Social and pedagogical problems of socialization. I. Socialization as a socio-psychological phenomenon (Anatoly Mudrik, 2016)

Each person exists in the conditions of society, being an individual and representing the unity of individual characteristics. Socialization is important in every person’s life. In our article we will tell you what this process is and what features it has.

Socialization is a process without which it is impossible to live in society. Each person has certain qualities that he receives in the process of life. They just help him live in society. We decided to figure out what the socialization process is, as well as what features it has.

What is human socialization: concept

Socialization
Socialization of a person is the process of obtaining a set of character qualities, without which a full existence in society is impossible. It occurs through human interaction with the external environment, as well as other members of society.

The result of the process is the transformation of a person into a full-fledged personality. Thus, throughout life, a person accumulates experience and knowledge that force him to change and develop his own traits and manners of behavior and communication. At the same time, it cannot be said that socialization is a process that has some kind of completion. The fact is that it passes throughout life. Moreover, regardless of age, people tend to overestimate their views.

It is also necessary to take into account that socialization is two-way. That is, a person not only accumulates certain knowledge and experience, but also ensures the formation of relationships between people. In the process of communication, people begin to form personal preferences and preferences. At the same time, the individual always takes on the functions characteristic of society.

Since people very rarely find themselves alone and live in a group life, the question of a person’s entry into society never loses its relevance. And it is socialization that is the process that allows you to join existing social groups.

Stages

Socialization is a step-by-step process. At each stage, the above-mentioned translators work differently, and special mechanisms are also included that contribute to better mastery of social reality.

In domestic literature, in particular, in textbooks on social psychology by G. M. Andreeva, three stages of socialization are distinguished: pre-labor, labor and post-labor. At each stage, the emphasis changes, and above all, the relationship between the two sides of socialization - in the sense of mastering experience and in the sense of transferring experience.

The pre-labor stage of socialization corresponds to the period of a person’s life from birth to the start of work. It is further divided into two independent periods:

Early socialization is inherent in the period of time from birth to entry into school. In developmental psychology, this is the period of early childhood. This stage is characterized by uncritical assimilation of experience and imitation of adults.
The learning stage covers the entire period of adolescence in a broad sense. It definitely includes time spent at school. But the question of which stage to include the student years has become the subject of debate. After all, many university and technical school students are already starting to work.

The labor stage of socialization corresponds to the period of human maturity, although it should be noted that the demographic boundaries of adulthood are very conditional. It covers the entire period of a person’s active labor activity.

The post-work stage of socialization implies the period of a person’s life after the end of the main work activity. It corresponds to retirement age.

Where does primary and secondary socialization of a person take place?

Forms of socialization

There is such a thing as primary and secondary socialization of a person.

Primary socialization , as a rule, is also called childhood socialization. This process occurs unconsciously. It’s just that the child is influenced by various factors and with their help he already learns certain norms of behavior. At the same time, parents, educators and relatives act as assistants in this matter. The older a child gets, the more aware he becomes. As a result, after reaching a certain age, he may reject some norms of behavior and behave differently than others. Thus, he gets the right to choose his own line of behavior. At the same time, the very first place where the first social qualities are formed is the family.
As for secondary socialization , this already occurs as the child grows up. In any case, he continues to assimilate social norms of behavior. And here secondary socialization begins, when you have to get used to different groups. For example, a child enters a university, where there is a different society and new norms of behavior. They have to conform. It is much more difficult when a person moves to another country, because in this case you have to change habits and accept new traditions, and this is quite difficult. Often people cannot cope without professional help.

Types of personality socialization

There are several varieties of this process. They differ depending on many factors. However, these mechanisms are conventionally divided into the following groups:

Primary socialization. This process begins from the moment the child begins to perceive society. At the same time, he focuses exclusively on his family. The child begins to perceive the adult world. Primary socialization directly depends on the child’s parents. More precisely, on how correctly they can show him the world around him.
Secondary socialization. This process has no deadline and lasts until a person enters a particular social group. This mechanism starts when the child starts going to kindergarten. In a new atmosphere, he can try on new roles and evaluate which one suits him best. He also has the opportunity to evaluate his actions from the outside. In the process of secondary socialization, a person often encounters certain inconsistencies. For example, at the moment when a child understands that the values of his parents may not coincide with the interests and norms of other people. In this case, the child goes through the stage of self-identification and chooses one side or another based on his feelings and experiences.
Localized (directed) socialization. In this case, we are talking about the comprehension of certain values. Here socialization is divided into a number of specific areas: early, gender, organizational and others. This is also an important stage in the development of personality.

How does human socialization proceed: stages

Stages of socialization
Socialization of a person does not happen immediately. This is a rather complex process that takes place in several stages. First, social adaptation must take place. In other words, a person still needs to adapt to the conditions of the social environment in which he finds himself. In general, it is believed that adaptation occurs at three levels - physiological, psychological and directly social.

