Report “Problems of socialization of the individual in modern society.”

Types of socialization

Socialization is a difficult, even contradictory process. In the process of his development, an individual becomes acquainted with both humanity as a whole and individual groups of people who have their own rules, goals and guidelines.

Therefore, experts distinguish several types of this phenomenon:

Primary socialization begins at the birth of a child and ends with the formation of a mature personality. It lays the foundations for all subsequent development of a person, and to some extent determines the scenario of his future life. The family is of greatest importance, because it is the first thing a child sees in his life. It is necessary to keep in mind that children perceive what they see around them uncritically, therefore they regard the behavior of adults in the family as basic, standard. Alcoholism and sloppiness, unsanitary conditions in the house - all this is “imprinted” in the child’s mind and can remain with him for life if he does not go through the subsequent stages of socialization. And vice versa - intelligence and cleanliness learned in the family will also accompany him in the future. In the future, kindergarten, school, a group of friends and peers become new social environments, where the child has to get accustomed to a new environment and act in accordance with new rules. Secondary socialization, or resocialization, is the process of eliminating previous patterns of behavior and learning new ones. This process continues throughout the individual's life. During resocialization, a person experiences a complete break with his past and feels the need to assimilate new values ​​that are strikingly different from those that he previously adhered to. Typically, the changes that occur during secondary socialization are less than during primary socialization. Group socialization is a process that takes place within a social group. So, if a child spends more time with his peers than in the family, then he more actively adopts the norms and rules inherent in the peer group. Gender socialization is a process that involves learning the role of a man or woman in society. At the same time, boys learn to be men, and girls learn to be women.

In the past, gender socialization was an important and necessary part of a person's entry into society, but nowadays gender has largely ceased to have any meaning. Equality of rights and opportunities eliminates the need to “command” and “obey”, and representatives of both sexes have the opportunity to master the same professions, occupy the same positions and take on the same social roles (for example, in a family, both parents can take turns working and raising children, either the wife works, and the husband looks after the household and raises the children, or “the old fashioned way” - the husband works, and the wife takes care of the household and children)

The principles of gender socialization are still strong in traditional, backward societies (in the countries of Asia and Africa), but even there they are gradually losing their position. Organizational socialization is a process in which an individual who is part of an organization learns its norms and rules and masters the skills of his work within its framework. Early socialization is the process of mastering norms, rules and skills that do not correspond to the current level of physical, psychological and social development. First of all, this type of socialization is understood as a game - a kind of “rehearsal” for future social activity.

Organizational socialization

Organizational or professional socialization is the process of an individual mastering the skills and attitudes adopted in an organization for the successful performance of basic functions, as well as for establishing relationships with colleagues.

At first, upon entering the workforce, newcomers become familiar with generally accepted standards of behavior in the organization, master the jargon, communication style, learn to comply with the dress code, and perceive the balance of power between people. This is also the socialization of the individual, and very important - often we have problems with work not because we are bad professionals, but only because even an excellent professional who is unable to establish relationships with people will bring nothing but harm to the organization.

To improve organizational socialization, it is customary for companies to organize various joint holidays, field trips, and conduct games and activities to improve communication between colleagues.

Personal socialization is a complex process that lasts a lifetime, associated with endless knowledge of the outside world and self-knowledge, developing the ability to establish relationships with other people in any social environment.

The ability to successfully fit into any system is useful to everyone, and one cannot think that socialization is important only for those who are not successful and do not fit into the framework. Since any framework has its values ​​exclusively in a given period of time, and there is no guarantee that tomorrow the concept of the norm will not change, and that yesterday’s successful person will not find himself on the sidelines of life with his mossy concepts of the norm.

Problems of socialization of teenagers

The problem of socialization in adolescence is acute for several reasons. Firstly, a teenager is practically an adult in terms of physical and social capabilities. But he is difficult to cope with, he needs care and control from adults, since he can harm both himself and others. Social risks such as suicide, mass school shootings, fighting, and involvement in illegal activities can lead to catastrophic consequences. A person's actions during adolescence require understanding and careful study.

Secondly, during adolescence a person becomes receptive to everything new. Through adolescence, it becomes possible to notice a renewal of society; old ways of socialization stop working. During adolescence, crises and inconsistencies in the relationship between an individual and society become apparent, which will later lead to changes.

Important age-related tasks that are characteristic of adolescence are directly related to socialization. Formation of self-awareness and acquisition of self-concept. Maintaining and developing one’s personal interests and defining personal norms and values. Formation of selectivity in communication and work with information. Construction of an approximate trajectory of one’s life path in society. The ability to analyze in dialogue the reasons for the actions of other people, mastering social roles in groups and developing responsible and close relationships with different people.

The concept of personality socialization

The described process is determined by the social activity of individuals.

The process of socialization of the individual represents the entry of the individual into the social structure, as a result of which changes are made in the structure of the individual himself and society as a whole. As a result of socialization, an individual acquires group norms, values, behavioral patterns, and social orientations, which are transformed into human attitudes.

