The factors influencing individual change in children
The mid-20th century heralded social advancements such as recognition of human rights and equal opportunities for people regardless of gender and race. The latter resulted to the recognition of children as human beings in some societies around the globe. So dire was the situation in the earlier centuries that depiction of children in art was next to impossible. Aries asserts that society in the Medieval and earlier centuries regarded childhood as a stage of incompetency and incapacity (33). He proves the suppression of children during these centuries through a Biblical example when Jesus ordered His disciples to let the children come to Him. Fast-forwarding to the future, the recognition …show more content…
Randi Waerdahl describes this situation as anticipatory socialization. He notes that children react differently hence use different strategies to adapt to the sociocultural contexts. Merton concept of ‘anticipatory socialization’ involves the process of one building their abilities, adapting to new norms and alienating one-self from their former social groups all in a bid to identify to a new environment. Waerdahl notes that this transition of behavior is occurs during the early teenage stages of between 12-14 years (202). He notes that age is an important factor in shaping the traits of a person through experience. Indeed the older generation has more experience compared to the youth. A study commissioned by Wingard &Forsberg found out that older people are more likely to be inclined possessions as a means of recording their experiences with other people while the youth view possession as a means of fulfilling themselves as individuals (1578). Children transiting to high school therefore want to fit in the new social groups. Those who dare to be different from social groups are branded terms such as ‘outcasts’. The little understanding and experience that children have compounded by the social pressures around them is likely to make them yield into peer pressure. This may be detrimental in shaping ones’ personality as it may lead to loss of self- identity and coercion to change ones’ beliefs and practices so as to fit in a social
The mid-20th century heralded social advancements such as recognition of human rights and equal opportunities for people regardless of gender and race. The latter resulted to the recognition of children as human beings in some societies around the globe. So dire was the situation in the earlier centuries that depiction of children in art was next to impossible. Aries asserts that society in the Medieval and earlier centuries regarded childhood as a stage of incompetency and incapacity (33). He proves the suppression of children during these centuries through a Biblical example when Jesus ordered His disciples to let the children come to Him. Fast-forwarding to the future, the recognition …show more content…
Randi Waerdahl describes this situation as anticipatory socialization. He notes that children react differently hence use different strategies to adapt to the sociocultural contexts. Merton concept of ‘anticipatory socialization’ involves the process of one building their abilities, adapting to new norms and alienating one-self from their former social groups all in a bid to identify to a new environment. Waerdahl notes that this transition of behavior is occurs during the early teenage stages of between 12-14 years (202). He notes that age is an important factor in shaping the traits of a person through experience. Indeed the older generation has more experience compared to the youth. A study commissioned by Wingard &Forsberg found out that older people are more likely to be inclined possessions as a means of recording their experiences with other people while the youth view possession as a means of fulfilling themselves as individuals (1578). Children transiting to high school therefore want to fit in the new social groups. Those who dare to be different from social groups are branded terms such as ‘outcasts’. The little understanding and experience that children have compounded by the social pressures around them is likely to make them yield into peer pressure. This may be detrimental in shaping ones’ personality as it may lead to loss of self- identity and coercion to change ones’ beliefs and practices so as to fit in a social