An overview of the impact of school and family on ones political socialization
By PAUL ANDREW BOURNE, M.Sc. (candidate), B.Sc. (Hons.)
INTRODUCTION
Political Sciences cannot be viewed in a vacuum from the other sub-disciplines within the Social Sciences as it is continuously interfacing with other disciplines for that matter for example Sociology. The branch of study in the Social Sciences that looks at socialization is Sociology. As such, in order that a comprehensive evaluation of topic be forwarded to my readers, the author will critically examine how sociologists view the issue of socialization. After which the author will provide answers so that the readers grasp to what extent are we effectively politically socialized by the family and the school system, and can our experiences be considered as typical in this society?
Socialization is the process by which individuals learn the culture of their society (Haralambos et al, 1995). He reiterated that it is through socialization that an individual bears resemblances to another human being, and as such is defined as normal by the standards of his/her society. Furthermore, norms, values, perceptions and roles that people formulate are significantly defined by society through various agents namely the family, peer groups, the church (that is, religious institutions) and educational institutions. Therefore the socialization of peoples is done by society and not the individual on society.
It should be understood that socialization is not only confined to childhood (Haralambos et at, 1995). Socialization is a lifelong process and so the individual does not cease learning norms, myths, perceptions, customs and other forms of the culture because (s)he has fully grown my childhood, through adolescence to adulthood.
Unlike other species whose behaviour is biologically set, human beings rely on social experiences to learn the nuances of their culture in order to survive (Macionis, 1998). “Social experience is also the foundation of personality, a person’s fairly consistent patterns of thinking, feeling and acting” he said. In cases where there is non-existence of social experiences, as the case of a few individuals, personality does not emerge at all (Macionis, 1998).
Macionis argued that Charles Darwin supports the view that human nature leads us to create and learn cultural traits. “The family is the most important agent of socialization because it represents the centre of children’s lives. As we have seen, infants are almost totally dependent on others, and the responsibility to meet their needs almost always falls on parents and other family member” he said.
Sociologists explain that the agents of socialization are classified in two (2) main groups namely primary and secondary. The family and peer groups are considered to be primary whereas the school, religious institutions (e.g. the churches) and mass media are seen as secondary. They confer that the primary agents of socialization are probably the most important in the socialization process of an individual.
What is political socialization and how is it different from the sociologists’ view of socialization?
Our political upbringing is simply political socialization (Munroe, 1993). Munroe suggested that the ways and means through which our views about politics and our values in relation to politics are formed is part of our political socialization. Munroe (op cit) states that, “It is also our upbringing that made us believe that politics is corrupt, dirty and prone to violence.” The astute Munroe showed that, there are a range of channels through which our political personalities are formed and these are known as primary and secondary agents of political socialization.
It is undoubtedly clear from Munroe’s, Macionis’s and Haralambos’s positions that, individuals are directly and indirectly influenced by the family, the school, the church, the mass media, and the peer group as they all share the same focal view on socialization. That is, the political and sociological scientists have converged on a point of principle that socialization is one of the same in either discipline.
The family imparts its political beliefs on the children by way of its biases, acceptance and approval of a particular political ideology (Munroe, 1993). He believed that, the indirect approach is one that the attitudes being formed are only indirectly related to politics, and are not directly political. For example, in the school or workplace there is some form of authority. The relationship form of authority develops an attitude to authority. This means that the attitude formed towards authority spills over to government.
Now it is evident that both the Political Scientists’ and Sociologists’ propositions of socialization are similar except that the Political Scientists look at socialization from a political aspect (political ideology as a result of socialization). The Sociologist on the other hand examines the process of socialization and its impact on society and on the individual. Hence, are we proposing that our human behaviour and conceptions are learned? The answer is forwarded as we continue our explanation.
A notable Psychologist argued that, learning is any relatively permanent change in behaviour, or behaviour potential, produced by experience (Baron, 1995). He believed that, there can be no doubt that learning is a process in human behaviour. Simply put, Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning explains that much of man’s learning is via way of conditioning (Baron, 1993). In that, behaviour is learnt through punishment, reinforcement and-or imitation. Thus he showed that, Freud believed much of our behaviour was consciousness but has been actively repressed-driven from consciousness because it was too anxiety provoking. For example, shameful experiences or unacceptable sexual or aggressive urges are often driven deep within the unconsciousness. The fact that we are not aware of our unconscious behaviour, however, in no way prevents them from affecting our behaviour.