Socialization of the individual is extremely important for successful functioning in society. This process continues throughout an individual’s life, since the world moves and in order to move with it, it is necessary to change. A person undergoes constant changes, he changes, both physically and psychologically, it is impossible for him to be constant. It is this important concept, how the socialization of personality in psychology is dealt with by many specialists who study personality, society and their relationship.

In this process, no one is immune from problems arising.

Socialization problems are divided into the following three groups. The first consists of socio-psychological problems of socialization, which are associated with the formation of an individual’s self-awareness, his self-determination, self-affirmation, self-actualization and self-development. At any stage, problems have specific content, and various ways to resolve them appear.

Only their importance for the individual remains unchanged. She may not be aware of the existence of these problems, since they are deeply “buried” and force her to think, acting in such a way as to eliminate the problem, to find an adequate solution

The second group is the cultural problems that arise, including each stage. The content of these problems depends on achieving a certain level of natural development. These problems are associated with regional differences that arise in different rates of physical maturation, so in the southern regions it is faster than in the northern ones.

Cultural problems of socialization concern the issue of the formation of stereotypes of femininity and masculinity in different ethnic groups, regions, and cultures.

The third group of problems are socio-cultural, which in their content involve the introduction of the individual to the level of culture. They relate to personal value orientations, a person’s worldview, and his spiritual make-up. They have a specific character - moral, cognitive, value, semantic.

Socialization is divided into primary and secondary.

Primary - implemented in the sphere of close relationships. Secondary socialization is carried out in formal business relations.

Primary socialization has the following agents: parents, close acquaintances, relatives, friends, teachers.

In the secondary, the agents are: the state, the media, representatives of public organizations, the church.

Primary socialization occurs very intensively in the first half of an individual’s life, when he is raised by his parents, attends preschool, school, and acquires new contacts. The secondary one, accordingly, takes place in the second half of life, when an adult has contact with formal organizations.

Problems of personal socialization in modern society

Today, Russian society is faced with new threats and challenges that place high demands on a person’s intellectual and adaptive abilities, as well as on institutions that promote the socialization of the individual. One of the main threats—the persistence of backwardness in Russian society—is largely due to the low information culture and ineffective processes of individual socialization.

This problem is very relevant in Russia, where there is a high unevenness in the integration of social strata into the information space; Numerous social groups of Russians today do not have the opportunity and motivation to create an information culture. Lack of interest in the knowledge and capabilities of information and communication technologies (or limiting this interest only to recreational opportunities) reduces a person’s intellectual and creative abilities and, as a consequence, his economic and social activity, limits mobility, educational opportunities and many other services. In conditions of a growing overabundance of information and mobility of all social structures, such groups cannot form adequate, successful models of behavior and become increasingly socially unprotected.

Thus, there is a contradiction between the needs of Russian society to integrate into the global information space and the lack of information-educated citizens, which gives rise to digital poverty and creates socialization problems.

Problems of socialization in modern Russian society are associated with three circumstances: 1) change (destruction) of the value system, as a result of which the older generation cannot always prepare young people for life in new conditions; 2) a radical and very rapid change in the social structure of society; the inability of many new social groups to ensure the reproduction of their ranks; 3) weakening of the system of formal and informal social control as a factor of socialization. One of the most obvious features of modern socialization is its duration compared to previous periods.

In modern society, a paradoxical situation is created - on the one hand, our society is increasingly faced with tasks (both professional and everyday), the successful solution of which is beyond the capabilities of an individual and requires the cooperation of efforts of groups of people. Such cooperation implies possession of knowledge, skills and interpersonal skills. As a result, in the modern domestic labor market, specialists whose core activity is interaction with other people - psychologists, lawyers, managers - are becoming increasingly in demand. On the other hand, the achievements of science and technology are aimed at making a person as independent and independent as possible in all spheres of life, and sometimes even isolating him from society (for example, the spread of personal computers, personal stereo players, home theaters, etc.). Situations that previously involved dark communication with other people lose their relevance; More and more people are choosing professions such as “man-machine” or “man-sign system”.

This trend in society negatively affects the process of socialization of modern man. The assimilation of social experience does not end with the completion of the stage of purposefully instilling generally accepted rules and norms in a person at school and other educational institutions; this process spontaneously continues throughout life. Since the process of socialization is inextricably linked with the individualization of the individual, its formation and development, we can say that modern society to some extent impedes the development and, moreover, the self-development of the individual.

In modern conditions, due to the complexity of professional guidance, which often leads to the wrong choice of profession or the wrong choice of profession, we end up with not only an inferior specialist, but also a person dissatisfied with life, who finds it difficult to find his place in life.

It is necessary to highlight separately and pay special attention to the most important component of socialization - the formation of a worldview. The transformation of society and the image of the World, as well as the personality types it produces, their relationships to social reality, to nature, to each other, gives rise to the need for new ideological orientations that would provide more advanced forms of social life. In the era of the scientific and technological revolution, two trends appear here: on the one hand, the formation of a worldview is facilitated, and, on the other hand, it is difficult. Worldview is the unity of two moments. One moment is knowledge, information about reality, and the other moment is a position, an attitude towards the environment, humanity, a given society, and oneself. Today, information is given easily, but forming a position is a complex process.

