The Family as the Most Important Socialization Agent (Essay Sample)

The Family as the Most Important Socialization Agent Student's First Name, Middle Initial(s), Last Name Institutional Affiliation Course Number and Name Instructor's Name and Title Assignment Due Date The Family as the Most Important Socialization Agent People should socialize and interact freely for societies to grow and remain firmly functional. However, socialization is somewhat conditional and usually learned. The reason is that a person’s socially learned traits trigger the socialization process. The values, norms, and beliefs a person learns at a young age act as the foundation of socialization. Here, the implication is that it is challenging to socialize with others if values, behaviors, and perspectives in life are sharply contrasting. The family is considered the most important agent of socialization since it teaches values and initiates the socialization process. Unlike other socialization agents, the family is often the first place where children learn behaviors, norms, and values. The taught behaviors and norms are usually based on cultural values, and parents teach their children through communication and observation. For socialization to be healthy, conflicts should be avoided. Accordingly, the family teaches children how to handle different social situations by helping them to develop levels of trust, a sense of independence, and initiative (Cameron, 2019). A sense of competition, personal drive, and purpose are also taught in families. They enable people to develop identities that define a person’s ease and extent of socialization. The family also teaches children how to socialize. It teaches children about danger identification, isolation, and setting limits. Functional psychologis...