Physiological . At this stage, a person takes a closer look at the new environment, begins to make some connections and evaluate his own capabilities. All this will help him to realize himself in the future. At this time, a person actively communicates and gets used to new rules for himself, and then begins to make some efforts that are taken in this team.
Personalization . At this stage, a person already accepts himself as part of society. Actually, at this time the personality is already being formed. A person develops his own beliefs and skills, and begins to evaluate what is happening in his own way. If at the first stage a person learns to be like others, then at the second he already learns to be different. Although, this process is considered subjective. The fact is that everyone learns general rules and experience in their own way. Some people observe them strictly, while others do the opposite. Some try to overcome stereotypes, and some even try to destroy the foundations of the group, as a result of which a person either finds himself outside of it or destroys it.
Integration _ This term means that a person is accepted by other members of society, that is, he becomes a full part of it. Society seems to accept a person and tries to accept him as he is, if he at least lives according to general rules. The process is more successful if the person turns out to be useful to society. Then even his shortcomings will be forgiven.

It is important to note that the complete absence of inconsistencies is highly undesirable, at least in developed societies. The fact is that conformism is one of the forms of deviant behavior, because there is no benefit from a person for society. Every society has a certain degree of freedom, but only within the framework of the group. However, in undeveloped societies such behavior is only encouraged, and attempts to behave differently are suppressed.

Social and pedagogical problems of socializationAnatoly Mudrik, 2020

Universal characteristics of the socialization process

Stages of socialization

There are different approaches to periodizing the stages or phases of socialization. Since until the 60s of the 20th century it was believed that the process of socialization ends in youth, one of the typical ones was periodization, in which three stages were distinguished:

- primary - socialization of the child;

- marginal - socialization in adolescence;

- stable or conceptual (holistic) - socialization in the period from 17–18 years to 23–25 years.

One of the first to doubt that socialization ends in youth was the American scientist Orville G. Brim Jr., who in 1966 not only made the statement that socialization occurs throughout life, but also named the following differences between the socialization of children and adults.

Firstly, the socialization of adults is expressed mainly in changes in their external behavior, while children's socialization corrects (or, more correctly, forms. - A.M.)

basic value orientations.

Second, adults can evaluate the norms of society and their environment; children are only able to assimilate them (which is quite controversial - A.M.).

Third, adult socialization often involves understanding that there are many shades of gray between black and white; children do not distinguish these shades (which is also ambiguous. - A.M.).

Fourthly, socialization in childhood is based on complete obedience to adults and compliance with certain rules.
Adults are forced to adapt to the demands of different roles at work, at home, and so on (for children the situation is similar, but the roles are different. - A.M.
).

Fifth, adult socialization is aimed at helping a person master certain skills; The socialization of children mainly forms the motivation for their behavior (which is also not entirely true. - A.M.

.).

Description of the differences between the socialization of children and adults made by O.G. Brim Jr. is valuable, first of all, because for the first time he draws attention to the continuity of the socialization process throughout a person’s life. However, the specific content of these differences clearly indicates that O.G. Brim Jr. views socialization as a subject-object process. Therefore, all the differences he named have a bias towards the object characteristics of both children and adults in the process of socialization.

The view of socialization as a continuous process gave rise to new periodizations of its stages. Thus, a number of researchers began to distinguish between the stages of primary (before adolescence) and secondary (during adulthood) socialization. In Russian science, the point of view of G.M. has received some recognition. Andreeva, who distinguishes three stages of socialization - pre-labor, labor and post-labor.

The stages of socialization can be correlated with the age periodization of a person’s life. There are various periodizations, and the one given below (it is proposed by me) is generally accepted. It is very conventional (especially after the stage of adolescence), but quite convenient.

In accordance with this periodization, a person goes through a number of stages of socialization, each of which includes several stages.

The childhood stage includes the following stages: infancy (from birth to 1 year), early childhood (1–3 years), preschool childhood (3–6 years), primary school age (6–10 years).

The stage of adolescence is younger adolescence (10–12 years), older adolescence (12–14 years).

The stage of youth includes the following stages: early adolescence (15–17 years) and adolescence (18–23 years), youth (23–30 years).

The maturity stage includes early adulthood (30–40 years), late adulthood (40–55 years), and old age (55–65 years).

The stage of old age is divided into stages: old age (65–70 years), longevity (over 70 years).

Each stage and each stage has its own specific content and course of socialization, which is determined by the peculiarities of the culture of a particular society. At each stage, and sometimes at each age stage, a person’s interaction with certain factors and agents of socialization develops somewhat differently, and the means and mechanisms of socialization differ.

