Socialization is the process of learning the norms and values of society. It is how a newborn becomes a social being. It happens through interaction with family, peers, schools, media, and institutions. It is lifelong, not just childhood.

Primary socialization happens in early childhood, mostly in the family. Secondary socialization happens later, through schools, workplaces, and peers. Resocialization happens when someone enters a new environment that requires unlearning old norms, like the military or a prison.

Agents of socialization

• Family: language, basic values, emotional bonds
• Schools: discipline, academic knowledge, civic norms
• Peers: identity, belonging, social skills
• Media: gender roles, consumer habits, political views
• Religion: moral frameworks and community

Socialization is not brainwashing. People are not passive. They interpret, resist, and adapt what they learn. But without socialization, a person cannot function in society. Feral children, raised without human contact, never fully develop language or social skills.