The problem of personal socialization, the specifics of professional development, and issues of personnel training are constantly in the focus of attention of many researchers.

Currently, the problems of the formation and development of a professional’s personality, as well as issues of professional socialization, are being actively studied by A.K. Markova, E.A. Klimov, O.G. Noskova, N.A. Perinskaya, S.V. Novikov, O.V. Romashov, V.D. Shadrikov.

The changes that have taken place in the last 10 years in all spheres of political, economic and social life of Russian society have given rise to numerous problems. One of the most relevant is a critical understanding of changes in social and spiritual life, determining trends in further development, choosing the structure and content of social education as a controlled institution for the socialization of children.

Modern society requires from a person not only polytechnic knowledge, a high cultural level, deep specialization in certain fields of science and technology, solid knowledge, skills and abilities in educational activities, but also the ability to live and coexist in society. The main parameters of a child’s personal development today can be considered his orientation toward universal human values, humanism, intelligence, creativity, activity, self-esteem, and independence in judgment. It is on these skills and qualities that the success of a person and society as a whole in overcoming the contradictory conditions of social life largely depends.

Man has an innate natural desire for knowledge. Therefore, paramount importance is attached to the process of awakening and developing the cognitive activity of the individual from an early age when the mind and soul are especially receptive and energetic. Up to 25 years is the stage of professional socialization of the individual. At this time, a person designs his own future. As for the relationship between theoretical fundamental knowledge and practical experience, there is always a time lag between them throughout a person’s entire active life, in any field of activity. They constantly correct each other - either knowledge requires practical implementation, or experience needs theoretical support. Perhaps the most gratifying and encouraging phenomenon in modern Russia is a kind of boom in education. Young people are no longer limited to just higher specialized education, but quite consciously strive to supplement it with the latest knowledge and technologies. Today, intelligence, professionalism, creative and innovative potential of the individual are again in demand. This is a challenge of the time, at the same time an unconditional guarantee of worthy development of society. Sometimes successful dynamic personal development is largely determined by physical health, mental stability and developed intelligence.

Throughout its history, society has changed its attitude towards people with developmental disabilities. It has evolved from hatred and aggression to tolerance, partnership and inclusion of persons with developmental disabilities.

According to N. N. Malofeev, five periods can be distinguished in the evolution of the attitude of society and the state towards persons with developmental disabilities

The first period is from aggression and intolerance to awareness of the need to take care of people with developmental disabilities. The turning point in the transition to this period in Western Europe is the first precedent of state care for the disabled - the opening of the first shelter for the blind in Bavaria in 1198. In Russia, the emergence of the first monastic shelters occurred in 1706-1715. , which is associated with the reforms of Peter I.

The second period is from the awareness of the need to provide care for persons with developmental disabilities to the awareness of the possibility of training at least some of them.

The third period is from awareness of the possibility of learning to awareness of the expediency of teaching three categories of children: with hearing impairments, visual impairments, and mentally retarded.

The fourth period is from realizing the need to educate some abnormal children to understanding the need to educate all abnormal children.

The fifth period is from isolation to integration. The integration of people with disabilities into society is the leading trend in Western Europe during this period of evolution, based on their full civil equality. The period is characterized in Western European countries by perestroika in the 80-90s. organizational foundations of special education, a reduction in the number of special schools and a sharp increase in the number of special classes in general education schools.

Social problems of a different order are associated with regional conditions with the presence or absence of special schools, special rehabilitation centers, and speech pathologists in the places where families with a disabled child live.

Since special educational institutions are distributed extremely unevenly throughout the country, disabled children are often forced to receive education and upbringing in special boarding schools. When children with disabilities enter such a school, they find themselves isolated from their families, from their normally developing peers, and from society as a whole. Abnormal children seem to be isolated in a special society and do not acquire the necessary social experience in time. The closeness of special educational institutions cannot but affect the development of a child’s personality and his readiness for independent life.

Although new, changed living conditions make it possible to raise the problem of disabled people obtaining modern prestigious professions; in addition, carry out vocational training in those types of work for which there is a need in a given region; if there are several special schools and a large number of graduates, organize employment centers for the disabled.

Social policy in Russia, aimed at disabled people, adults and children, is built today on the basis of the medical model of disability. Based on this model, disability is considered as an ailment, disease, pathology. Such a model, wittingly or unwittingly, weakens the social position of a child with a disability, weakens his social significance, isolating him from the normal healthy children's community, aggravates his unequal social status, dooming him to admit his inequality and lack of competitiveness in comparison with other children.

