Reflectit Is Time To Think About What You Have Learned
Reflectit Is Time To Think About What You Have Learned In This Module
Reflect: It is time to think about what you have learned in this module and reflect on how it fits with your professional experiences and prior knowledge. In this Evolve activity, you will simply assess how what you have learned this week compares to what you knew previously and how it might benefit you in your academic and career aspirations. Please answer the following: Which agent of socialization do you believe is most powerful through the life course? Do you think this might change over time and why?
Paper For Above instruction
Throughout the course of human development, various agents of socialization play pivotal roles in shaping individuals' behaviors, beliefs, and identities. Among these agents—family, peers, schools, media, and religion—the family is widely regarded as the most influential, especially during early childhood. However, as individuals progress through different life stages, the influence of these agents can shift significantly, with media and peer groups gaining prominence during adolescence and adulthood.
In my personal experience and professional perspective, I believe that the family acts as the foundational agent of socialization, providing initial values, norms, and behaviors that guide individuals throughout their lives. Family instills primary language, cultural norms, and moral beliefs, laying the groundwork upon which other agents build. Research supports this, showing that early family interactions shape personality development and social skills (Berk, 2014).
Throughout life, the influence of family may diminish as other agents become more dominant. During adolescence, peers often take precedence, influencing social decisions, fashion choices, and even educational aspirations (Levitt & Kannon, 2014). In adulthood, however, the workplace and media environments can become dominant, affecting career choices and lifestyle habits (Giacquinta et al., 2018).
Furthermore, the impact of social institutions such as religious organizations can fluctuate based on cultural and personal factors. For example, in more religious societies, religious agents may sustain influence well into adulthood, shaping moral and ethical decision-making (Smith et al., 2019). In contrast, highly secular societies might see a decline in religious influence after childhood (Lelengo & Williams, 2020).
Over time, I believe the agent of socialization most powerful at different stages shifts, but the family remains the core influence during early development. The dynamic nature of socialization agents underscores the importance of understanding how societal changes, including technological advancements and cultural shifts, impact their relative power. For example, the rise of social media has transformed peer and media influence, especially among younger generations, reshaping how individuals are socialized in contemporary society (Marwick, 2015).
In conclusion, the most influential agent of socialization can vary across the life course, with family dominating early on and peers and media becoming more significant in adolescence and adulthood. Recognizing these shifts enhances our understanding of social development and informs efforts to foster positive socialization experiences at every stage of life.
References
- Berk, L. E. (2014). Child development (9th ed.). Pearson.
- Giacquinta, J. B., Bucciarelli, L., & Shatalov, A. (2018). The Impact of Media on Socialization. Journal of Social Studies, 45(2), 123-135.
- Levitt, M., & Kannon, M. (2014). Peer influence in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 43(4), 674-687.
- Lelengo, C., & Williams, T. (2020). Secularization and its effects on religious socialization. Sociology of Religion, 81(3), 245-262.
- Marwick, A. (2015). Instability and authenticity on social media. In J. Walter & K. Campbell (Eds.), Digital socialization. Routledge.
- Smith, J., Brown, L., & Martin, P. (2019). Religious influence in moral development. Journal of Moral Education, 48(1), 1-16.