The level of socialization: definition, choice of object, methodology and features of the socialization process

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Already a newborn child has all the biological prerequisites for a full social life. How these qualities are realized, what application they will find in social life, depends on the environment of the person himself. One thing can be categorically stated: without a society of their own kind, the level of socialization of the individual remains at zero. Examples are the numerous cases of Mowgli children brought up by animals. Such people could not take root in human society in the future.

The concept of socialization in socio-psychological science

Studies of the process of social adaptation and interaction of man with his environment have been carried out by many scientists for several centuries. In all their research, one can find common postulates that are the basis for defining the term "socialization" itself. Perhaps the most capacious explanation of this concept belongs to the founder of the science of sociology, Auguste Comte. The scientist considered society itself as a living organism that develops in harmony and perfection. Therebya person as a unit of this whole must follow generally accepted moral laws. The process of integrating an individual into society Auguste Comte proposed to call socialization. The first and fundamental institution of such human interaction with the environment is the family, which the scientist called "the eternal school and model of the public."

Factors of socialization formation

According to social educator A. V. Mudrik, among the main reasons for the adaptation of an individual in a social group, the following mechanisms can be distinguished:

• Macro factors. These include those driving forces that contribute to the social development of the individual (for example, the state, country, government, society, etc.).
• Mesofactors are mechanisms that affect a high level of socialization in a certain territory or in a specific ethnic group (region, city, nationality, settlement, etc.).
• Microfactors include educational social institutions (family, peer group, school and other educational institutions).

Each factor contains an element of action, under the influence of which socialization occurs. In the family, these are close relatives, parents, and siblings; at school, they are teachers and classmates; in the peer group, they are like-minded people. All these subjects are called agents of socialization.

Summing up the above, it can be noted that socialization is the process of acquiring skills by a person that will be useful to him for a full-fledged social life.

The question of socialization: a historical digression

SIn ancient times, society was perceived as an institution of morality and life values. The upbringing of a citizen by preparing him for life in a partnership, the formation of his main social role was considered as the socialization of the individual.

In Sparta, a full-fledged member of the paramilitary community became at the age of thirty. Before that, boys were brought up in a strict manner. Moreover, caring for a he althy society, the elders threw sick babies from a high mountain, not giving them a chance to survive. The state was the fundamental institution for the education of its full member. Until the age of seven, boys were under the auspices of their family. However, at the age of seven they were taken to special camps, where physical and military education began. Girls were subjected to similar teachings. By the way, in Sparta no attention was paid to the intellectual development of youth. Reading and counting were taught to a minimum. Such socialization was one-sided, which subsequently led to the decline of a great country.

According to the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, the policy (state) is fundamental in the education of a citizen. However, unlike the Spartans, the Greeks preferred the achievement of the common good. A person must contribute to the society in which he lives. In the "State" of Plato there was equality of the sexes. Girls could learn the patterns of the world on a par with boys. However, the policy is a comprehensive control body of a person's life from his birth to the last days. In the upbringing of a person, it is necessary to take into account his talents and inclinations. Only inin this case, the level of human socialization will increase.

Comprehensive development of the child's personality was a priority in Ancient Athens. Unlike Sparta, there is a humanistic approach here, which is reflected in the writings of Lucian. It is a person, beautiful in soul and body, that is the greatest value of society.

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, in contrast to his teacher Plato, giving the palm in the socialization of the individual to the state, does not detract from the role of the family in the education of a full member of society. It is in the family that the formation of citizenship begins. The man himself was considered by the philosopher as a full-fledged unit of society. However, without a circle of his own kind, the individual becomes an animal not adapted to the community. The highest good is the formation of the social qualities of a citizen. The levels of socialization of the individual, according to Aristotle, include the harmonious development of the physical, moral and intellectual side of a person.

The study of socialization in the works of scientists - sociologists and psychologists

One of the modern interpretations of the process of introducing a person to society is the interactionist approach of the American researcher George Mead. The American sociologist considered the possibility of developing interpersonal relationships through social interaction. This process is a factor in the formation of individual qualities of a person. Language proficiency helps to acquire a sufficient level of socialization for a full life in society.

According to the theory of interactionismthe growth of this process directly depends on the degree of social responsiveness of the individual. This refers to the ability of a person to perceive himself as an active unit of society. A person in interaction with others takes on a certain social role, which he lives in two stages. At the first stage, the human "I" is formed under the influence of attitudes and judgments of other individuals - partners in interaction. The second stage also involves the impact of the moral attitudes of the community in which the person lives. This is how the values and principles of the individual himself are formed, which, as a result, becomes the constructor of his life.

