Oscillation means to accept and obey the rules of the society in which you live. So we can say that “Socialisation is adopting oneself according to the traditions, values and principles of the society to which the person belongs.” The child takes birth in a family and family is the link between the child and the society.
The child learns social traits and values, within the family. The first social gesture the child learns is “smiling”. His early social concepts are formed in the family by observing and understanding the social behaviour of his family members.
He observes how guests are treated in their home with respect. How his family members share everything with each other.
He also learns to behave in the same respectful manner and share his things. He learns cooperation, respect, sympathy etc. from his family. He learns good values, traditions, religious beliefs and importance of society from his family. For example, he observes that all his family members or neighbours celebrate festivals collectively so he will also learn to share happiness and sorrow with the people around him moreover when he grows up the reforms his early behaviour to some extent with the help of intellect, understanding and reasoning. He tries to make himself suitable and acceptable to the society.
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Socialisation agents and their role
1. Family
The child learns his first socialisation lesson in the family. He imitates his parents as the parents respect and behaves with other people he also learns to behave in the same manner.
Love of grandparents and the behaviour of siblings also affect the behaviour of child. If the siblings love and cooperate with each other and they are obedient then the child also learns to obey and to be disciplined, sympathetic and adjusting in various situations. He learns by observing the behaviour of his family member.
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2. Neighbourhood
Two years-old child starts moving out of his house and interact with other people, he comes in contact within the family. He gets preferential treatment but when he plays outside he is treated like other children. He learns patience by waiting for his ‘turn’ in game. If neighbours love each other and are cooperative the child also behaves similarly. The child imbibes all these qualities and will develop positive attitude towards the society.
3. School
Three years-old child goes to school and starts learning social values in school, social norms are learned while interacting with the peers and the teachers. He takes part in social and group activities. He starts learning the importance of society. He takes part in various activities like drama, music, plays and experiences the feeling of competition also.
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4. Festivals and Traditions
Every society has its festivals and traditions. Through these, all the members of the society are bonded together. They celebrate these festivals with the family and society members e.g., during ‘Rakesh Bandana’ brothers and sisters meet and exchange sweets and gifts.
During Diwali people wish each other and give presents to near and dear ones. Id and Holi are the festivals when people greet each other and forget all misunderstandings. Child observes that nobody is happy celebrating festivals separately. So it is necessary to include society members in one’s happiness. Thus, we see that traditions and rituals help the child to become a social being.
Social development of a child is influenced by many factors in his family. Early concepts of the child are formed in the family. These early concepts influence his future social behaviour. If the family respects the social norms and accepts them, then the child also becomes a social being acquiring all positive social qualities.
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The attitude of family members towards the child and how they have reared the child affects the social traits of the child. Family, school, peers and neighbours all have an influence in the social development of the child.
Parents and teachers both play an important role in guiding the child in his social development. Rest he learns himself by imitating other people. With experience the child learns what type of social behaviour gets social approval and he tries to adopt that behaviour.