What is political socialization? What are the five agents of political socialization?

Socialization refers to the process of learning how to behave in a way that is generally accepted in a given society. Political socialization is the aspect of this process that relates to the way we gain our political views and opinions. There are various agents of socialization, such as family, school, peer groups, media, work and religion.

The other five are of great importance for people all over the world. Political socialization begins in the family and sometimes ends there. Many people simply adopt the politics and voting patterns of their parents. School is important, even when political subjects are not explicitly studied, since students will be influenced by such factors as the study of historical events and the views of their teachers and peers. Media and the peer group are increasingly blended together, because political opinions are discussed on social media. Television and news sources can also shape people's politics, since they largely dictate the ideological background of the news people consume.

Work is a late influence. When a person begins full-time employment, perhaps in his or her early twenties, it is likely to be with political views at least partly formed. However, a vital part of political socialization involves learning the range of views that are normally expressed. Work has a great deal of influence on this. Someone who goes to work in a bank will probably find that Marxist views are not welcome. However, the same views might be perfectly acceptable in the cultural studies department of a university. Whereas far-left views are acceptable in some work environments but not in others, far-right political views (such as Fascism) tend to be unacceptable everywhere. It is part of one's political socialization to learn these distinctions.

Of the six agents of political socialization mentioned above (and various others one might include), religion is probably the least important overall. There are various countries, such as China, in which it simply does not apply at all to politics.

What is political socialization? What are the 5 agents of political socialization? Give examples of each agent from your own personal experiences.

In a society, all individuals experience political socialization. It is through this process that we learn about our society’s political culture. This includes ideas about voting, exposure to different political parties and their ideas, and introductions to civic values that show us how we might become model citizens. It is worth noting that political socialization does not just happen during childhood; it is a lifelong process.

The agents of political socialization can be divided into two groups: primary and secondary. The primary agents are those that have a direct impact on a person’s political socialization, and the biggest example here is the family. Our parents and their political and civic viewpoints, for example, exert a strong, lifelong influence. Many of our opinions and ideas about the world come from our parents.

Similarly, educational institutions are another agent of socialization. Schools and colleges not only teach us about our nation’s political history and key figures but also help us learn more about being citizens. Debate clubs, for example, teach us how to communicate in a democracy. The final primary agent of socialization is our peer group. Our friends play a key role in helping to develop and solidify our opinions and, more importantly, teach us how to belong and fit into a group.

Finally, the media is a key secondary agent of political socialization. From social media to newspapers, the media provides vital information about our society and the wider world and exposes us to a range of different opinions. Similarly, political institutions help us to learn more about our political culture. An election campaign, for instance, teaches us about the issues that matter, alongside the mechanics of how a democracy works.

It is worth nothing that sociologists and political theorists have identified a number of agents of socialization. You can find more about these in the reference materials below.