As a child grows and develops they will encounter new agents this usually happens when a child starts school. This secondary socialisation builds on the family values, whilst introducing new social skills, for example acceptable behaviour within larger groups. These rules become “norms” that are carried with people throughout life. Failure to conform with the expectations of others is met by social sanctions, for example, in school classroom a child that is seen as disruptive would be removed from the classroom, this would be an attempt to teach the child that behaviour that disrupts the class is is not acceptable within that particular social group. This social control will be used to shape the children into acceptable members of the school society. Throughout secondary socialisation children are often faced with an informal form of social control, this happens when the child does not meet the expectations of the peer group, for example, a child that does not wear the “right clothes” may not be accepted into a certain social group. The accepted norms of a group of teenagers for example may not necessarily be acceptable behaviour for adult life, therefore people are continually adapting their behaviour throughout life.
The final stage of socialisation is adult socialisation, this normally focuses on work, but continues with social peer groups. In adult hood social status is recognised more and often comes with wealth, but also a persons chosen career can improve social status. A doctor may not necessarily be wealthy, but is highly respected within society, thus giving them a higher social status. Adult socialisation involves the learning of specific expectations associated with new roles, for example parenthood. Social control is still encountered as an adult as an adult must abide be the laws, and anyone who breaks with the norms of adult behaviour are seen as social outcasts.
People, therefore, create rules of behaviour that are the basis of social organisation, and as we all have the choice as to whether we obey these rules they are met by social sanctions.
Through socialisation, people conform to social expectations, although people still express themselves as individuals. Socialisation cannot be a uniform process. Growing up in such a diverse, multi-cultural society with differing environments means that people are exposed to different expectations, for example, Muslim women living in the U.K. still observe the dress codes of their own culture. Factors such as family structure, social class, religions and regional differences would influence socialisation.
