Family socialization is the most important agent of socialization; however, peer group is an important agent of socialization as well. Explain how family and peer-group socialization differ.
Answer:
Family and Peer group socialization differs in the following ways:
1. Family socialization involves primarily the family, most especially nuclear family members and extended family members, while the Peer group socialization involves people of similar age and social status
2. Family is considered to be first or primary agent of socialization while peer group is considered to be secondary.
3. Family affects long term interest, while peer group affects short term interest.
Explanation:
Family as an agent of socialization is considered to be the primary agent of socialization as it consists of father, mother, siblings and some cases grand parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces. It functions as a means of support, status and culture.
Family helps the children or individual to learn values, cultures, norms and beliefs of the society they belong.
Family also influence children or individual in taking long term decisions such as marriage, careers and religion belief.
However, Peer group socialization is the type which is considered to be secondary, it may stem out of the neighborhood or schools, most especially among people of age group and social status. It usually affects teens, as it is seen as an escape window for adolescence to get out from the influence the of parents.
