardstick to measure ourselves. However, what is considered a norm and deviance are largely a matter of social construction, in an effort to set up, and maintain social order, yet it doesn’t mean that these definitions can’t change. According to the functionalist perspective, deviance can be a good thing, meaning not only can punishment of deviance reinforce the norms, and convince society, as a whole that these standards are valid, but it can actually allow us to grow and change as a society, to reevaluate our definition of our societal …show more content…
Primary examples of the effects of negative sanctions shown are in my son Alex’s obliviousness to the looks given when he was too loud, as well as my instinctive response to correct him. Yet, the direct interaction from me, gaining his attention and specifically, and deliberately addressing his behavior, does, at least temporarily influence his conduct. Employees at the store appeared utterly oblivious to Matthew’s blue hair, probably due to their own selections concerning self-expression. Conversely, the women customer seems, by her actions, to be jumping to conclusions regarding my family, looking at my children, with their blue hair or discourteous voices, and presuming they are disobedient, unruly delinquents. Therefore, likely believing my husband and I are the dreaded “permissive” parents, more concerned with maintaining a friendship with our children, than raising them, and are raising a generation of reprobates. In fact, I am also doing the same by assuming she was making these judgments of us. It seems, even when we work to avoid it, this behavior is an ingrained part of our individual