Socialization factors

In dictionaries, a factor is defined as one of the necessary operating conditions of a particular process. Speaking about the process of human socialization, it is necessary to consider the conditions under which it occurs. There are different approaches to identifying the conditions of socialization and their classification.

Conditions or factors of socialization can be summarized into four groups.

The first is megafactors

(mega - very large, universal) - space, planet, world, which to one degree or another directly, but mainly through other groups of factors, influence the socialization of all inhabitants of the Earth.

Second - macro factors

(macro - large) - a country, ethnic group, society, state that influence the socialization of everyone living in certain countries (this influence is both direct and mediated by two other groups of factors).

Third - mesofactors

(meso - average, intermediate) - conditions for the socialization of large groups of people, distinguished: by the area and type of settlement in which they live (region, village, city, town); according to belonging to certain subcultures.

Mesofactors influence socialization both directly and indirectly through the fourth group - microfactors.

These include factors that directly influence specific people who interact with them - family and family education, neighborhood, peer groups, educational organizations and social education, religious organizations and religious education, various public, state, private, countercultural organizations, microsociety.

It is necessary to especially emphasize the multifactorial nature of the socialization process due to the fact that there were and are theories that absolutize one of the factors, ignoring or denying the role of many factors. Thus, old-style theologians recognized religious communities as the only socializing factor. Marxism affirms class as such. Orthodox Freudians consider a person’s belonging to one sex or another as a determining factor in his socialization, and chauvinists of all stripes consider the nation.

In reality, human socialization occurs in interaction with a huge number of different conditions that more or less actively influence his development. In fact, not all of these conditions have been identified, and of the known ones, not all have been studied. The factors of socialization identified above have also been studied to varying degrees. But the available data about each of them allows us to characterize them in the next section of the textbook.

Agents of Socialization

Microfactors influence human development through the so-called agents of socialization, that is, persons in direct interaction with whom his life takes place. At different age stages, the composition of agents is specific. Thus, in relation to children and adolescents, the American researcher G. Barry and his colleagues identified several types of socialization agents. Functionally, by the nature of their influence, they are guardians, that is, persons caring for the child, authorities, discipliners and teacher-mentors. These functions can be combined in one person, or they can diverge. By family affiliation, these can be parents, other family members (grandparents, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, other relatives and household members), as well as non-relatives (neighbors, playmates, teachers). By age, agents of socialization can be adults, peers, older or younger partners (siblings, comrades, etc.).

In youth or youth, the number of agents also includes a spouse, work colleagues, etc. In adulthood, one’s own children are added, and in old age, members of their families are added.

In their role in socialization, agents differ depending on how significant they are for a person, how interaction with them is structured, in what direction and by what means they exert their influence. Numerous studies have not revealed any hierarchy of the degree of influence and significance of agents of socialization, independent of the social system, kinship system and family structure (I.S. Kon).

Means of socialization

The socialization of a person is carried out by a wide universal set of means, content specific to a particular society, a particular social stratum, a particular age of the socialized. These include:

- methods of feeding and caring for a baby;

— language and speech of agents of socialization;

- developed household and hygienic skills and ideas;

- products of material culture surrounding a person;

— elements of spiritual culture (lullabies, fairy tales, signs, prejudices, customs, works of literature and art, etc.);

- style and content of communication in the family, in peer groups, in educational and other organizations;

— methods of reward and punishment in the family, in peer groups, in educational, professional and other socializing organizations;

- consistent introduction of a person to numerous types and types of relationships in the main spheres of his life: communication, play, cognition, subject-practical and spiritual-practical activities, sports, as well as in the family, professional, recreational, social, religious spheres.

Every society, every state, every social group (large or small) develops in its history a set of positive and negative, formal and informal sanctions - methods of suggestion and persuasion, regulations and prohibitions, coercive measures and pressure up to the use of physical violence, systems of methods of expression recognition, distinction, awards.

Thus, formal negative sanctions are a whole arsenal of punishments provided for by law, namely all kinds of warnings, reprimands, fines, arrest, imprisonment, deprivation of civil rights, confiscation of property, death penalty, excommunication, imposition of repentance, etc. Informal negative sanctions are expressions of surprise, ridicule, refusal to shake hands, meaning moral censure, refusal to maintain friendly relations, unkind gossip, etc. (J. Szczepanski).

With the help of these methods and measures, the behavior of a person and entire groups of people is brought into line with the patterns, norms, and values accepted in a given culture.

Mechanisms of socialization

Socialization of a person in interaction with various factors and agents occurs through a number of, so to speak, “mechanisms.” There are different approaches to considering the “mechanisms” of socialization.

