Definition of socialization
Before discussing this topic, it is necessary to understand what socialization as such is.
Psychological science says that socialization
is the process of an individual’s entry into a social system, mastering its norms, rules of behavior, values, knowledge and skills, and psychological attitudes.
Another, “unofficial” definition says that socialization is what allows a person to live in harmony with the world around him. How is this harmony achieved?
Man is the only creature who, let’s say, is not born by himself. Any animal at birth belongs to a certain species - the same one to which its parents belonged. And only a person, in order to obtain the characteristics inherent to his species, is obliged to undergo a long and complex process of socialization, individual forms of which occur throughout his entire life. In fact, if a newborn is left in the forest and there he randomly survives, then he will not learn to speak, or build, or even hunt. Certain forms of learning, of course, exist in many animals, but they take place only for a short time; an animal that has not undergone “socialization” still has a great chance of surviving and producing offspring, since the basic skills are embedded in its instincts. Long and complex socialization is observed only in higher primates, which proves that this phenomenon did not arise suddenly, but was inherited from our animal ancestors and evolved over thousands of years.
Agents of socialization, social statuses and roles
Agents of socialization are those people and institutions (organizations) that form our norms.
- In childhood, these are family, educational institutions, church, informal associations.
- In adult life, this is also added to: the workforce, the media, the state, political parties and other institutions (science, business, etc.)
So, throughout his life, an individual absorbs social norms, forms his social status and masters certain social roles that he has to try on. What it is? Let's get a look.
Social status is the place occupied by a person in society (cell), which determines the range of his rights and responsibilities.
We always occupy some position in society, which depends on our marital status, age, work, income, education, profession.
- We receive some statuses regardless of our desire. These are prescribed statuses - for example, son, daughter, man, woman, etc.
- Other statuses are called attainable - for example, husband or wife, janitor or president, etc.
A social role is a pattern of behavior that is oriented towards a certain social status.
For example, you had a child and you received a new status - mother or father. In this regard, you have a need to play a new social role as a parent in order to correspond to your new status. The difference from status is that it exists, but the role can be performed or not performed.
Types of socialization
Socialization is a difficult, even contradictory process. In the process of his development, an individual becomes acquainted with both humanity as a whole and individual groups of people who have their own rules, goals and guidelines.
Therefore, experts distinguish several types of this phenomenon:
- Primary socialization
begins at the birth of a child and ends with the formation of a mature personality. It lays the foundations for all subsequent development of a person, and to some extent determines the scenario of his future life. The family is of greatest importance, because it is the first thing a child sees in his life. It is necessary to keep in mind that children perceive what they see around them uncritically, therefore they regard the behavior of adults in the family as basic, standard. Alcoholism and sloppiness, unsanitary conditions in the house - all this is “imprinted” in the child’s mind and can remain with him for life if he does not go through the subsequent stages of socialization. And vice versa - intelligence and cleanliness learned in the family will also accompany him in the future. In the future, kindergarten, school, a group of friends and peers become new social environments, where the child has to get accustomed to a new environment and act in accordance with new rules. - Secondary socialization, or resocialization
, is the process of eliminating previous patterns of behavior and learning new ones. This process continues throughout the individual's life. During resocialization, a person experiences a complete break with his past and feels the need to assimilate new values that are strikingly different from those that he previously adhered to. Typically, the changes that occur during secondary socialization are less than during primary socialization. - Group socialization
is a process that takes place within a social group. So, if a child spends more time with his peers than in the family, then he more actively adopts the norms and rules inherent in the peer group. - Gender socialization
is a process that involves learning the role of a man or woman in society. At the same time, boys learn to be men, and girls learn to be women. In the past, gender socialization was an important and necessary part of a person's entry into society, but nowadays gender has largely ceased to have any meaning. Equality of rights and opportunities eliminates the need to “command” and “obey”, and representatives of both sexes have the opportunity to master the same professions, occupy the same positions and take on the same social roles (for example, in a family, both parents can take turns working and raising children, either the wife works, and the husband looks after the household and raises the children, or “the old fashioned way” - the husband works, and the wife takes care of the household and children). The principles of gender socialization are still strong in traditional, backward societies (in the countries of Asia and Africa), but even there they are gradually losing their position. - Organizational socialization
is a process in which an individual who is part of an organization learns its norms and rules and masters the skills of his work within its framework. - Early socialization
is the process of mastering norms, rules and skills that do not correspond to the current level of physical, psychological and social development. First of all, this type of socialization is understood as a game - a kind of “rehearsal” for future social activity.
