Table of contentsFamily as an agent of socializationPeers as an agent of socializationMass media and formal institutions as an agent of socializationConclusionBibliographySocialization is a process by which people learn the social norms of the society in which they live. This process teaches people to behave in a way that is acceptable to society. This facilitates social interaction by exchanging common values, customs, traditions, languages, etc. This develops in a person a sense of belonging with everyone they interact with. The agents through which we learn include family, school, peers, and the media. This article will describe examples such as mass media, peers and family as agents of socialization and explain how we are socialized through formal institutions like schools and workplaces. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayFamily as an agent of socializationFamily is the primary agent of socialization and will always be an agent until we die. The parent-child relationship is the first socialized behavioral learning. Children depend on their parents to feed and clean them, which is why they turn to their parents when they need help. Parents teach the child to care for themselves and others and to have values ​​and beliefs that reflect their own social status, religion, ethnic group, etc. Every family is different even if they belong to the same society. Some will place more emphasis on education while others will place more emphasis on religion or discipline. The socialization that children receive from their family will not be uniform, however, the family is the foundation of the socialization process. Peers as an agent of socialization. Peers are those who are the same age and have a similar social identity. From the age of three, children are confronted with the influence of their peer group. Peers include close people such as immediate family, neighbors and daycare friends. With peers, the child begins to expand his circle of influence to people outside the immediate family. At first, the child deals with people in a superior position. When a child begins to interact with his peers, he begins to learn social skills in a group situation with social equals. Mass media and formal institutions as an agent of socialization Mass media simultaneously transmits a message directly to a large audience. The influence of mass media includes television, radio, films, music, books, magazines, newspapers and the Internet. Due to the influence of mass media on behavior, it serves as an agent of socialization. The influence of media begins when the child begins to watch cartoons and the characters begin to shape his or her perception of socialization. This continues throughout life through movie characters, singers, and newspaper and magazine advertisements, among others. We often notice that a child wants to imitate a superhero. Even violent video games can influence behavior. Schools as an institution are governed by a curriculum and code of conduct and are influenced by the government which has the desired outcome. “The purpose of school is the transmission of culture, the process by which the culture of a society is transmitted to its children. Individuals learn their culture;acquire knowledge, beliefs, values ​​and norms” (Saldana, 2013). The school system meets the needs of society. Recently, the South African Department of Education wants to introduce sex education through life skills into schools due to the increase in teenage pregnancies. Since the creation of schools, its role as an institution has been that of social control. “An education system is both a state institution and a partly self-regulating agent or field of socialization. On the one hand, an education system is one of the most easily and quickly controllable institutions that should help implement state policy and disseminate the appropriate ideology. Learners spend around six hours a day in school; it is a huge period of time that produces most of the influences on learners. The classroom has two contexts in which socialization occurs. The first is determined by the textbook and the cognitive goals of the teaching process. The second is determined informally by students' interpersonal relationships with teachers and among other students (peer group). Schools normally encourage community activities that have a socializing effect on students. During these informal activities, students learn to accept each other's culture and background. The workplace is another form of formal institution that acts as an agent of socialization. Just like children spend a lot of time in school, adults spend more time in the workplace. Unlike the school environment, in the workplace a person meets colleagues not only of different origins, cultures and beliefs, but also of a wider age range. It helps a person broaden their social tolerance and acceptance. Additionally, the workplace teaches a sense of responsibility and reliability as well as manners towards superiors, even if they are younger, as well as juniors and subordinates. “The workplace fulfills its socialization function through integration. It is the mechanism by which new employees acquire the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary to become effective members of the organization. Tactics used in this process include formal meetings, conferences, videos, printed materials, or computer-based orientations. Research has demonstrated that these socialization techniques lead to positive outcomes for new employees, including greater job satisfaction, better job performance, greater organizational commitment, and reduced stress. These findings are particularly important for an organization seeking to maintain a competitive advantage in an increasingly mobile and globalized workforce. Other forms of institutions are psychiatric hospitals, military, prisons, monasteries and orphanages, among others. “The goal of total institutions is resocialization, the radical modification of the personality of residents through deliberate manipulation of their environment. Key examples include the process of resocializing new recruits into the military so that they can operate as soldiers. Resocialization is a two-part process. First, facility staff attempt to erode residents’ identity and independence. Second, resocialization involves a systematic attempt to construct a different personality or self. This is usually done through a system of reward and punishment. The privilege of reading a book, watching television or making a call 12 1, , 228-232.