Thus, the French social psychologist Gabriel Tarde considered imitation to be the main mechanism of socialization. American scientist Uri Bronfenbrener - progressive mutual accommodation (adaptability) between an active, growing human being and the changing conditions in which it lives. Neil Smelser (USA) considers four psychological mechanisms to be the most important: imitation, identification, shame and guilt. He defines the first two as positive, and the other two as negative. V.S. Mukhina considers identification and separation of the individual as mechanisms of socialization, and A.V. Petrovsky - a natural change in the phases of adaptation, individualization and integration in the process of personality development.

Summarizing the available data, we can identify several universal psychological and socio-pedagogical mechanisms of socialization.

The psychological mechanisms of socialization include the following.

1. Imprinting

(imprinting, imprinting) - a person’s fixation at the receptor and subconscious levels of the features of vital objects affecting him. Imprinting occurs primarily during infancy. However, even at later age stages it is possible to imprint some images, sensations, etc. Thus, traumatic experiences received in early or preschool childhood (up to 6 years) - humiliation, cruel treatment, etc., leaving their mark on the emotional sphere personality, can have a “delayed effect”, giving rise to cruel or aggressive behavior, emotional coldness, etc. Another example is the image of a “beautiful lady” imprinted in adolescence or adolescence (and sometimes earlier) can interfere with normal relationships with women and negatively affect a marriage, because it determines an inflated level of demands on a partner.

2. Existential pressure

(from Latin
ex(s)istentia
- existence) - the influence of a person’s living conditions, which determines his mastery of his native language (in early childhood) and non-native languages at other age stages (in a situation of change in the linguistic environment), as well as the unconscious acquisition of norms of social behavior , immutable in his society and necessary for survival in it.

3. Imitation

- voluntary and involuntary following of any examples and patterns of behavior that a person encounters in interaction with people around him (primarily with significant persons), as well as those offered by the media.

4. Identification

(identification) is an emotional-cognitive process of a person’s assimilation of norms, attitudes, values, and behavior patterns as one’s own in interaction with significant persons and reference groups.

5. Reflection

- internal dialogue in which a person considers, evaluates, accepts or rejects certain norms, values, behavioral scenarios characteristic of the family, significant others, peer society, various socio-professional and ethno-confessional layers, etc. Reflection can be an internal dialogue of several types: between different “I”s of a person, with real or fictitious persons, etc. With the help of reflection, a person can be formed and changed as a result of his awareness and experience of the reality in which he lives, his place in this reality and himself.

The named psychological mechanisms of socialization operate in line with the socio-pedagogical mechanisms of socialization, which include the following, which I described in the late 70s. XX century

Traditional mechanism

socialization (spontaneous) is the assimilation by a person of norms, standards of behavior, views, stereotypes that are characteristic of his family and immediate environment (neighbors, friends). Social mores (traditions, customs, habits, stereotypes of mass behavior, etc.), widespread in specific regions, settlements, ethno-confessional and social strata, regulating the behavior of specific people, include prosocial, asocial, and antisocial (obscene language , drunkenness, theft, etc.) elements.

Their assimilation occurs, as a rule, on an unconscious level with the help of imprinting, uncritical perception of dominant stereotypes (that is, imprinting, existential pressure, imitation, identification).

The effectiveness of the traditional mechanism is very clearly manifested when a person knows “how to”, “what is necessary”, but this knowledge of his contradicts the traditions of his immediate environment. In this case, the French thinker of the 17th century Michel Montaigne turns out to be right, who wrote: “...We can repeat our own as much as we like, but custom and generally accepted everyday rules drag us along with them.” In addition, the effectiveness of the traditional mechanism is manifested in the fact that certain elements of social experience, learned, for example, in childhood, but subsequently unclaimed or blocked due to changed living conditions (for example, moving from a village to a big city), can “pop up” in human behavior during the next change in life conditions or at subsequent age stages.

Institutional mechanism

socialization, as the name itself implies, functions in the process of human interaction with the institutions of society and various organizations, both specially created for his socialization, and those implementing socializing functions along the way, in parallel with their main functions (industrial, social, club and other structures, as well as mass media). In the process of interaction of a person with various institutions and organizations, there is an increasing accumulation of relevant knowledge and experience of socially approved behavior, as well as experience of imitation of socially approved behavior and conflict or conflict-free avoidance of fulfilling social norms.

It must be borne in mind that the media (print, radio, cinema, television) as a social institution influence the socialization of a person not only through the broadcast of certain information, but also through the presentation of certain patterns of behavior of characters in books, films, and television programs. The effectiveness of this influence, as the French choreographer Jean Georges Nover, a reformer of Western European ballet, subtly noted back in the 18th century, is determined by the fact that “since the passions experienced by heroes are distinguished by greater strength and certainty than the passions of ordinary people, it is easier to imitate them.” People, in accordance with their age and individual characteristics, tend to identify themselves with certain heroes, while perceiving their characteristic patterns of behavior, lifestyle, etc.

