Family And Socialization

Why is "family" the most important agent of "socialization?

Socialization is the process by which individual and groups acquire values and norms of their respective societies.

Institutions and other informal sources of socialization are collectively refered as'

agents of socialization".

The family which happens to be the first agent of socialization is the most important

especially when nurturing infants and young children.

The impact, family goes to play in an individual`s life is beyond the physical resemblance but deeply entrenched in his or her personality for life.

In most cases either both or one is present at one time or the other during the course of our development.

The way a person behaves is a function of how he or she is brought up.

From,birth we were taught to behave in a certain way and have certain family expectations that we must meet and will then play a key role in shaping our identity.

Family,promotes positive attribute like professionalism confidence and sense of belonging which may come in handy later on in life.

The world is now a digital society:most transactions and interactions are done online as witnessed during the lock down imposed world-wide due to the covid-19 pandemic.subsequently the need for other agent of socialization especially peer-group and school has drastically reduced.

This indicate that social,moral and psychological succour provided by the family will stand the test of time against other agent of socialization because they form the integral part of the hierarchy of needs as explained by Abraham Manslow`s "Hierarchy of Needs" which is necessary for survival apart from the physiogical needs.

Finally,(Goode,1982) posited that"family is the most important:for it is within the family that the child is first socialized to serve the needs of the society

only it own needs!".

Reference

Goode, W. J. (1964) The Family (2nd ed.) New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.