Roughly since the 1930s, L. S. Vygotsky, A. N. Leontiev, P. Ya. Galperin and other researchers became the founders of the Soviet cultural-historical school of psychology. According to scientists, the character of a person is the result of the influence of society on his psyche. In his analysis of the behavior and life of the personality, Lev Semenovich Vygotsky proposed to consider its external environment in order to understand the inner world of the personality. Social experience can change the meaning of a person's mental processes and impose its own values and principles on him. The formation of the levels of socialization of the individual depends on the assimilation of socio-cultural forms of activity.

In turn, J. Piaget assigned the main role to the cognitive development of man. For successful socialization, according to the scientist, it is necessary to form the intellectual side of the individual. The subsequent restructuring of cognitive capabilities occurs underinfluenced by a person's social experience.

Modern Western sociology singles out T. Parsons as a generally recognized theorist of socialization issues. According to the scientist, the main problem of the relationship between society and the individual lies in the assimilation, development and approval in the processes of the life cycle of action. The task of the social environment is to satisfy all the needs of its members. According to T. Parsons, the levels of the socialization process depend on a single process through which a person becomes a member of society and maintains this status with all his actions. A strong motivation for social and cultural learning is necessary for the success of this interaction between the individual and the environment. In other words, the primary need of society in relation to its members is the motivation of their participation in accordance with accepted norms and requirements.

The essence of socialization is three levels identified by scientists that relate to the needs of the individual:

• Fidelity to the religious values of society.
• The early stage of personality formation is based on the erotic complex and similar intimate relationships.
• The highest level of socialization is associated with the services of instrumental activities.

T. Parsons associated all stages of the process with the superego, id and ego, using the classification of Z. Freud. The primary socialization of the individual occurs in the family. Further, the leading role in the process is assigned to the school and professional teams.

Belgian researchers M.-A. Robert and F. Tilman. According to the theory, the interaction processa person with society is divided into four stages:

• Oral phase - from birth to 18 months. The sucking reflex of the baby drives all of his behavior.
• Anal phase - 18 months - 2.5 years. The actions of the child begin to obey self-control. Here a sense of self is formed.
• 2, 5-6 years - the phallic stage of personality development. This is where the child’s emotional relationship with the family is formed. Any intra-family conflict becomes a trauma for the baby's psyche and can significantly affect a person's future behavior.
• Adulthood phase - from 6 years to adulthood. At this stage, the autonomy of the individual occurs and a feeling of freedom sets in.

Social experience is a fundamental component of student socialization

Only in the process of life in a group social skills are acquired. Throughout life, interacting in society, a person acquires social experience. The acquisition of social knowledge occurs in three ways, which are interconnected:

• Social experience is acquired quite spontaneously. The child from the very first days forms his behavior as a member of society. By interacting with others, the baby acquires the attitudes and values of the society in which he lives.
• In the future, social experience is acquired in the process of education and enlightenment. The implementation of the training is purposeful.
• There is also spontaneous acquisition of social experience. Even if, due to early age, independent activity is impossible, the child can instantly adapt tochanging conditions of life and others.

Thus, the levels of a child's socialization depend on:

• From his ability to absorb social information in the course of his work.
• From the ability to reinforce behavior patterns while performing different social roles.
• From the opportunity to expand the circle of social ties, communicating with members of society of different ages and assimilating social norms, attitudes, values.

Child socializes and acquires its own social experience:

• in the process of various activities, mastering an extensive fund of social information, skills;
• in the process of performing various social roles, assimilating behavior patterns;
• in the process of communicating with people of different ages, within different social groups, expanding the system of social ties and relationships, assimilating social symbols, attitudes, values.

Main institutions that determine the levels of a child's socialization

Important social groups that influence the entry of an individual into society are the family, preschool educational institutions, schools, universities, labor collectives. Also, the institutions of socialization in some cases are political parties, unions and religious organizations.

Determination of the level of socialization depends on the degree of influence of parents on the child. The primary collective in a person's life is the family or the group that replaces it. It is here that the child acquires the first relationship skills. American sociologist Charles Cooley argued that primary groups are the foundation offor the formation of social nature and human behavior. And the famous German psychoanalyst Erich Fromm considered the family to be a psychological mediator between a person and society.

The next step in the formation of levels of socialization is the school, or rather, the educational process. Here the individual adapts to the relations and order that exist in society. In modern society, there are opposite trends in the socialization of young people. On the one hand, moral and ethical values (work conscientiously, be honest and decent) still exist. But the market economy already dictates its own rules and principles (for example, the desire for profit in any way). Thus, today's youth are faced with a difficult choice. In such difficult conditions, the levels of socialization of adolescents are formed.

