I. Introduction
Socialization basically involves children learning – or rather, being taught – to put their natural instincts under control.
A. Topic and opinion
The role of the family in socializing children is very critical to the formation and maintenance of a civilized society. As everyone that has ever interacted with a child, raised a child or even just been a child knows; children need to be trained to control their less noble instincts and tendencies e.g. selfishness, gluttony, lashing out etc. Without this training, children may not grow up to be sociable individuals.
B. Reason why you chose this topic
I chose this topic because it is relevant to the entire society. It is a fact that the family is the basic unit of society and that all adults were once children growing up in a family. This topic therefore touches on the entire society. The existence of an orderly society is totally dependent on socialization toward pro social behavior.
II. First claim
A. Statement
People’s behavior patterns and attitudes are formed very early in life and they do not easily change later on.
B. Researched support for the statement
Sigmund Freud wrote that children identified with their parents super egos and how their parents react to different situations. He also wrote that children are most strongly influenced by the way their parents live out family values, cultural values and societal values (Richters and Waters, 1991).
Researchers have also found that development of prosocial characteristics is very rapid during the toddler and pre-school age and then slower after that up to young adulthood (Pratt, Skoe & Arnold, 2004).
C. Objections and refutation, which has been researched
According to Richters & Waters, researchers have for decades attempted to empirically test Freudian theories of attachment and identification but most efforts have not succeeded because of conceptual and methodological challenges which stood in the way of eye-opening research.
III. Second claim
A. Statement
The presence of a mother and father in the home makes a huge difference in that child’s ability to fit in and succeed in the world.
B. Researched support for the statement
According to Geary (1998) children who had an absent father are less likely to survive and succeed in later life. They tend to have a lower socioeconomic status. Children who did not have mothers have an even lower rate of survival and success. This means that parents equip children with the skills needed to succeed in life, whether they do it deliberately or not.
C. Objections and refutation, which has been researched
People are born already with differing innate abilities to behave in unselfish ways. For example by caring for other people and being empathetic (Grussec & Hastings, 2007).
IV. Third claim
A. Statement
The way in which parents raise their children affects their likelihood to engage in antisocial behavior.
B. Researched support for the statement
According to Weiss & Schwartz (1996), parenting style significantly affects the way children and adolescents perform socially. Children who do not have enough prosocial behavior are not able to integrate well in the society.
C. Objections and refutation, which has been researched
Children’s behavior under different conditions is influenced by their environment and biological factors as well as their parental upbringing (Grussec & Hastings, 2007).
V. Conclusion
A. Restatement of topic
The primary determinant of children’s learning of prosocial behavior is parents. This is because parents are the biggest influence on children’s lives during the formative years, during which they have the opportunity to shape their children’s behavior.
B. Restatement of main ideas
In summary, children’s mastery of prosocial behavior is majorly influenced by their parents. The presence of parents in the first place is very helpful but beyond that even parenting styles make a difference.
References
Geary, D. C. (1998) Male, Female. The Evolution of Human Sex Differences. Washington, D.C: American Psychological Association.
Grussec, J. E. & Hastings, P. E. (Eds) (2007). Handbook of Socialization: Theory and Research. USA: Guilford Publications
Richters, J. & Walters, E. (1991) Social Influences and Socialization in Infancy. NY: Plenium Press.
Pratt, M. W., Skoe, E. E., & Arnold M. L. (2004). Care Reasoning Development and Family Socialization Patterns in Early Adolescence: A Longitudinal Analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 28, 139-147
Weiss, L. H. & Schwartz, J. C. (1996). The Relationship between Parenting types and Older Adolescents Personality, Academic Achievement, Adjustment, and Substance Use Child Development, 67(5), 2101-2114