On the aspect of human personality, Baron (op cit) argued that, personality is an individual’s unique and relatively stable patterns of behaviour, thoughts, and emotions that are influenced by the family and the environment. Therefore, both the Sociologists and Psychologists who study different aspects in the Social Sciences have revealed that human behaviour is learnt, and is impacted upon by their environment.
During a conversation that the author had recently with a particular individual, he (respondent) unambiguously stated that he and his father were aligned to the same political party. He recalled that his father would argue openly about one particular political party. “Dad would speak of the advantages of this party leader and party with pride” he said. He grew up believing his “Dad’s words to be trustworthy” as he was the first authority figure on his impressionable mind. Furthermore, he discloses that his early socialization is embedded in the subconscious and as such, consequently influences all his present decisions.
This individual had voted on two occasions purely on the request of his father. It was clear from my discussion with this person that the other party would not be given a second thought. He had never seen one of their manifestos or listened to their presentations yet he still does not see them as alternative government. Although he recognized that there were a number of goal-oriented persons within the Opposition, he thought that for the love of their country they should become members of his party. He found it difficult to identify any negatives, complaints or inefficiency within his political ideology and association.
In addition, he declares that because of his early schooling, he continues in the practice of not being disrespectful of the political leadership even though sometimes he is highly critical of their judgements. Another example that he cited was standing at the sound of the national anthem. This was something that he learnt as a child while at primary school. He displayed much reverence while he spoke of our political authority as if we were totally submissive to their every fancy. The author could sense this young man’s loyalty to Jamaica. He had five (5) Advanced Level subjects of which three (3) were with distinction. In addition, he was a finalizing student at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, pursuing an undergraduate degree in Geography/Geology. He believed that the heroes and heroine have awoken in him a love for Jamaica beyond the surface of the phrase pride in being a human defender. He revealed that, he was always proud to role-play Marcus Garvey, Paul Bogle, Sir Alexander Bustamante, and Dr. Martin Luther as they defended the rights, choices and freedom on the Black Race in a time when many were silently addressing their own personal concerns in their respective territories.
Another respondent declared that on his eighteenth birthday having been registered to vote and knowing little of the two (2) main political parties in Jamaica, he voted entirely on “daddy’s influence and preference.” He argued that, he would hear his father speak of the greatness and compassion of a well known political leader, Michael Manley. This young man declared that his father argued that Jamaicans should be eternally grateful to this man, as he was instrumental in the establishment of ‘free education’, ‘minimum wage’, ‘maternity leave for pregnant women’, ‘poor relief benefits’ and other such social programmes for the people of Jamaica. As such, he while he grew up in our society he had a love and bias for this leader without having read anything in order to justify the matters as was posed by his father. He is know an undergraduate student at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, pursuing a course of study in Political Science. As such, in retrospect, he believed that irrespective of one’s self-concept and decisiveness, many of the choices that we make are highly influenced by our early socialization. And so, it makes a consorted effort on the path of grown peoples to understand some of their biases that they have attained due to early socialization and so re-socialize themselves.
You may be inclined to postulate that this essay is specific in that it deals only with two (2) individuals, and these persons could be the exception and not the norm. And as a result, the author used stratified random sampling techniques to select ten (10) students of Taylor Hall, Irvine Hall, Chancellor Hall and Preston Hall to carry out a study so as to ascertain a generality on socialization.
The author formulated an instrument (questionnaire) to gather pertinent data on whether or not students’ present political ideology is as a result of their families’ political preferences, and-or as a consequent of formal education. From the responses, 90 percentage points of the population agreed that their early political socialization have profoundly impacted on their present concept of politics, governance and authority.
None of the respondents who spoke indicated a total rebellion against the family and school. They all agreed that even in their most rebellious adolescent years, no stance taken was totally non-conformist. Instead, each contradictory idea in relation to their thought, values, norms and ways of socialization was always weighed against those initially imparted to them. And as such, oppositions were frequently never taken, as they felt wrong. All the respondents agreed generally that their construct of our world, today, is mostly as a result of early socialization. In that the family and the school inculcated many of their values and beliefs as they spent a large percent of their formative and primary years in their care.
The author grew up not directly hearing his parents speaks of political issues but knew of the family’s preference as it relates to political ideology. However in retrospect, I would observe my mother in particular reverently listening to all the speeches of a particular political leader with awesome attentiveness. Further, she showed much interest in hearing all details of his speeches and all his public presentations she had to hear. My uncle on the other hand who was a renowned political activist would speak nothing political while at home but we all knew of the man’s passion. My love for the man’s style, family loyalty, firmness in decision taken and kind heartedness make him my mentor. As such, I began patterning many of my uncle’s style. The result of all this was my taste for his political preference. And so, I began gravitating towards listening to all the speeches of this same person as my uncle with the same attentiveness. In retrospect, I would make countless excuses for not listening to the oppositions’ positions on important matters.