Thus, all the previously mentioned psychological mechanisms of socialization operate within the framework of the institutional mechanism.

Stylized mechanism

socialization operates within a certain subculture. Subculture in general terms is understood as a complex of moral and psychological traits and behavioral manifestations typical of people of a certain age or a certain professional or cultural layer, which as a whole creates a certain style of life and thinking of a particular age, professional, social, ethno-confessional and any other group . But a subculture influences a person’s socialization to the extent and extent to which the group members who bear it (peers, colleagues, etc.) are referent (significant) for him.

That is, in line with the stylized mechanism, imitation and identification operate, first of all.

Interpersonal mechanism

socialization functions in the process of interaction between a person and significant persons. It is based on the psychological mechanism of identification. Significant persons can be parents (at any age), any respected adult, a peer friend of the same or opposite sex, etc. Naturally, significant persons can be members of certain organizations and groups with which a person interacts, and if they are peers, then they can also be carriers of an age subculture. But there are often cases when communication with significant persons in groups and organizations can have an influence on a person that is not identical to that which the group or organization itself has on him. Therefore, it is advisable to distinguish the interpersonal mechanism of socialization as specific.

Human socialization occurs through all the mechanisms mentioned above. However, in different gender, age and socio-cultural groups, in specific people, the relationship between the role of socialization mechanisms is different and sometimes significant.

Thus, in the conditions of a village, small town, town, as well as in poorly educated families in big cities, the traditional mechanism can play a large role. In the context of a large city, institutional and stylized mechanisms are especially evident. For people of a clearly introverted type (that is, inward-looking, highly anxious, self-critical), the reflexive mechanism can become the most important.

Certain mechanisms play different roles in certain aspects of socialization. So, if we are talking about the sphere of leisure, about following fashion, then the leading one is often a stylized mechanism, and the lifestyle is often formed with the help of a traditional mechanism.

* * *

From the above it follows that the socialization of a person is carried out in the process of his interaction with diverse and numerous factors, groups, organizations, agents, with the help of various mechanisms that not only complement each other, but are to one degree or another mismatched and contradict each other. All this objectively determines a certain degree of human autonomy, which is necessary for the formation of a personality capable of making decisions, resisting external pressure, etc.

In conclusion, we note that it is very useful for those who work with people to keep in mind the thought of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: “Under no circumstances can someone else awaken in a person about whom he previously did not suspect anything. To live means to be born slowly. It would be too easy to take ready-made souls.”

What is human socialization like: forms

It is important to know what forms a person’s socialization takes. In general, there are two main ones.

Non-directional . Personality formation occurs spontaneously when a person is influenced by the immediate social environment. Then a person develops certain qualities. That is why it is spontaneous. In this case, the environment includes relatives, friends and colleagues.
Directed . In this case, a special method of influence is provided, that is, people are specially attached to certain values and qualities that are important to society. In particular, this concerns education. From childhood, parents instill in their children a certain set of values and attitudes so that in the future they can develop a perception of the world that allows them to become part of society. In other words, parents prepare the child for life in society.

Forms of socialization may be related, but there may be no coordination. If there are contradictions, they can become an obstacle to a person’s socialization.

Goals and objectives

The goal of socialization is the formation of a responsible and socially active generation, whose actions are regulated by social norms and public interests. It solves three main problems:

integrates the individual into society;
promotes the interaction of people through their assimilation of social roles;
preserves society through the production and transmission of culture from generation to generation.

Socialization is the result of a person’s mastery and active use of traditional sociocultural heritage while maintaining and developing their individuality.

What factors of human socialization are known?

Factors of socialization
There are certain factors with the help of which a person is socialized. They are divided into several large groups. Let's talk about each in detail.

Macro factors

They influence either all of humanity or some large part of it. For example, this is a society within one country. That is, macro factors can be called the Universe, space, planet, the entire human society and, of course, the country. For example, a separate state has its own laws, moral standards and foundations. They are different for each of them.

In addition, society as a whole can be affected by environmental, demographic, economic and military-political problems.

Mesofactors

In this case, we mean conditions within groups that are united, for example, by nationality, place of residence, united through a certain means of communication.

Ethnic characteristics related to socialization can be mental or spiritual, as well as vital and relate, for example, to health or physical development.

As for the place of residence, it can be a separate city or village. That is, a specific society lives within one locality.

The need for communication forces us to use mass media. With their help, people form specific groups that help them develop and integrate into society.

Microfactors

These include small groups of people, for example, it could be a family, a work team or a class at school.

Thus, in the course of life, a person has to go through several different institutions of socialization.

Macrofactors of socialization

Macro factors affect all inhabitants of the planet or very large groups of people living in certain countries.

