Discuss the four major agents of socialization.
What will be an ideal response?
(1) The family is the primary agent of socialization. The family indoctrinates the child in the ways of society. Children internalize society's values and norms so they will act according to parental expectations, even when no one is watching. (2) Schools provide a more uniform indoctrination of youth in culturally prescribed ways. In addition to the formal curriculum, young people are also exposed to the hidden curriculum, which includes expectations about appropriate skills, character traits, and attitudes that pay off. (3) Peers become increasingly important as transmitters of social norms and values as children get older. Through a system of observation and constant feedback from peers, children learn ideas about in-groups and out-groups, cultural norms, and gender-appropriate behavior. (4) The media today plays a large role in socialization because children spend so much time with it. Critics point to the sexual and violent nature of movies, television, and music as a source of some of society's problems.
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