The main problem of a child with disabilities is his connection with the world, limited mobility, poor contacts with peers and adults, limited communication with nature, access to cultural values, and sometimes even basic education. This problem is not only a subjective factor, such as social, physical and mental health, but also the result of social policy and the prevailing public consciousness, which sanction the existence of an architectural environment inaccessible to a disabled person, public transport, and the lack of special social services.

Thus, the problems of socialization of disabled children sometimes have a clearly defined regional character.

The problem of socialization of the individual (and not only the developing personality, i.e. the young person) seems to be very acute because, due to a sharp drop in the birth rate, a phenomenon called “population aging” is taking place in most European countries and in particular in Russia. Every year, adults and especially older people make up an increasingly significant proportion of the population of many countries. This significantly increases the significance of the problem of socialization of adults, forces politicians, philosophers and scientists who study personality and society to take a fresh look at the place and role of older people in society, and requires new research at both the theoretical and practical levels.

Similar conditions for the formation of personality determine for many individuals common, similar views on the world and its values, common life goals and objectives, norms of behavior, tastes, habits, likes and dislikes, character traits, intellectual characteristics, etc. Of course, each of the individuals is unique and original in its own way, but at the same time it has such a combination, an ensemble of social qualities that make it possible to classify it as a very specific social type - a product of a complex interweaving of historical, cultural and socio-economic conditions of people’s life. Since sociology deals not with the individual, but with the mass, it always strives to find repeating signs in diversity, to reveal in the individual what is essential, typical, and naturally arises in certain social conditions. The generalized expression of a set of recurring personality traits is captured in the concept of “social personality type.”

For a long time, in Russian sociology, the prevailing tendency was to fix virtually one social type of personality, supposedly characteristic of the conditions of a mature socialist society and developing in the direction of an ideal communist type of personality. The entire diversity of consciousness and behavior of people, members of society, as a rule, was reduced to the degree of development of the historical type, to various conditions and manifestations of what is typical in this regard.

V.A. Yadov emphasizes the need to identify the basic type characteristic of a particular society, and the modal (real) type that prevails at one or another stage of its development. The modal personality type is not constructed arbitrarily or speculatively by the researcher. It is discovered and described only through sociological research. In addition to the modal type, sociologists also distinguish the so-called basic type, i.e. a system of social qualities that best meet the objective conditions of the modern stage of development of society. In addition, we can talk about an ideal personality type, i.e. about those traits and personality qualities that people would like to see in their contemporaries, in every person in general, but which are not feasible under given conditions.

During periods of a sharp change in social relations, radical and large-scale transformations of economic, socio-political structures and forms of social life, the problem of the discrepancy between the modal and basic types becomes extremely acute. Thus, many social qualities of people that are rooted in our society and have become ubiquitous are incompatible with the economic and political reforms being carried out in the country. A Soviet person, having adapted to life within the framework of the so-called command-administrative system, in conditions of totalitarian political relations, must go through a complex and painful process of revising many ideals and beliefs, revaluing many values, acquiring many other knowledge, skills, abilities, and social character traits.

The problem of personal socialization in general and political-economic in particular is relevant for any society and due to the change (sometimes quite often) of governments, heads of state with their doctrines, programs, and development concepts. A new group comes to power with a new course and begins to “socialize” various segments of the population in its own way, and people have to adapt to the new realities of social life.

Of course, the problem of personal socialization today is open and very relevant, but, nevertheless, in our society, although this issue is being solved, it is being solved very poorly. Modern social associations simply cannot influence the younger generation, just entering the first stage of socialization, fully, as needed. After all, not everything always goes as the “ideal model” of solving a specific issue tells us.

Stages of the process of personality socialization according to Erikson

Erik Erikson is a renowned developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst. According to him, there are the following stages of the socialization process:

Of course, this topic is much broader and interesting, and it is unlikely that it will be possible to talk about everything in one article. However, what has been said is already quite enough to get an idea of ​​socialization, as well as draw certain conclusions about your development and the development of your children.

We hope you found this article helpful. We wish you success!

Stages of personality socialization

The process of personal socialization occurs in three main phases. In the first phase, social norms and value orientations are mastered, and the individual learns to conform to his society.

In the second phase, the individual strives for personalization, self-actualization, and active influence on members of society.

During the third phase, the individual is integrated into a social group, in which he reveals the peculiarities of his personal properties and capabilities.

Consistent flow of the socialization process, the correct transition to each phase leads to a successful completion and achievement of results. Each stage has its own characteristics, and if all the conditions of socialization are met, then the process will be successful.

The main stages of socialization in the work collective are identified: pre-labor, labor, post-labor.

The stages are:

- primary socialization, which occurs from the moment of birth to the formation of personality;

- secondary socialization, during which a restructuring of the personality occurs during the period of maturity and being in society.

The main stages of the socialization process are distributed depending on the person’s age.

In childhood, socialization begins from the birth of an individual and develops from an early stage. The most active formation of personality occurs in childhood; during this period it is formed by 70%. If this process is delayed, irreversible consequences will occur. Until the age of seven, awareness of one’s own Self occurs at a natural age, unlike in older years.