Features of the concept of socialization article
Features of the concept of “socialization” in socio-psychological studies of domestic and foreign authors
Despite its widespread use, the term “socialization” does not have an unambiguous interpretation among various representatives of psychological science. The concept of “socialization” was first introduced by the sociologist Durkheim, and for a long time this phenomenon was studied only within the framework of sociology. At the end of the 60s. In the 20th century, this socio-psychological phenomenon began to emerge as an interdisciplinary problem, and the attention of specialists in various fields - sociologists, philosophers, teachers and psychologists - increased.
An extensive sociological theory describing the processes of integration of an individual into the social system is described by T. Parsons. According to Parsons, the individual “incorporates” social values in the process of communicating with “significant others”, as a result of which adherence to generally valid normative standards becomes part of his motivational structure. Socialization occurs due to the action of psychological mechanisms of cognition and assimilation of values. It is carried out using three main mechanisms: a) cognitive; b) protective, with the help of which decisions are made in cases where conflicts arise between the needs of the individual and c) adaptation mechanisms, which are closely related to protective mechanisms. Adaptation mechanisms, according to T. Parsons, sublimate those conflicts that are associated with external objects. This adaptation leads to the internalization of elements of social control and in this sense has similarities with the functioning of the superego. According to T. Parsons, the cognitive mechanisms of socialization are imitation (imitation) and mental identification, which are based on feelings of respect and love. In order for a person to experience identification with another person, it is necessary that the latter have a certain attitude towards the person being socialized and establish a certain relationship with her. These relationships may be expressed through actions such as advice and guidance from teachers and parents. By internalizing these instructions and expectations, the socialized person acquires individual morality. Thus, all those mechanisms with the help of which, according to T. Parsons, the socialization of the individual is carried out, also participate in the processes of its adaptation at all stages of development.
Currently, there are two major movements dealing with this problem: American and French. American researchers in general tend to narrow the meaning of this concept: socialization is seen as a learning process, a way of accepting group norms, and adaptation. French scientists consider socialization more broadly - as the entire complex of relationships between a person and society.
Within the framework of foreign psychology, three main schools can be distinguished, which interpret the very concept of socialization in their own way. Representatives of learning theory understand socialization as the development and control of certain “drive systems” (E. Durkheim, etc.).
Adherents of the psychodynamic school interpret this concept as the development of the “superego,” the direction of energy into socially acceptable activity and learning to restrain basic desires and needs (McNeil E.).
Interactionists are convinced that socialization is the interaction between the child and the environment.
Sociologists interpret the term as “the process of people accumulating experience and social attitudes corresponding to their social roles” [7:75].
The Encyclopedia of Psychology notes that socialization “refers to the processes by which an individual develops the qualities necessary to function effectively in the society in which he lives.” Compilers of the International Dictionary of Educational Terms G.T. Page, J.W. Thomas, A.R. Marshall, the term “socialization” refers to the process of learning roles and expected behavior in relationships with family and society and developing satisfactory relationships with other people” [2:123].
It becomes obvious that in Western studies society is represented as a dominant force, and the person himself acts as a passive material from which the desired “product” is “molded”. This approach makes all such theories essentially theories of conformity. In fairness, it should be noted that there are a number of theories in which the individual is not considered as a passive participant in the socialization process. As the American psychologist T. Shibutani writes, “socialization is a continuous process of communication, during which a newcomer selectively introduces into his system of behavior those patterns that are sanctioned by the group” [7:64].
Thus, an analysis of the sources allows us to assert that in the 60-70s, the view of socialization as a process of subject-subjectivity was actively developing in the Anglo-American socio-psychological literature.
In modern domestic social psychology there is also no unambiguous interpretation of the term “socialization”. The terms “personality formation”, “personality education”, “personality formation”, etc. are often used as a synonym for socialization. The topic of socialization has been included in the problem field of domestic research since the 1960s. Significant contributions to the development of conceptual approaches to the study of socialization are made by G.M. Andreeva, I.S. Kon and other Russian specialists in the field of social psychology. Most domestic psychologists emphasize that any individual and his psyche are initially and always social. And in the course of human development, not only society influences him, but he also influences society. And here it is not a one-way, but a two-way dependence.
Thus, G.M. Andreeva interprets socialization as the process of an individual’s entry into the social environment, his assimilation of social influences, joining the system of social connections,” etc. [1;79]. If we focus on the theory of social attitudes, which explains the processes of regulation of human social behavior, then we can say that socialization is the formation, formation and development of a system of social attitudes of an individual.
