Quick questions on Forms of Socialisation - TCE Sociology (Tasmania) - Level 3

Socialisation is the process by which individuals learn the norms, values, language, roles and skills of their culture so they can function as members of society. Emile Durkheim argued that society exists inside us through this process: without it there would be no shared moral order. Because culture is learned and not inherited biologically, socialisation is how each society reproduces itself in every new generation. It is continuous, beginning at birth and continuing until death, which is why the course distinguishes several forms tied to different life stages.

Primary socialisation occurs in early childhood and takes place overwhelmingly within the family. Here the child learns language, basic norms, emotional control and the foundations of identity. Talcott Parsons described the family as a factory producing human personalities, because it lays down the deepest layer of culture before the child encounters any other institution. Australian examples include learning to use cutlery, to say please and thank you, and to recognise the difference between right and wrong.

Secondary socialisation continues throughout life through institutions beyond the family. At school children learn to follow rules, defer to authority and cooperate with strangers. Peer groups reward conformity to group norms, the media shape expectations about gender and consumption, and workplaces teach occupational norms. These secondary agents sometimes conflict with the family, which is one reason adolescence can be a period of tension as different sources of socialisation compete.

Tertiary socialisation refers to learning that occurs in later adulthood, often through new media, community organisations or institutions encountered well beyond the workplace. An Australian example is an older person learning the norms of online communication, digital banking or social media after retirement. It shows that socialisation never stops: society keeps presenting new norms that individuals must absorb to participate fully.

Anticipatory socialisation is the rehearsing of a role before you actually occupy it. A medical student adopting the manner of a doctor, or a Year 12 student practising the habits of university study, is engaging in anticipatory socialisation. Robert Merton highlighted how people adopt the values of a group they hope to join, which smooths the eventual transition into that role.