The modern world is full of global problems that affect the vital interests of all humanity: environmental (environmental pollution), economic (increasing gaps in the level of development of countries and continents), demographic (uncontrolled population growth in some countries and a decrease in its number in others), military- political (increasing number of regional conflicts, proliferation of nuclear weapons, political instability). These problems determine living conditions and directly or indirectly affect the socialization of younger generations.

Human development is influenced by the geographical factor (natural environment). In the 30s of the 20th century, V.I. Vernadsky noted the beginning of a new stage in the development of nature as the biosphere, which was called the modern ecological crisis (changes in dynamic balance that are dangerous for the existence of all life on earth, including humans). Currently, the environmental crisis is becoming global and planetary in nature, and the next stage is predicted: either humanity will intensify its interaction with nature and be able to overcome the environmental crisis, or it will perish. To get out of the environmental crisis, it is necessary to change the attitude of every person towards the environment.

The socialization of the younger generation is influenced by the qualitative characteristics of the gender role structure of society, which determine the assimilation of ideas about the status position of one or the other sex. For example, gender equality in Europe and patriarchy in a number of societies in Asia and Africa.

Different social strata and professional groups have different ideas about what kind of person their children should grow up, that is, they develop a specific lifestyle. The top layer is the political and economic elites; upper middle - owners and managers of large enterprises; medium - entrepreneurs, social sector administrators, etc.; basic - intelligentsia, workers in mass professions in the economic sphere; lowest - unskilled workers of state enterprises, pensioners; social bottom. The values and lifestyle of certain strata, including criminal ones, can become for children whose parents do not belong to them, unique standards that can influence them even more than the values of the strata to which their family belongs.

The state can be viewed from three sides: as a factor of spontaneous socialization, since the politics, ideology, economic and social practices characteristic of the state create certain conditions for the life of its citizens; as a factor regarding directed socialization, since the state determines the mandatory minimum of education, the age of its beginning, the age of marriage, the length of military service, etc.; as a factor of socially controlled socialization, since the state creates educational organizations: kindergartens, secondary schools, colleges, institutions for children, adolescents and young men with significantly impaired health, etc.

How do phobias interfere with a person's socialization?

As we have already said, the process of socialization is quite complex. At the same time, some people have a lot of problems with it. The fact is that there is such a condition as social phobia. This is nothing more than fear of society. Accordingly, when a person gets into any group, he becomes uncomfortable. There are other phobias. For example, demophobia is the fear of crowds, and anthrophobia is the general concept of the fear of people. In the latter case, a person feels bad, not only in the company of several people, but even one person already evokes not the best emotions.

Each of these phobias can lead to problems with a person’s socialization. He will close himself off and gradually lose all communication skills. For him, any exit into a public place will be considered a big problem, but without communication he cannot live fully.

So, every person should not be afraid to express their own opinion and the negativity that may ultimately be exerted on them. In addition, it is important not to be afraid to come to meetings and not to avoid communicating on the phone. It may be very difficult at first, but it is important not to give up and try to deal with it. When people don’t communicate with anyone for a long time, they not only lose their communication skills, but their diction also changes. It is difficult for people to formulate their speech correctly. To prevent this from being a problem, constant communication is required.

How the state influences human socialization: examples

State and socialization
The state is an agent that helps in the socialization of a person. It has great potential and influences the integration of the individual into the requirements of society. Moreover, the state regulates this process.

The methods of regulation are:

Ideology . Within the framework of this method, a person rethinks the history of his nation, its place in modern society, as well as problems and prospects. In addition, a person develops values that are important for the consolidation of the nation and are approved at certain stages of development. At the same time, a value system is mandatory for every member of society. They are oriented by basic institutions such as the media, family, and education. So, in order to become part of society, a person must accept all this as his own.
Institutional . In this case, the state regulates the activities of basic institutions. That is, the education system, parties, media. This is especially important during the transition from traditional to modern society. If the intensity of the processes is too high, then the person simply does not have time to adapt.

Thus, the state has a priority role in the process of managing socialization. This manifests itself on these two levels. The state forms social values and develops basic institutions that allow people to assimilate these same values.

Kinds

To understand the types of socialization, it is necessary to consider the social institutions corresponding to each stage of development. At the pre-labor stage, institutions facilitate the individual’s entry into the social world and his mastery of this world, its features and laws. During early childhood, the very first institution within which a person begins to master social experience is the family. This is followed by various children's institutions.

During the period of education, the individual begins to interact with the first more or less official representative of society - the school. It is here that he first becomes acquainted with the basics of socialization. Institutions corresponding to this period provide the necessary knowledge about the world around us. Also during this period, the peer group plays a huge role.

Labor stage institutions are enterprises and work collectives. As for the post-labor stage, the question remains open.

