Synaptic Pruning: The Four Stages Of Socialization

The connection between synaptic over-production and human social experience shows that we need certain networks in our brain in order for us to develop and interact with one another. Synaptic over-production refers to the idea that the brain over produces neuronal structures during early development, like during infancy. While the brain starts to develop during infancy, the brain produces more synapses than needed. Through social interaction with parents or others, the connections that are used frequently become stronger and the connections that are not used become dormant. This process is known as synaptic pruning. Synaptic pruning helps network the brain and connects the synapses that we learned through socialization. The brain is plastic …show more content…
One of the stages of socialization is family. Family is the most important agent and is the key responsibility for socialization of a child’s early life. Ones family influences the way a child will act or think. Parent and siblings’ actions toward the child can influence the child’s behavior and actions. Parenting and reasoning with the child shows the child discipline or shows how they are suppose to act in society. Parenting such as authoritative parenting benefits the child. The child will have better relationships with adults in the future and will not fear adults. Children with authoritarian parents will fear adults because of the power that their parents hold in the household.
Secondly, peers are also an agent of socialization in early childhood. Peers or friends are a big influence in behavior, style, life choices and much more. Within a peer group, the status of the group is equal, unlike other agents of socialization. There is no hierarchy within the group so children feel more comfortable to socialize with their peers. Peers teach them how to interact in society and they learn how to be accepted into society or into a group. Peers can either support good or bad behavior within the …show more content…
The media creates social norms for little kids to think that they have to follow. The mass media created the social norms and expects people to follow them. An example of how the mass media socializes children is through commercials. Commercials like toy racecars are generally shown with a little boy and commercials with dolls are usually shown with a little girl. This socializes little kids to think that dolls are for girls and racecars are for boys. The media shows the gender socialization at a very young age. Children learn these social norms created by the media in order to fit into