Although socialization process continues throughout individuals’ lives, the social interaction that they receive in their childhood stage has lasting effects on their abilities to interact with other people in the society. Nearly all behaviors considered as human nature are learned through the process of socialization. Therefore, it is through socialization that people learn how to talk, feed, walk, and other behavioral norms that assist them in fitting into the society. As defined by Uznienė (2012), agents of socialization refer to the social forces that influence individuals’ lives and alter their self-image. Conley (2015), states that these agents consist of family, peers, school, mass media, work, religion, and community. These agents shape our beliefs, teach us the norms of our society as well as guide us to form viable values. Besides, they educate us about the social expectations and manners of interacting with other individuals. Throughout the process of socialization, people’s personalities and self-concept are formed by interrelating with others and perceiving themselves in a manner in which they believe others recognize them (Luczak & Younkin, 2012). The most influential agents in my life have been my family, school, work, and peers since they gave me positive morals, values, encouragement, and upright life direction.
My family has greatly impacted my life in the process of socialization. Being refugees from Eritrea, my parents understood the need for positive morals in the American society. As the last born in a family of six brothers and sisters, my parents and siblings kept me from getting into trouble by ensuring that I did not hang out with the wrong crowd. Besides, they emphasized on the close relationship that structured my childhood. Through meaningful communication and observational learning, I learned how to behave properly and formed morals and values that would be beneficial in my life (Rasmussen, 2010). When I was young, my parents implemented religion into my daily life. They baptized me, forced me to go to church, and educated me on all religious processes. Although the religion was forced on me, it assisted my parents in influencing my life since it shaped my self-image, attitude, and my personality. My family still employed religion to shape my life even though I rebelled against going to church when I was a teenager.
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Although my parents were instrumental in shaping my behavior, attending school has had the most impact on my existence. My parents migrated to America as refugees in the 80’s to ensure that their children obtained a valuable education. Therefore, they encouraged school on us and this molded me into the person I am today since education gave me a future. It allowed me to realize gender socialization by reinforcing the qualities traditionally ascribed to males and females. Although the main objective of attending school is to teach life skills and transfer subject knowledge, my education has enabled me to learn important social skills through interacting with other students, staff, and teachers (Horner & Wallace, 2013). School has helped me to accept cultural values of my society by educating me on the positive things about my nations past and present. Besides, I have learned the importance of obedience, patient, neatness, and hard work to earn good grades and other rewards in life. In that manner, I have discovered the traits that prepare persons for jobs and careers that aim at bolstering my country’s capitalist economy. Through school, I have discovered that failure stems from not trying hard enough since when individuals do not put much effort in their studies, they earn poor grades. Further, education taught me the need for obeying authority to be successful in life (Friebus, 2007). Therefore, education shaped my life by impacting essential knowledge and skills that have incessantly helped me in securing jobs as well as establishing and maintaining strong and effective relationships.
Additionally, peers, as agents of informal control were influential in shaping my life. When I was young, my peers gave me an opportunity to form a relationship with others on my terms and learn different aspects of life without the help of an adult. Although peers influenced me when I was young, they influence me more now since at my age I have developed college friends that will assist me to last a lifetime. These people have helped me through the toughest times of my life by providing support and encouragement. For instance, I still have close friends that I made from high school whom we share insights and opinions regarding life. Besides, peers have assisted me in developing the social skills I need as an adult (Mustaeva, 2014). My peers are important in my aspects of life since I rely on them for emotional support and comfort, fun as well as companionship. Moreover, work influenced me to be who I am today. I started working for 16 years, and this gave me a sense of responsibility in life. Working helped me develop work ethics that I employed throughout my high school and college studies. Besides, work accustomed me with many skills such as values and discipline that an individual must possess to become efficient in the society.
The influences of the various agents of informal control in my early life were important in my later life since they helped me shape my personality and self-concept. According to Kramer & Conger (2009), agents of socialization enable individuals to develop skills and values that assist them to cope with difficult situations in their lives. Through verbal communication, boy language, and observational learning provided by my agents of socialization, I developed self-esteem that shaped my personality. When I was young, I felt judged, and I believed that I was inferior to other people. I let it chip away at my self-esteem until I had none left. Thankfully, my agents of informal control’s powerful influence redesigned my life, and I changed from a lost, hopeless person to a strong, driven, and humble being. These agents of socialization have been the most powerful influences in my life, and I am so grateful for them.
In conclusion, it is apparent that childhood socialization has lasting effects on a person’s abilities to interact with other people in society. In my life, various agents of informal control have influenced and shaped my personality and self-image. The family is one of them where my parents and siblings structured my childhood and ensured that I did not associate with the wrong crowd. Besides, my brothers and sisters gave me the courage to aim for the best and accomplish great things in my life. Further, school shaped my life by illuminating on gender socialization and enabling me to learn important social skills through interacting with other students, staff, and teachers. Peers also gave me an opportunity to form a relationship with others as well as develop the social skills I need as an adult. From my point of view, the sole foundation of my life is as a result of these agents of socialization.
References
Conley, D. (2015). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist . New York : W.W. Norton & Company
Friebus, R. J. (2007). Agents of Socialization Involved in Student Teaching. Journal of Educational Research , 70 (5), 263-268.
Horner, C. G., & Wallace, T. L. (2013). Measuring Emotion Socialization in Schools. Journal Of School Health , 83 (10), 697-703.
Kramer, L., & Conger, K. J. (2009). Siblings as agents of socialization . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Luczak, C., & Younkin, N. (2012). Net Generation: A Conceptual Framework of the Consumer Socialization Process. Academy Of Marketing Studies Journal , 16 (2), 47-51.
Mustaeva, F. (2014). A Family as an Agent Of Socialization. International Multidisciplinary Scientific Conference On Social Sciences & Arts SGEM , 25-29
Rasmussen, B. (2010). The Church as an Agent of Socialization in Red and Blue States. Conference Papers -- Southern Political Science Association , 1.
Uznienė, R. (2012). Media -- Agents of Socialization. Regional Formation & Development Studies , (8), 231-239.