Based on the institutional context, two types of socialization are distinguished: primary, associated with the acquisition of experience from a person’s immediate environment, and secondary, associated with the formal environment, the influence of institutions and institutions.

Family functions in human socialization: features

Family and socialization
Human socialization begins with the family. It greatly affects the physical and mental qualities of the individual. The family is one of the main institutions of education. In particular, it lays down the future qualities of a person.

A family is a group of people united by kinship ties. It always has its own traditions and foundations. It is the main institution that forms the child’s life principles and moral principles.

Thus, the family promotes personality development, strengthens mental health, develops reliability and confidence in children, and also helps in self-realization and security. In addition, in the family, children learn to express their individuality.

The success of a child’s socialization depends on the structure of his family, that is, whether it is complete or not, and relatives can also raise the child. When the family is incomplete, there is a decrease in educational abilities. In particular, the child begins to experience a lack of emotions, or too many feelings are shown towards him. At the same time, in dysfunctional families, socialization is difficult and even disrupted. In this case, the basic family functions are ignored, and there are shortcomings in upbringing. This is where “difficult” children appear.

Features of youth socialization

Young people are the most mobile part of society. This is the group that is most receptive to new trends, phenomena, knowledge and ideas about the world. But it is not sufficiently adapted to its new social conditions, and therefore is more easily influenced and manipulated. It has not yet formed stable views and beliefs, and both political and social orientation are difficult.

Young people also differ from other groups of society in that they are involved in almost all social processes, either directly or indirectly, for example, through their family.

This socio-demographic group includes people aged 16 to 30 years. These years include such important events as obtaining secondary and higher education, choosing and mastering a profession, creating your own family and having children. During this period, serious difficulties at the stage of life start are acutely felt. First of all, this concerns employment issues, housing and material problems.

At the present stage, the problems of psychological adaptation of young people are becoming more complex; the mechanisms for their involvement in the system of social relationships are complicated. Therefore, in addition to general education institutions, special youth socialization centers (YSCs) are being created. The main directions of their activities, as a rule, are related to the organization of socio-cultural and leisure events, the provision of information and consulting services, and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. Youth is the main resource of society, its future. Her spiritual values and views, moral character and vitality are very important.

In what cases is a person called a victim of socialization?

Victims of socialization
It happens that a person’s socialization goes far enough and he becomes its victim. Of course, everyone is capable of creating their own life and setting certain goals for themselves, and therefore a person can be considered as a subject of socialization.

When a person becomes a victim of socialization, he has internal contradictions. That is, successful socialization is when a person has effectively adapted to society and is also able to resist it to some extent. More precisely, to fight those collisions that do not allow normal development and self-affirmation. However, this conflict must be balanced. Then the adaptation is considered successful.

If a person completely accepts society as it is and has no conflict, that is, he is a conformist, then he may well be considered a victim. This can also be called a dissident or dissident who is in no way adapted to society. That is, he constantly deviates from the norms accepted in society.

There are such victims in every society. For example, a democratic society, contrary to its principles, most often produces victims. At the same time, a totalitarian society forces conformists to appear.

Socialization of people with disabilities: features

Socialization of a disabled child
Socialization of a person with a disability is a complex process in which he has to master accepted norms of behavior and stereotypes. The difficulty lies precisely in the person’s position, because a disabled person is a person who has certain physical or psychological disabilities. Accordingly, he requires special care. In addition, he requires support from the state and society as a whole.

Among other things, socialization presupposes the acquisition of certain skills and knowledge, as well as values that are quite difficult for people with disabilities to assimilate. Thus, among people with disabilities, one of the forms of socialization is continuous learning. With its help, a disabled person can participate in processes such as:

Compensation for psychological defects. For example, a person has some mental problems that make him in some way different from others
Formation of positive attitudes
Development of other abilities that have been lost, for example, a person has lost the ability to walk due to an accident. Then we need to help him learn to walk again, if possible.

Learning is always about mastering behavior and environment. Often, when people with disabilities are treated differently from others, they become uncomfortable. In this case, the help of a psychologist is required, and training a person in such a way that he can interact with others and it will not be noticeable that he is not like that. In addition, adaptation and participation in public or social activities are important for people with disabilities.

Of course, the socialization of a disabled person has certain characteristics. In this case, everything depends on the pathology itself, for example, developmental delay or loss of some functions. In addition, gender and age are important, as well as initial position in society, family, state. There are people who are simply not noticed and no one cares about their socialization. It is much more difficult for them, because in addition to their peculiarity, they are isolated from society.

For example, disabled people with mental retardation can achieve independence, but for this they need to constantly work and memorize every action. Today there are even special trainings.

