Political socialization is a concept concerning the “study of the developmental processes by which children and adolescents acquire political cognition, attitudes and behaviours”.
It refers to a learning process by which norms and behavior acceptable to a well running political system are transmitted from one generation to another. It is through the performance of this function individuals are inducted are inducted into the political culture and their orientations towards political objects are formed.
Political socialization is the method by which we acquire political norms and values, and experience political socialisation throughout our lives.
For example, our early political views usually influenced by our parents. This may take the form of identifying with a particular party taking a negative view of an opposing party. As we leave home, our political views will be further influenced by peer groups, particularly in the workplace. The area we live in can also be a factor determining voting behaviour, but perhaps the most important agent of political socialisation is media.
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The media impacts upon political socialisation in three ways:
1. Politicians must present a favourable media image, otherwise they will fail to win votes, and of the reasons the Conservative party elected David Cameron as their leader was his position in media image.
2. The determine an agenda that politicians tend to follow. For example, recent Home Secretaries have been critical of judged imposing lenient sentences against criminals.
3. Newspapers can reinforce their readers to vote for a particular party. However, it debatable as to how much impact the press really has upon voting behaviour.