At the teenage stage of socialization, the most physiological changes occur, the individual begins to mature, and personality formation occurs. After thirteen years of age, children take on more and more responsibilities, thus becoming more knowledgeable.

In youth (early adulthood), more active socialization occurs, since the individual actively changes his social institutions (school, college, institute). The age of sixteen is considered the most stressful and dangerous, because now the individual is more independent, he consciously decides which social society he should choose, and which society he should join, since he will have to stay in it for a long time.

Between the ages of approximately 18 and 30, socialization occurs in relation to work and personal relationships. A clearer sense of self comes to every young man or woman through work experiences, friendships and relationships. Incorrect perception of information can lead to negative consequences, then a person will withdraw into himself and lead an unconscious life until a midlife crisis.

It should be noted once again that only if all the conditions of socialization are met, then, accordingly, the socialization process will proceed as it should

It is especially worth paying attention to the teenage and youthful stage, since it is in the young years that the most active formation of personality and the choice of the social community with which a person needs to interact for many years take place.

Gender socialization

The socialization of the individual cannot be fully accomplished without the individual mastering the cultural system of relationships between men and women characteristic of the society in which he lives, as well as awareness of gender roles and his place in this system.

Society begins to instill certain behavioral stereotypes in children literally from the cradle: in stores, for the most part, they offer a choice of only pink or blue baby care items, boys’ clothes are made mainly in blue, and girls’ in red, boys are given cars and pistols, and girls - dolls and decorations.

In the future, looking at the parents and guests of the family, the child absorbs those standards that pass before his eyes in the process of growing up: if the mother and her friends are mostly housewives and take care of cooking, cleaning and the house, and the father and his friends earn money and drive cars and play football, the individual will most likely internalize such a traditional value system, and in the future will begin to apply it to himself in accordance with his gender: a boy will strive to become a “breadwinner”, and a girl will be aimed at finding a husband who meets certain criteria, and dream of marriage and children.

If it is accepted in the family that mother works equally with father, and father cleans on weekends with mother, in the future the girl will not understand if her husband begins to demand that she sit at home and cook soups, and the boy does not appreciate his wife’s desire to become a housewife and study exclusively family matters.

Process stages

A person can socialize in several stages. Each has a corresponding stage. There are five of them in total:

• adaptation;
• identification;
• integration;
• labor;
• post-work.

First of all, a person goes through the stage of identification. It lasts from birth until adolescence. At this time, the child learns from the example of adults, imitates their behavior and habits. The second manifests itself in the desire to show oneself, to become unique. On the third, the first introduction into society occurs. Depending on communication with the team, it can be successful or unsuccessful. During the labor stage, a person himself influences society, and at the last stage - post-labor - he shares his experience with others.

German scientist of Jewish origin Erik Erikson notes that the socialization of an individual consists of more stages:

• infancy;
• earlier childhood;
• childhood;
• junior school age;
• adolescence;
• youth;
• maturity;
• old age.

The first stage lasts up to 1.5 years, when the child is fully cared for by the mother. Trust develops precisely depending on the attitude of the person closest to you. If there is not enough communication with the mother, the child will grow up withdrawn and silent. The next period - up to four years - is associated with the formation of independence; children learn to be neat and tidy. Until the age of six, a child develops a sense of personality, and this may mean that creative thinking and initiative are developing.

From this age, the child begins to attend school, he learns to build relationships with peers and teachers, and adopts their experience and knowledge. Good grades give you the opportunity to believe in yourself, become confident and calm. Then the period of puberty begins, when the teenager is concerned about his appearance and the opinions of others about himself, searches for his calling and shows his first sympathy for the opposite sex.

Lecture 1.4 | Sociology of personality | Marina Arkannikova | Lectorium

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At the stage of adolescence, a person is looking for a permanent job, a life partner and his place in society. At this time, individuality is erased, the individual mixes himself with a certain group. The longest stage—maturity—can awaken in a person a sense of necessity and experience. In old age, people accept their lives and rethink them.

Forms of socialization

There are two forms of socialization – directed and undirected.

Directed (spontaneous) – is the spontaneous formation of social qualities as a result of a person’s presence in the immediate social environment (in the family, between colleagues, peers).

Directed socialization represents a system of methods of influence, specially developed by society, its institutions, organizations, with the goal of forming a personality in accordance with the prevailing values, interests, ideals, and goals in a given society.

Education is one of the ways of directed socialization. It is a consciously systematic, organized, purposeful process of influencing a developing personality, her behavior and consciousness, with the aim of developing specific concepts, principles, value orientations and social attitudes and preparing her for active social, cultural and industrial activities.

Both forms (directed, undirected) in certain circumstances can be consistent with each other or, conversely, come into conflict. The contradictions that arise often lead to conflict situations that complicate and impede the process of socialization of the individual.

The spontaneous form of socialization (undirected) is determined by the microsocial environment (close relatives, peers) and often contains many outdated and outdated rules, stereotypes, patterns, patterns of behavior. Along with a positive influence on the individual, it can also have a negative impact on the individual, pushing him towards negative ones that deviate from the norms established by society, which can lead to such a phenomenon as social pathology.