Disabled people aged 16-25 years, in addition to having disabilities, may experience difficulties communicating with peers. This makes the situation worse. However, in some cases, disability is the main obstacle, not even for the person himself, but for those around him. This can cause the person to withdraw or begin to behave antisocially. So training programs must necessarily take into account all the limitations of a disabled person.

Features of socialization of children with disabilities

The socialization of children with disabilities - disabilities - provides for their right to diagnosis, special programs of psychocorrectional work, organizational and methodological assistance to families, differentiated and individual education. For children with special educational needs the following are created:

Specialized preschool educational institutions, schools or correctional classes in regular schools.
Health educational institutions of sanatorium type.
Special correctional educational institutions.
Educational institutions for children in need of psychological, pedagogical and medical and social assistance.
Educational institutions of primary vocational education.

Opportunities for obtaining secondary vocational and higher vocational education are being created for children with disabilities. For this purpose, special educational institutions are created, and various forms of integration are provided for in general institutions.

Despite this, the problem of socialization of children and adolescents with disabilities continues to remain relevant. The question of their integration into the society of “healthy” peers raises a lot of controversy and discussion.

Socialization of older people: features

Socialization of the elderly
Socialization of the elderly is currently one of the most pressing problems. The fact is that it is difficult for older people to maintain interaction with society and self-realization.

As with other periods of life, late adulthood is defined in many ways. Most scientists are of the opinion that it occurs at age 60, but in fact, in women it can occur earlier, at about 58 years. The change in psychosocial status is different in that opportunities are already limited. The process takes place in two stages - old age and retirement.

As a rule, satisfaction with life and successful adaptation are largely determined by health. Typically, the negative effect is reduced through comparison. In addition, financial situation and acceptance of the change itself are important. When a person retires, he wants to quit his job. However, this process should be perceived as an opportunity to do something interesting, for which there was not enough time before. It is important for every person in older age not to lose social activity. There is a lot of interesting things for pensioners - they can visit special clubs and societies.

Often, older people have this problem when people seem to fall out of communication. So they need to try not to lose it. For example, the circle of friends often becomes very narrow and the need for friendships and friendly contacts arises. Anxiety and concern appear. Accordingly, lack of communication can lead to the development of depression.

It is also important to consider that values, standards and traditions cannot be considered separately for older people, because they are all parallel and dependent on each other.

At the same time, problems in communicating with generations are due to the fact that values do not coincide. Older people can fulfill the social roles of retirees, but other group norms are already a little lost.

Therefore, it is important to understand that the socialization of older people depends on how involved a person is in the communication process and how he interacts with certain social and age groups.

Spheres

The main areas in which an individual masters social connections are activity, communication and self-awareness.

In the process of activity, a person’s horizons regarding various types of activities expand. Next, this new information is structured, and then the person focuses on a certain type of activity as the main one, the main one at this stage. That is, a hierarchy is built, comprehension occurs, and the central type of activity is determined.

Communication expands and enriches a person’s connections with the public. Firstly, there is a deepening of forms of communication, that is, a transition from monologue to dialogical communication. What does it mean? The fact that a person learns to decenter, to take into account the point of view of another as an equal communication partner. An example of monologue communication is the catchphrase and half-joking expression: “There are two points of view on this matter - mine and the wrong one.” Secondly, the circle of contacts increases. For example, with the transition from school to college, the process of mastering a new environment begins.

As a person masters new types of activities and new forms of communication, he develops his own self-awareness, which is understood as a person’s ability in general to distinguish himself from others, the ability to recognize himself as “I” and, along the way, develop some kind of system of ideas about life, about people, about the world around us. Self-awareness has three main components:

Cognitive self is knowledge of some of one’s own characteristics and ideas.
Emotional Self - is associated with a general assessment of oneself.
Behavioral self is an understanding of what style of behavior, what modes of behavior are characteristic of a person and which ones he chooses.

As socialization occurs, self-awareness grows, that is, understanding oneself in this world, one’s capabilities, one’s preferred strategies of behavior. It is very important to note here that as self-awareness grows, a person learns to make decisions and choices.

Making decisions is a very important moment of socialization, because only adequate decisions allow a person to subsequently perform fairly adequate actions in the world around him.

Taken together, activity, communication and the development of self-awareness represent a process during which a person masters the expanding reality around him. It begins to unfold before him in all its diversity and in all its complexities.

Differences in the socialization of a growing and adult person: features

The socialization of an adult and a growing person is different. This is reflected in several factors:

In adults, socialization consists of changing external behavior. At the same time, children’s basic value orientations are corrected
Children often have only two concepts - good and bad. As for adults, they always understand that there are many “shades of gray” between these two concepts.
The socialization of an adult consists of him mastering certain skills. At the same time, in children, socialization largely forms the motivation for their behavior.

This is precisely what distinguishes the socialization of an adult from a child.

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