According to I.S. Kon, socialization includes not only conscious, controlled, purposeful influences, but also spontaneous, spontaneous processes that in one way or another influence the formation of personality.
In the Psychological Dictionary of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of the USSR, socialization is understood as the process of assimilation and active reproduction by an individual of social experience, a system of social connections and relationships in his own experience [5:203]. K.K. Platonov in the Brief Dictionary of the System of Psychological Concepts gives the following definition of the term: “Socialization is the acquisition in the process of education of socially significant personality properties, reflecting social consciousness, subordinating its biologically acquired properties” [5: 198].
The Dictionary of Applied Sociology interprets the term as a complex, multifaceted process of including a person in social practice, acquiring social qualities, traits, assimilating social experience and realizing one’s own essence, through fulfilling a certain role in practical activities... Outside of including a person in one or another type of activity, joint with other people, the process of socialization and personality formation is impossible [6:165].
Thus, in domestic social psychology, socialization is understood as a multifaceted process, certainly active and continuous throughout a person’s life. As V.V. Novikov rightly notes, “in the process of socialization... the individual acts as a subject of social relations, who consistently, and sometimes simultaneously, assimilates the social experience of society, and then himself influences (on society) through his own activities” [4: 164 ].
Literature:
- Andreeva G.M. Social Psychology. M, 2004.
- Belinskaya E.P. Personality research: traditions and perspectives. / Social psychology in a changing world / Ed. G.M.Andreeva, A.I. Dontsova. M., 2002
- Durkheim E. On the division of social labor. Method of sociology. – M., 1990. – 575 p.
- Novikov V.V. Social psychology: phenomenon and science. – M., 1998.- 464 p.
- Psychological Dictionary / Ed. A.V. Petrovsky. – M., 1990.
- Sociological encyclopedic dictionary // Coordinating editor – Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences G.V. Osipov. – M., 1998. – 488 p.
- Shibutani T. Social psychology. – M., 1984.
Stages of socialization
Socialization is a complex and gradual process that takes place in several stages. The first step should be social adaptation. This is the name given to the active adaptation of an individual to the conditions of the social environment in which he finds himself. It is believed that adaptation takes place at three levels - physiological, psychological and social.
On the physiological
stage, a person explores a new environment for himself, enters into new social connections and studies his capabilities, which will help him to realize himself in a given social group. At this time, the individual actively communicates and gets used to living by new rules, after which he tries to make his own efforts to achieve results that are relevant for the given team.
At the stage of individualization
a person is already firmly aware of himself as a unit of society. In fact, the formation of a personality takes place - an individual who has his own beliefs, abilities, skills, and his own assessment of what is happening. If at the first stage of socialization he learns to be like others in everything, then at the next stage he tries to become unlike others, having his own characteristics, which, however, are part of the general system of values and are regulated by it.
However, individualization is a rather subjective process. The assimilation of general rules and common experience and self-realization in a social group occur differently for each person. Some, for example, decide to become as conformal as possible, that is, to follow the norms and rules in everything; Such pedantry in some individuals reaches the point of absurdity. Others, during socialization, overcome stereotypes, break certain rules and behave non-standardly, however, ensuring the overall development of the group. Finally, still others destroy the very foundations of a given social group, resulting in either its disintegration or the expulsion of a given individual from the group.
The next stage of socialization is integration
. This term came to social science from exact and natural disciplines - mathematics, biology, physics; and it means the process of acceptance of personality by other members of a social group. Society reaches some consensus - agrees to at least “tolerate” a newcomer who promises to live at least by basic general rules and not interfere with others. More successful integration occurs if the newcomer is useful in some way to a given social group; For this individual, society is even ready to forgive certain “weaknesses” and inconsistencies.
It should be noted that the complete absence of any discrepancies in socialization is undesirable, at least in developed societies. Absolute conformism is usually perceived as one of the forms of deviant behavior, because a conformist does not bring anything useful to society. The main part of a particular social group has a certain “degree of freedom,” but in such a way as not to violate the foundations of this group. However, in undeveloped, primitive societies, absolute conformism is encouraged; in such societies the slightest deviation from the norm, even if it is beneficial to the entire group, is persecuted and eliminated. In such societies, each person is obliged to hold a spoon in a strictly defined hand at dinner, get out of bed on a strictly defined leg, chew food at a strictly defined speed of jaw movement, etc. An example of such a society is the population of Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. In developed societies, rules and norms are perceived only as a means to help organize all members of the group into a system; and in primitive societies, norms and rules are an end in themselves, and socialization comes down to memorizing them.