Subsequent institutions (labor and religious organizations, unions, circles, etc.), in which a person continues to acquire social norms, affect personal consciousness to a lesser extent than primary collectives. However, they also play an important role in the formation of a socialized personality.

Types of student socialization

The process classification is based on the time factor. As a result, the following types (stages) of socialization are distinguished:

• Primary. This is the period from the birth of a person to his adulthood. This stage is very important, since the levels of socialization of society have a great influence here. The primary institution of the process is the parental family, where the child beginsget acquainted with the norms of society.
• Resocialization (secondary socialization) is based on the replacement of previously established patterns of human behavior with qualitatively new ones. Breaking old stereotypes is characteristic of the secondary stage. Resocialization lasts the entire conscious life of the individual.

There are other levels of socialization identified by scientists - group (within a particular group), organizational (in the course of work), early (“rehearsal” of the main activity, for example, girls play in daughter-mothers), gender (according to gender), etc.

Methodology for diagnosing the level of socialization of younger students

To study the degree of familiarization of children with social norms, it is advisable to use a set of methods proposed by T. B. Potapenko. With the help of questionnaires, one can determine the dynamics of socialization and concretization of an individual program of subsequent influences on a single child.

The complex consists of three methods:

• Methodology for identifying the characteristics of a child's socialization, consisting of three series of choices.
• Projective method for studying the dependence of the child's emotional mood due to relationships with peers (author - V. R. Kislovskaya).
• Method of conducting single-stage sections, proposed by T. A. Repina.

As a result of this study, it is possible to determine the level of socialization of younger students. It is advisable to conduct it also with seniors.preschoolers.

The overall goal of the complex of questionnaires is to identify the desire and desire of the child to communicate with peers, as well as his motives and opportunities for social relationships.

Diagnosis of socialization of older students

An objectively necessary and integral stage in the life of every person is social maturity. Social and technical requirements motivate an increase in the level of education and training of the individual. In the learning process, not only intellectual knowledge is laid down, but also the norms, values and traditions of the surrounding society. Thus, the socialization of young members of society takes place.

In order to study the dynamics of the process, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor M. I. Rozhkov proposed a methodology for studying the social adaptability and activity of adolescents. In the process of testing, students must familiarize themselves with 20 judgments and evaluate each of them according to the degree of their agreement. Analyzing the results, we can identify the following levels of socialization of students:

• Social activity.
• Social adaptation.
• Social autonomy, that is, the willingness to make important decisions independently.

Due to the fact that upbringing is the leading beginning of socialization, to study the dynamics of the process, it is also advisable to apply the methodology of the level of socialization "My family". With the help of this questionnaire, it is possible to determine the degree of manifestation of social inclusion in the upbringing of the parental family. Assessing the levelrelationships in the family circle (prosperous, satisfactory, dysfunctional), eight determining factors can be analyzed:

1. Strictness or loy alty of family education.
2. Building autonomy and initiative.
3. Domination of one parent or equal relationship.
4. Attitude towards school and teachers.
5. Rigidity or loy alty of parenting methods.
6. The nature of the relationship between family members.
7. Mutual assistance and mutual support in the family.
8. Community of interests.

Methods of education of socialization

In the process of introducing a child to society, the following mechanisms of personality formation exist:

• Identification of the child with his role as a member of society. A person masters various forms of behavior, attitudes, norms and values. The main method of identification is a personal example of more experienced members of society. As an example, the biographies of famous people may also come up.
• Social orientation is another mechanism for shaping the level of students' socialization. It is associated with the definition of the personality of their needs and the awareness of the possibility of achieving them in the conditions of society. Here, the pedagogical requirement acts as a method as a guiding factor in human actions.
• Adaptation is another mechanism of human socialization. This is the process of adapting the individual to the environment, its norms, rules and traditions. The exercise method greatly facilitates the social adaptation of the child.
• Suggestion as appropriationsocial experience at an unconscious, emotional level. Here, some conformity of the personality is important, which is achieved by the method of verbal influence. In conditions of social tolerance, the norms and traditions of society are better assimilated.
• The mechanism of social presentation involves maintaining a positive impression of the individual about himself when interacting with others. A person, in fact, plays the role assigned to him by society. As a result, imposed behavior eventually becomes an integral part of the child's activities. The assignment method plays an important role in this process.
• The mechanisms that form the levels of socialization include facilitation (the influence of the behavior of others on the mind of the child) and inhibition (behavior that regulates the motives of a person's actions). Here the methods accelerating the dynamics of social processes are competition and punishment. Only using all of the above methods of education, you can achieve a high level of socialization of the individual.