Undirected socialization without the inclusion of directed means can be detrimental to the formation of a person, the social group of this individual and society as a whole. Therefore, it is very important to supplement it and transform it into targeted corrective influences of targeted socialization.

But directed socialization does not always lead to a positive educational result, which is especially evident when it is used for inhumane purposes, such as, for example, the activities of various destructive religious sects, the inculcation of fascist ideology, and the propaganda of racist sentiments. Therefore, a directed form of socialization can lead to a positive formation of personality only if it is carried out in accordance with moral rules, moral criteria, freedom of conscience, responsibility and the principles of a democratic society.

The essence of socialization

The need for socialization is determined by human nature itself. He is a unique phenomenon, because he is the only living creature that has virtually no innate forms of behavior. A child who has not undergone socialization is unable to communicate as a person, establish relationships with relatives, or behave as is customary in society. It is a cat or a dog that has innate programs of species behavior, but a person needs to learn everything.

Socialization, in essence, is the process of human adaptation in society. But this is not just knowledge of how to behave in a given situation. Knowledge of social norms does not guarantee compliance with them. For example, a criminal does not steal because he does not know that it is illegal. He knows this very well. But the norm “don’t steal” did not go through the process of socialization, was not appropriated by him, and did not become his intrapersonal norm of behavior. The phenomenon of transition of a social norm or meaning from the external to the internal level is called internalization.

This is the basis of socialization, its basic process. Initially, all norms of behavior and methods of social activity are external for the child. Parents, sometimes through persuasion and sometimes through coercion, instill in their child the habit of performing certain actions, making assessments of their own actions and the actions of others. For example, a small child does not feel any need to eat with a spoon, fasten buttons on his blouse, brush his teeth, say hello, much less put away his toys. But if the parents are persistent and patient enough, then these actions become habitual, and in a similar situation the child himself will feel the need for them. So, we, adults, will experience obvious discomfort if we have to eat salad with our hands or go out to strangers casually dressed.

The complexity of socialization also lies in the fact that a person is a member of different social groups with different norms and rules. We have to undergo additional socialization in every society we happen to find ourselves in.

Group socialization

The assimilation of norms accepted as fundamental in society, rules of behavior, restrictions and unacceptable actions is the process of education and instilling in a child a clear understanding of the boundaries within which he must move in order not to be rejected by others.

Our society is structured in such a way that an individual needs to receive social approval, belong to a group, and feel the support of members of this group. And for this we are forced to behave in a certain way, follow certain rules of behavior and fall into the pattern set by the group we want to join.

Patterns of behavior among groups can be different and even diametrically opposed: for some groups, community based on financial solvency is important, others, on the contrary, are formed by uniting poor members of society and declare themselves to be opposed to wealthy circles.

It is important to understand that it is impossible to socialize universally one hundred percent in such a way as to ideally fit into absolutely all segments of the population and groups, precisely because they value different qualities and opposing values. It’s not for nothing that people say: “You’re not a piece of gold to please everyone!” - you cannot please everyone, and in the process of socialization a person has to choose which group to join, and also oppose himself to some other group of people.

Types of socialization

Psychologist and political scientist Nadezhda Radina proposes to separately highlight age-related socialization, which includes cultural norms and ideas about age-related standards for human development. For example, there is an expectation that a child should speak by the age of one, or an expectation of protest behavior in adolescence.

There are types of socialization that differ on the basis of membership in various social groups and the criteria for inclusion in these groups:

— Gender socialization involves correlation and self-relation with certain behavior characteristic of a particular gender of a person.

— Ethnic socialization, the task of which is the formation of ethnic identity.

— Political socialization determines the characteristics of power and subordination and orientation in the system of social hierarchies, dominance and obedience.

— Professional socialization is associated with acquiring and mastering one’s professional role.

Membership in a group can be predetermined or acquired. In the second case, belonging is realized in participation in the activities of a selected group, that is, it can be defined as “activity” socialization Radina, 2005.

Sociology of adolescence

The sociology of old age studies the characteristics of the age structure of society from the point of view of the individual’s involvement in various social relationships, the system of performed social roles and social groups.

The sociology of adolescence examines different types of ages. Please note that these ages partially coincide with the ideas of L.S. Vygotsky, who especially emphasized psychological age as a unit of development analysis. In the context of sociology, there are four types of age that need to be studied: chronological, physical, subjective and symbolic.

Chronological age is determined by the number of years that have passed since a person was born. It has a special meaning in culture and is used to determine legal and social status, especially in the public sphere. Chronological age is used as the main parameter for reaching adulthood and acquiring all civil rights and responsibilities (18 years for citizens of the Russian Federation). The convenience of using chronological age as a criterion of adulthood lies primarily in the objectivity of determining key points of development: 6-7 years - the beginning of school, 16-17 years - the end of school, 18 years - the age of majority, etc.

