Free Custom «The Socialization Imperative» Essay Paper

Hearn (1968) defined socialization as the transmission of cultural principals from older members of society to children. Children depend on the older members of society to learn how to do things that enable them to survive through their life time as adults. Children learn how to speak and carry out duties that are required of them as either male or female. This process also enables children to develop other skills including psychomotor. In the case of Genie, the normal socialization process was hindered since she was isolated from other people up to over ten years.

We cannot afford ignore the role socialization plays in the life of individuals in any given society. Keeping people and especially children away from others in society for long leads to hindrance to socialization. The case of Genie is a perfect example to this situation. At the age of over ten years, Genie had not learnt many of the simple skills that are expected of her at that particular age. This would deny her an opportunity to fit into the society.

Additionally, Hearn (1968) argues that social interaction is what shapes people into characters that fit into a given society. The parents and other older members of the society create an environment that is conducive for children to learn social values. The older people acts as models who the children take after. Therefore any voluntary or involuntary efforts to seclude a child like in the case of Genie defeat the role of socialization in the lives of children.

Studies have shown that children go through three stages during socialization namely imitation stage, play and game stage. As a result of isolation and subsequent lack of contact to other human beings Genie, did not have an opportunity to play, imitate or do games and as a result she missed out on the opportunity of being socialized.

In conclusion, socialization is crucial in helping children and other members of a given society in general to develop acceptable social principals. The body of social principals is passed on other generations through socialization. Isolation from other human beings hinders the process of socialization.