It is therefore obvious that my construct of politics, governance and political ideology greatly mimick my family’s political thought. For example, I was told never to question authority, obey authority, speak no evil of those who are set in charge, the law of the land binds all men, your country’s need is paramount to yours, and that I must contribute to my country’s economic and social development.
My upbringing was not all owing to family socialization but equally as a result of my formal schooling. While being a student at primary school, I was actively involved in scouting and so one should grasp some of the reasons for my future perception, development and decisions. This involvement would see me responding to authority with respect irrespective of age, physical structure and-or status. We would attend school earlier than the other students for flag raising ceremony every Monday morning. The ceremony would span approximately forty-five (45) minutes and for the duration of the programme we would stand upright with reverence.
Today I am not a holder of an emigrant visa, and I have never sought an interview at any consulate office in Jamaica. My love of country is great and can only be explained by way of this exposure of scouting in the formal school system.
While attending secondary school the system was so structured that we respect authority. In that, there were a number of bodies that represented the teachers and were vested with the authority to maintain discipline and proper functioning of the school environment while teachers were absent. These groupings were as follows; form captaincy, junior prefect, students’ council, and senior prefect all as authority figures. All forms of authority groups within the school system are specifically designed so that they reflect the various positions in our society. Formal schooling through those agents previously mentioned provides the background for children to capture the values, norms and beliefs of political socialization.
The author believe that it is totally as a result of political socialization that many Jamaicans today do hold that loyalty of country, respect of authority, uphold of Capitalism, insist that the class structure remain the same, continue the social power structures, develop a self identity and a non-resistance of present political structure. As a result of a particular Secondary School, many of my peers although of the lower strata of the class structure were thought by our teachers to be proud, confident, respectful and purposeful. I was from a class of twenty-five (25) individuals while attending the secondary school, today five (5) persons are teachers, ten (10) are clerical personnel and two (2) persons are professional athletes. On our bi-monthly meetings, we speak of our upbringing and oftentimes meet with a number of the teachers who were instrumental in forming our world today. No one from this group has ever been incarcerated by the State or any of its Agencies.
It would be silly of me ever to postulate that all individuals who have passed through the gates of my former school (Vauxhall Secondary School) were properly socialized by the school or for that matter the family. But it is equally true that although all the students from that institution were brought up by the same agent of socialization (the school), the Capitalist system as they consider this to be oppressive and barbaric. As such, a few of them have angrily rebelled against the state as there way of expressing their dissatisfaction with the agents of socialization. Even though those persons may not be considered as a part of the typically averaged socialized persons, their position in my opinion is usually the catalyst for programmes to be re-analyzed for effectiveness.
When I look at my own political socialization in respect to other peoples of different schools, peer groups, churches (religious grouping), family background and political agents, it appears that your truly is a part of the average typically socialized person in our society. In that I share the same opinions as many peoples on the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, today that of upholding the Capitalist system, adhering to the social structures, accepting the concept of self identity as provided by the agents of socialization and agreeing with the punishments of the society for those who have decided not to be properly socialized in the already developed society.
When your truly see demonstrations against such things like: One, political leadership; Two, social institutions non-involvement; Three, social hierarchy to name but a few I may act like one of the loyalists in that I will not rebel against the system and therefore have sanctions be levied against me by the instituted political agencies.
So, the author concur with Sociologists that ones present self, value system, beliefs, ideology and mind processes are formed by way of your upbringing. It is the process of socialization of a child that distinguishes him/her from the other animals. Therefore such agents like the family and formal schooling are largely responsible for your present decisions, choices, and attitudes towards many events that individuals is faced with daily. Hence I accept the notion that “no man is an island, no man stand alone” in that your political socialization is formed through interrelation with either your family members and-or formal schooling. A child enters the world with the scope to communicate, think and process information in order to make decision. That child becomes a human by mimicking the standards, norms, culture, myths and mentoring others in the process of enfolding into a higher animal. But the child’s experiences may be different as was the case in the story of the “wolf boy” of Midnapore. The fact was told in a story form that two (2) children were found in the company of wolves. These children were seen walking on four (4) feet, barking, consuming raw meats and they were discovered to be fierce like the animals they mimic. Furthermore, a group of Sociologists tried their concerted best to re-socialize them into society but they were seen to be uncomfortable, highly frustrated and died after one (1) year (see Sociology Themes and Perspective, pp.4). Hence it is through the primary agents of socialization like the family that fashions a child into a human being, which is accepted by definition for society. Therefore ones present political ideology is not arbitrarily constructed by present academic prowess but instead through such agencies like the mass media, family biases, ideology and acceptance of their authority. Owing to the fact that, a child for the about the first three(3) years depend mostly on the family for support and survival this forms a dependency to the authority of family and a high acceptance of much of their ideologies, beliefs, value system and political biases.
