Anthropology

Posted: August 6th, 2013

Key Concept

Agents of socialization are factors that determine the characteristics of people in accordance to how they interact in their lives. They include family, friends, work, media, religion, social groups, school, ethnic background and the government (Berns, p46). The socialization process involves ideologies, customs and norms that are established and disseminated among people in a society a bid to influence their habits and skills. Agents of socialization can be either primary or secondary. Primary agents of socialization refer to the factors that are indefinitely part of an individual’s life such as family members and close friends (Berns, p46). The family has a tremendous impact on an individual’s socialization process since it introduces him or her to secondary agents. The individual is born and nurtured in the family where he or she learns cultural values and norms. Friends introduce activities that people familiarize themselves with in the maturation process. Secondary agents are those that continue introducing the individual to the social world by making him or her aware of standard social rules and norms in different environments.

My religion and my ethnic background had already been defined by my family in my childhood. My belief system in religion determined respected days for worship, how to pray respectfully and religion activities and commandments. Ethnicity is based on traditions and values inculcated in us from initiation to childhood. Issues and conflicts are dealt with in a unique manner according to tradition. Respect for such traditions allow for their dissemination in the coming generations. My relationship with other employees in the workplace is based mutual respect and integrity. This has enabled the exchange of new ideas and teamwork that has resulted to higher productivity. Through its laws and penal codes, the government has given me a different dimension of respect because it involves a wider community. Finally, the media have also influenced my perceptions, knowledge and values through mass communication. Through it, new trends and agendas have played a major role in my newly developed communication skills in the society.