Physical age is determined by assessing the level of physical and somatic development. There are two forms of physical age: biological (medical) and contextual. The biological line takes into account the maturity and characteristics of the functioning of the human body, pubertal development. Contextual age refers to social assessments of a person's age based on their appearance and behavior. In adolescence, there is often a gap between these ages, when appearance and physical development come into dissonance with the passing age.

Subjective age is a person’s self-assessment of his age in comparison with others, which can vary in different situations and is largely determined by the social context of interaction. A separate form of subjective age is physically embodied age, which is associated with the experience of one’s age through feelings and emotions associated with physicality.

Embodied age refers to social expectations of certain behaviors, skills, and abilities that are “necessary” for a given age. Expressions of adulthood by teenagers can take the form of, for example, drinking alcohol, smoking, wearing adult clothes, etc. — All things that act as symbols of adult life. This understanding is close to the concept of symbolization of aging used by I. S. Kuhn. The concept of age symbolization involves a description of social ideas about how the growth, development and transition of an individual from one age stage to another occurs (should occur). Models of behavior prescribed by culture and society have a certain degree of psychological legitimacy for a person's age. Due to the asynchrony in reaching different ages in adolescence, the level of development and behavior of adolescents is not always compatible with the required system of social norms regulating the status of adulthood, which is manifested in the fact that the experience of a sense of adulthood does not receive social support. The system of ideas of age symbolism, as I. S. Kon writes, includes:

• normative age criteria;
• age characteristics or age stereotypes;
• Symbolization of aging processes;
• Age rituals;
• Age subculture.

Socialization concept

The definition of socialization is the process of a person’s entry into society. First, he becomes familiar with the norms and rules of behavior, traditions and customs, values ​​and morals of the social structure. Inclusion in a team allows the subject to become useful and necessary, develop relationships with others, create new connections and gain experience.

Personal socialization is a process that is considered very difficult and long. Many specialists in the field of psychology have been studying this concept for years and strive to help clients who have a hard time accepting their growing up or a new team.

A person’s whole life consists of constant adaptation to new conditions, while it is important to have time to self-actualize and remain active

Individual, individuality, PERSONALITY

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Certain problems may arise during the process. They are divided into three groups:

• socio-psychological;
• cultural;
• socio-cultural.

The first group is associated with the formation of self-awareness and self-development. These stages are very important for the individual, but often a person neglects the problems that arise and drives them deeper into consciousness. Cultural issues may vary from region to region. They are associated with traditions and customs, gender division. The third group is associated with the introduction of a person to a particular culture. It concerns the worldview, moral and spiritual values, and is of a moral, semantic and cognitive nature.

According to Wikipedia, socialization is divided into two types: primary and secondary. The first consists of relatives, close friends, acquaintances, teachers and colleagues. The second includes the media, public organizations, government, and the church. Primary socialization occurs in the first 15-20 years of life, when a person attends educational institutions and is just learning to communicate with other people. Upon contact with formal groups and organizations, a secondary type occurs.

Legal socialization

Legal socialization of an individual is the development in a person of certain ideas about his place in society, as well as about his social role and the culture of society as a whole.

The main feature of the legal socialization of an individual is the process of assigning to a person certain typical (predictable) reactions, ways of perceiving information and forms of activity accepted in this particular society.

Having perceived the norms and rules accepted in the society around a person as the basic and only true ones, the individual subsequently reacts negatively to any deviations from this norm, often evaluates them as an attempt to violate public order as a whole, and even actively opposes those who exhibit unusual behavior for the given person. reaction society.

Legal socialization of an individual is a necessary and important process, at the same time closely connected with society’s attempts to discard any progressive ideas unusual for it, which seem to successfully socialized members of society to be a violation of the very foundations of the existence of a social group or the nation as a whole.

Legal socialization of the individual makes it possible to build a clear hierarchical structure of the group, within which subjects who most clearly adhere to the standards of behavior approved by society easily increase their status and are fixed on the upper tiers of the pyramid, and individuals with non-standard views on life are rejected.

Stages of personality socialization

It has been noted that one of the main goals of socialization is to overcome one’s egocentrism. Entering any social group requires an understanding that “you are not alone.” This is considered one of the signs of growing up. It is known that a child up to a certain age perceives himself as the center of the universe, and this is his natural state. Subsequently, we observe what is called youthful maximalism: the teenager continues to consider himself “the very best,” the one and only, but is faced with an abundance of the same “one and only” around him. This leads to conflicts, often serious ones.

Individuals who have not undergone socialization for some reason retain for a long time the characteristics characteristic of children or “newcomers.” Those around them perceive them as infantile and narrow-minded people, but in reality everything is more complicated. If in adulthood the passion inherent in adolescents for learning new things, active communication, and mastering new skills and abilities remains, then this can only be welcomed. At the same time, egocentrism and difficult experiences of one’s failures are clearly undesirable signs for a mature personality.

