Socialization is the process of teaching people certain behaviors, so that they can be integrated into the society as fully functional individuals. A society is a collection of separate individuals. It is built by assimilating these individuals into a coherent whole. This can only happen if there are certain rules, regulations and guidelines that bind and guide the society. Socialization happens from childhood in the due course of living a societal life.
I remember the first day I went to school. As soon as I walked in front of the teacher, I became terrified. However, the teacher calmed me down, and led me towards the other children who were playing happily. I became instantly comfortable in their company, and my fears melted away.
The day I also remember was the day when my first milk tooth fell. I was very scared. However, my mother noticed this, and she informed me that it was supposed to fall. This relaxed me so much that eventually I didn’t even notice it when it fell out of my mouth.
Then there was the occasion when I went to the restaurant for the first time. I started clanging on my plates with my spoon. My mother stopped me and told me that nobody else is doing it, and that it was disturbing people.
I was very excited the first time I went to the movie theater. After I had taken my seat, I started cheering. However, my mother silenced me, and told me that nobody makes any noise in the theater, as that disturbs the other people.Â
Also, I remember when I went to the swimming pool initially. My instructor taught me the swimming etiquette. I was not to bump into anyone while swimming, and urinating in the pool was strictly prohibited. It was the first time I had heard the rules of swimming in public.
All of these incidents have had a binding pattern. All of them have guidelines on how to behave in different situations. They have taught how to conduct myself in public and society, and how to lead a societal life. I learned about how other people behave in different situations, and how I was expected to behave.
These incidents back George Herbert Mead’s sociological approach to the self, in which he has said that the self, as a person’s distinct identity, is only developed through social interaction. The incident in the cinema hall is where the child first seeks instant gratification by cheering, and is then rectified. This confirms Sigmund Freud’s theory of approaching child development by emphasis on tracking the formation of desire and pleasure in a child’s life.
Society contains certain roles for everyone at every stage of life. Each role has different guidelines, and expects different behavior from the individual. If the behavior of the individuals of the society is not according to the societal norms, chaos will ensue and society will break down. Thus, socialization becomes more imperative in this context. It is required to prevent the disintegration of the society.
REFERENCES:
1. Little, William (2016). Introduction to Sociology: 2nd Canadian Edition. Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology2ndedition/
2. MacDonald, Agnes. Sociology 110. Class Notes. October 16, 2019.