Which agent of socialization do you think is most important in a person’s life? Why? Do you think that different agents of socialization are more important at different stages of our lives? Why or why not?

1 Explain why socialization matters.

2 Provide examples of agents of socialization.

3 Explain the difference between primary and secondary groups and how in-groups and out-groups fit into primary and secondary groups.

4 How does group size influence group dynamics?

Identify the major agents of socialization in Canadian society today and briefly describe the role
of each in the socialization process.

Socialization is presented as such a powerful social process that students sometimes have the impression that people are empty vessels filled with social messages—“this is what you should eat, wear, and say,” for example. However, socialization theorists usually accept that each of us is actively involved in the social construction of the self. Consider the ways in which you, as a young child, were not simply a reflection of the socialization messages you received from parents, siblings, peers, and school.