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Retrospective Paper

Decent Essays

Socialization is a learning process that begins after birth. People act in accordance to the feedback and reactions they get from others. We learn who we are by family, friends, and the people around us. Socialization is an important process of our personality, language and behavior. It is not always a conscious or an intentional transference, and people are not always aware that they might be influencing someone in a social situation. The very structure of authority and the responsibility of families, schools, and media may determine which values, attitudes, and beliefs people adopt. The most important agent of socialization is family, which helps mold an individual. The family values, beliefs, and religious inclinations shape …show more content…

One of the things that I remember the most about grade school is when we learned how people all around the world celebrate Christmas. I think this memory is still with me because, at the time, I did not know that other cultures celebrate holidays differently than my family. Peers that I have met at school have also had a great effect on my socialization. Because of constant social contact at school, I really enjoy meeting new people and making friends. I definitely think that the relationships I had in school influence the relationships I have maintained since then. When I look back on my childhood, being accepted by my friends was very important to me, so I put a large effort into nurturing those friendships. It taught me that sometimes you have to bite your tongue, whether it is to fit in or to keep the peace. I consider it a norm to want to fit in and know your place in society, which is likely why my peers have so greatly impacted my thoughts and line of thinking. In today's world, mass media is one of the important agents of socialization. People are influenced by the social norms portrayed by the mass media. Even as a child, the media had an influence on how I thought of myself and others. When I would watch TV or read a magazine, I began to pick up on certain messages that translated as: “If you are pretty, people will like you”, “You will make a lot of money if you’re smart”, or “If you are a certain gender, then you have a certain role”. I think

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