Socialization functions
Social experience is passed on from generation to generation. If there are violations in this process, asocialization of individuals, groups and even states is possible.
Socializing institutions perform the following functions:
- Sociocultural. It determines the possibility of using methods and methods of adaptation, and, if necessary, limits them. For example, in public schools in many countries issues of religious education and upbringing are regulated.
- Integrative. Values and norms are chosen that contribute to the unification of various forces in society and are aimed at its development.
- Relational. Communicates socially expected standards of behavior to young people. Prescribes requirements for different status-role structures and determines the distribution of people in public space.
- Regulatory. Establishes the framework of the normal process of adaptation of the subject to society. For example, unlike the Soviet period, entrepreneurial skills are in demand in Russia today.
- Regulatory. Indicates the boundaries within which individual actions are not condemned by society. Exercises social control over the behavior of an individual. In democratic systems, most executive functions are implemented through self-regulation. Social institutions determine only the general framework and sanctions that society can apply in a given case.
Depending on the selected parameters, sociologists also identify other functions inherent in the adaptation process: compensatory, procreative, communicative-informational, value-oriented, personal-transformative.
Stages of personality socialization
It has been noted that one of the main goals of socialization is to overcome one’s egocentrism. Entering any social group requires an understanding that “you are not alone.” This is considered one of the signs of growing up. It is known that a child up to a certain age perceives himself as the center of the universe, and this is his natural state. Subsequently, we observe what is called youthful maximalism: the teenager continues to consider himself “the very best,” the one and only, but is faced with an abundance of the same “one and only” around him. This leads to conflicts, often serious ones.
Individuals who have not undergone socialization for some reason retain for a long time the characteristics characteristic of children or “newcomers.” Those around them perceive them as infantile and narrow-minded people, but in reality everything is more complicated. If in adulthood the passion inherent in adolescents for learning new things, active communication, and mastering new skills and abilities remains, then this can only be welcomed. At the same time, egocentrism and difficult experiences of one’s failures are clearly undesirable signs for a mature personality.
An example of insufficient socialization in adulthood is belief in “alternative histories” - the writings of Nosovsky and Fomenko, Chudinov and other pseudoscientific freaks. The point here is not only about political, “patriotic” and selfish motives. It’s just that a child, just starting to explore the world and discovering something new, strives to share his discovery with others; parents and other older members of society, to play along with him, share his joy.
During his school years, a teenager is faced with the impossibility of being a pioneer in the modern world: everything he learns about has already been discovered by someone, and his “discovery” is no longer of great value to others. A mentally healthy person gradually gets used to this situation and finds unexplored areas where he can show his skills and give something new to society. And a mentally disabled person experiences rejection from this situation; Instead of searching for unexplored areas, he is eager to “rediscover” what has already been discovered, to create a sensation and receive the laurels of a discoverer, which, as he is sure, simply must belong to him.
The biography of Anatoly Fomenko, the author of the famous pseudoscientific “New Chronology,” very clearly presents us with just such a person - an unsocialized intellectual who, for the sake of the honor of being a discoverer, is ready to commit any lie and achieve his goal by any means. For a long time he eked out the life of a “lesser” mathematician, compiled standard textbooks on geometry for students and was content with a modest salary. In the end, he got tired of it, he realized that the modest and routine work of teaching did not bring happiness, and decided to do something loud and sensational. In his native field, geometry, it is very difficult to become a discoverer, but history is a different matter. Written in collaboration with the equally unsocialized intellectual Gleb Nosovsky, “New Chronology” instantly became a bestseller; Many uneducated readers of this work seriously call Fomenko a “prophet.”
It was said above that school becomes an important environment for primary socialization. Indeed, the task of school is not only to provide some knowledge on various subjects, but also to teach how to live in society. In many countries, special techniques are used for this purpose. For example, in the United States, schools do not have stable classrooms; When a student enrolls in school, he chooses which subjects he will study, and at each lesson he finds himself in a new classroom, in a completely new team. Such socialization is very useful, especially in the USA, because a significant part of the population of this country lives in very small settlements where “everyone knows each other,” but excessive attachment to “one’s own corner” can create problems in the future when it is necessary to change place of residence (in connections with study, work, etc.).
Most Russians live in cities and towns with significantly larger populations, so they do not feel an urgent need for this type of school in our country. At the same time, another type of socialization is required - the ability to work in a stable team, which a Russian-style school can handle quite well.