An example of insufficient socialization in adulthood is belief in “alternative histories” - the writings of Nosovsky and Fomenko, Chudinov and other pseudoscientific freaks. The point here is not only about political, “patriotic” and selfish motives. It’s just that a child, just starting to explore the world and discovering something new, strives to share his discovery with others; parents and other older members of society, to play along with him, share his joy.

During his school years, a teenager is faced with the impossibility of being a pioneer in the modern world: everything he learns about has already been discovered by someone, and his “discovery” is no longer of great value to others. A mentally healthy person gradually gets used to this situation and finds unexplored areas where he can show his skills and give something new to society. And a mentally disabled person experiences rejection from this situation; Instead of searching for unexplored areas, he is eager to “rediscover” what has already been discovered, to create a sensation and receive the laurels of a discoverer, which, as he is sure, simply must belong to him.

The biography of Anatoly Fomenko, the author of the famous pseudoscientific “New Chronology,” very clearly presents us with just such a person - an unsocialized intellectual who, for the sake of the honor of being a discoverer, is ready to commit any lie and achieve his goal by any means. For a long time he eked out the life of a “lesser” mathematician, compiled standard textbooks on geometry for students and was content with a modest salary. In the end, he got tired of it, he realized that the modest and routine work of teaching did not bring happiness, and decided to do something loud and sensational. In his native field, geometry, it is very difficult to become a discoverer, but history is a different matter. Written in collaboration with the equally unsocialized intellectual Gleb Nosovsky, “New Chronology” instantly became a bestseller; Many uneducated readers of this work seriously call Fomenko a “prophet.”

It was said above that school becomes an important environment for primary socialization. Indeed, the task of school is not only to provide some knowledge on various subjects, but also to teach how to live in society

In many countries, special techniques are used for this purpose. For example, in the United States, schools do not have stable classrooms; When a student enrolls in school, he chooses which subjects he will study, and at each lesson he finds himself in a new classroom, in a completely new team. Such socialization is very useful, especially in the USA, because a significant part of the population of this country lives in very small settlements where “everyone knows each other,” but excessive attachment to “one’s own corner” can create problems in the future when it is necessary to change place of residence (in connections with study, work, etc.).

Most Russians live in cities and towns with significantly larger populations, so they do not feel an urgent need for this type of school in our country. At the same time, another type of socialization is required - the ability to work in a stable team, which a Russian-style school can handle quite well.

Socialization and education

Education, in contrast to socialization, which takes place in conditions of spontaneous interaction between the individual and the environment, is considered as a consciously controlled process, for example, religious, family or school education.

Socialization of personality is a process in pedagogy that is studied inseparably from the process of education. The main task of education is the formation of a humanistic orientation in a growing individual, which means that in the motivational sphere of the individual, social motives and incentives for socially useful activities prevail over personal motives. In everything an individual thinks about, whatever he does, the motives for his actions must include an idea of ​​another individual, of society.

Social groups have a great influence on the process of individual socialization. Their influence is different at different stages of human ontogenesis. In early childhood, significant influence comes from the family, in adolescence - from peers, in adulthood - from the work team. The degree of influence of each group depends on cohesion as well as organization.

Education, in contrast to general socialization, is a purposeful process of influencing the individual, which means that with the help of education it is possible to regulate the impact of society on the individual and create favorable conditions for the socialization of the individual.

Socialization of the individual is also an important topic in pedagogy, since socialization is inseparable from education. Education is understood as a social phenomenon that influences the individual through the tools of society. From this emerges a connection between upbringing and the social and political structure of society, which acts as the “customer” for the reproduction of a specific type of personality. Education is a specially organized activity in the implementation of the intended goals of education, in the pedagogical process, where the subjects (teacher and student) express active actions in achieving pedagogical goals.

Famous psychologist S

Rubinstein argued that an important goal of education is the formation of a person’s personal moral position, and not the external adaptation of the individual to social rules. Education must be considered as an organized process of social internalization of value orientations, that is, their transfer from the external to the internal plane

The success of internalization is carried out with the participation of the emotional and intellectual spheres of the individual. This means that when organizing the educational process, the teacher needs to stimulate in his students their understanding of their behavior, external requirements, sensual living of their moral and civic position. Then education, as a process of internalization of value orientations, will be carried out in two ways:

- through the communication and interpretation of useful goals, moral rules, ideals and norms of behavior. This will save the student from a spontaneous search, in which it is possible to encounter errors. This method is based on the content-semantic processing of the motivational sphere and conscious volitional work in rethinking one’s own attitude to the real world;

- through the creation of certain psychological and pedagogical conditions that would actualize interests and natural situational impulses, thereby stimulating useful social activities.

Both ways are effective only with their systematic application, integration and complementarity.

The success of the education and socialization of young people is feasible provided that positive factors embedded in social relations, lifestyle, and the neutralization of factors that interfere with the implementation of the tasks of training, education and socialization are used.

The transformation of the education and upbringing system can only be successful when it really becomes a matter of society. It is worth reorienting social life, the cultural environment, and the system of education and upbringing towards the younger generation.