Socialization, Culture, and Society: Key Concepts
Socializing Agents
Primary socialization is crucial as it introduces individuals to society, involving the acquisition of habits, social norms, and behaviors. From birth, individuals are capable of receiving social and cultural forms from their environment. Socialization is the process of becoming a social being through agents like family, school, TV, and peers. Children internalize roles, attitudes, and values, shaping their identity. This internalization progresses from concrete to general, influenced by significant others.
Secondary Socialization: This process involves internalizing sub-worlds or realities distinct from primary socialization. It occurs through political, religious, or work environments. Unlike primary socialization, individuals can choose patterns and rules to internalize. It is less emotionally charged and related to maturity, potentially leading to identity conflicts.
Resocialization: This is the internalization of cultural content from a different society, often due to radical societal changes. It resembles primary socialization in its emotional intensity, often resulting from crises or generational clashes.
Ethics and Morals
Ethics vs. Morals
While often used interchangeably, ethics are internal rules, while morals are external standards imposed by society.
Human Behavior in Society
Humans form societies to understand their surroundings. Societies grow through discussion, agreed duties, and rights. Laws define behavioral standards, hierarchies, and institutions. However, laws can become static, failing to adapt to changing customs and morality, leading to societal conflicts.
Identity
Personal identity is shaped by social interaction and socialization. George Herbert Mead emphasized imitation in children’s enculturation, leading to self-consciousness. Through socialization, individuals construct their reality within the social world.
Culture
Culture encompasses knowledge, beliefs, values, art, morals, laws, customs, and skills acquired in a society. It includes symbolic and material elements, shaping individual experiences and providing meaning. Culture differs from society, which is the social system established among individuals.
Participation
Participation means being actively involved in a group activity with a common purpose.
Alienation
Alienation is the misrepresentation of individual and social activity balance, leading to commodification of values and psychological detriment. It manifests in various fields and expands with civilization’s development.
The Constitution
A country’s constitution outlines citizens’ rights, duties, and expected behaviors. In Colombia, power is divided into the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches.
Executive Branch
The Executive Branch is one of the fundamental principles of the Republic of Colombia.
Legislative Branch
The Legislative Branch is another fundamental principle.
Judicial Branch
The Judicial Branch completes the three branches of power.