The concept of socialization in social anthropology

In social anthropology, the notion of socialization came at the end of the 19th century from political economy and was used as applied to the means of production, etc. For the first time, a sociologist from America, Franklin G. Giddings, applied it to a man, meaning by this term the preparation of a person for life in society, the development of his character and social nature.

Long before the widespread use of the term "socialization" of scientists was interested in the question of the formation of man as a member of society. Until the theory of socialization was formed into a separate scientific field of research, this question was considered within the framework of other broader issues of philosophy and other sciences.

After the concept of socialization entered the scientific community in the middle of the 20th century, it became an independent object of research for sociologists, psychologists, philosophers, teachers. First, in their studies, scientists were focused only on the stages of childhood, adolescence and adolescence. And only in the 60 years of the 20th century began to study how socialization of adults and elderly people is taking place. As a result of the late appeal of scientists to these age categories, not enough research material has accumulated.

The processes of socialization consider a whole series of sciences. So, for example, sociology studies the correlation of the processes of socialization with the social structure of society. Social psychology explains the impact on socialization of different subcultures, organizations, etc.

In the study of socialization, there are two approaches:

1. The subject-subject approach, whose representatives believe that a person himself actively influences his socialization, and not just a society with his social groups.
2. Object-subject approach, whose supporters believe that a person from childhood crushes the social environment, trying to form it in its "image and likeness."

If we take as the basis the subject-subject approach, then the notion of socialization can be interpreted as the change and development of a person occurring in the process of absorbing and reproducing culture. Self-change and development of a person depends on his interaction with various conditions of life, from childhood to old age.

Thus, the essence of socialization is the simultaneous combination of the adaptation of man and his isolation in the conditions of a single society.

As a result of the bi-lateral activity of the social environment and the subject, adaptation arises. It assumes that the social environment will harmonize their expectations and requirements with respect to the individual with her behavior in society, attitudes. And at the same time, a person must coordinate his claims with his capabilities and with the reality of the environment in which he lives. It is in the process of adaptation that a person becomes a social being.

Separation - on the contrary, the process of separation of the individual in society, which arises as a result of the needs of the individual to have their views, values, attachments; Needs without interventions to resolve personal issues; Needs to eliminate those situations that interfere with her self-realization. It is in the process of isolation that a person acquires an individuality.

From all of the above it becomes clear that the concept of socialization of the individual implies an internal conflict that is not completely resolved between the measure of the isolation of a person in society and the adaptation of man to it. For socialization to be effective, a certain balance must be maintained between isolation and adaptation.

This concept of socialization is suitable only for subject-subject interpretation. The concept of socialization in the object-subject interpretation treats the adaptation of man in society, his becoming a social being.

The characteristics of human socialization in the modern world depend on the characteristics of a society in which socialization takes place.