The human infant comes into the world as a biological organism with animal needs. He is gradually molded into a social being and he learns social ways of acting and feeling, without this process of molding, the society could not continue itself, nor could culture exist, nor could the individual becomes a person. This process of molding is called ‘Socialization’.
Every man tries to adjust himself to the condition and environment predominantly determined by the society of which he is a member.
If he fails to do so, he becomes a social defiant and is brought back into line by the efforts of the group of which he is a member. This process of adjustment may be termed socialization.
Different sociologists have defined socialization in different ways.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
According to E.S. Bogardus “Socialization is the process of working together, of developing group responsibility or being guided by the welfare needs of others”.
W.F. Ogburn defines “Socialization is the process by which the individual learns to conform to the norms of the group.”
Lundberg says that “Socialization consists of the complex processes of interaction through which the individual learns the habits, beliefs, skills and standards of judgement that are necessary for his effective participation in social groups and communities.”
According to H.T. Majumdar “Socialization as the process whereby original nature is transformed into human nature and the individual into person”.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
A.W. Green opines “Socialization is the process by which the child acquires a cultural content, along with selfhood and personality”.
According to Horton and Hunt “Socialization is the process by which one internalises the norms of his groups, so that a distinct “self” emerges, unique to this individual.
Peter Worsley explains “Socialization as the process of transmission of culture, the process whereby men learn the rules and practices of social groups.”