Therefore I subscribe to the view of many Psychologists that the most critical years in the development of a child’s person are between birth (that is, zero) and five (5) years. It should be noted that of the five-year period, the first three (3) of those years are spent with the family as a dependent. In our society today, many children enter the formal school system at three (3) years and onwards. As such, the school system helps the child to understand the value of authority and ones role in accepting this office. The language of patriotism is embedded into the consciousness of the child form the exposure with the various agents within the society and if those values were taught initially by the agencies. The teachers, and other authority personnel in the school system, stance on the pledge, the anthem, their display of respect for leaders of the country, their enthusiasm of the civic pride and homage of the heroes and heroine along with their role of dedication are sufficient tools used to foster the political socialization process on the young mind.
And so, ones present political thought is not accidental but is largely due to your upbringing. Since the family and the formal school system consume a large percentage point of an individual’s formative and impressionable years, it follows that your political socialization is within the parameters of those agents.
I consider myself as having been properly socialized and so subsequently believe that my political socialization is typical. In that a large mass of present directions and concept of the world are due mostly to my family and fo4rmal schooling as they were instrumental in forming my outlook on the world.
Although I concur with the notion argued earlier, it would appear that not only the family and formal schooling dictate one’s political ideology, value system and thought process. The mass media and the church are equally responsible for socializing the young but this paper did not require a position on the matter. Notwithstanding the negatives of the mass media, the media houses are powerful in the socialization process. In that they assist with particular thought, and provide information that allows the society to perceive events in a certain way whether it be political, social or economical. The church is a social agent and so plays an equally crucial role in the development of the young minds.
Many persons argue that the aggressive and rebellious individuals were either not properly socialized by the primary or secondary agents of socialization. Some individuals may go as far to say that the majority of the responsibility of the failure in the socialization process is due to the family and the formal school system. But did they conceive that these persons within the society are not necessarily inadequately political socialized but instead displaying the impact of the socialization process. So as to show the dissatisfaction with ones family, many people isolate themselves from the political process but this does not indicate that there is no thought of socialization impacting on the person’s daily construct of his/her decisions.
The author subscribe that it is totally as a result of the agents of political socialization more so the school and the family that have made many Jamaicans into averaged properly socialized beings. In that the agents of political socialization, their message and how they are structured and developed, have created my self-identity, acceptance of the social power structures and a non-opposition of the Capitalist System. Truly political socialization is a major process by which in my opinion the Black race has been made in Jamaica to accept the existing political structure of Capitalism. Across this country, the number of peoples who have accepted the political structure is expressed in a number of loyalists and conformists.
The author is not an island but a human being with the ability to perceive, construct, validates and extrapolate from life issues that form my reality because our environment fosters this. And as such, my political socialization is not unique to I as I am a sub-set within the society. Therefore, the definitions that are instituted by the various agents of socialization in particular the family and formal schooling do greatly impact upon my personality and political upbringing and by extension thought processes, as is the case for the averaged Jamaican.
In concluding this paper, it is true to state that one’s political socialization can not be construed to have failed because one is rebellious, passive, aggressive, boisterous or non-participatory but that this indicates all the previously mentioned areas could only have happened if the individual was impacted upon initially by the family, the school and equally important the church, the peer group and the mass media. Because we are all fashioned by through the process of socialization be it political or social, no one can state that (s)he is not greatly impacted upon by the various agents of socialization. Hence, as a typical individual in this society who is faced with the same agencies of socialization and characteristics of the socialization process, I would consider them successful in that I am loyal to the country, supportive of the Capitalist System – either by omission or silence and the social institutions. As a result of my political upbringing I have never been arrested, never joined in a demonstration against the government, nor threatened anyone because of his/her political persuasion. Due to these actions, I do agree with Haralambos when he stated that our norms, values, perceptions and roles are defined through the agents of socialization. Furthermore, the author concur with Professor Munroe from the department of government at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, that the ways and means through which our views about politics, and our values in relation to politics are formed is based on our political socialization.
References
Baron, Robert A. 1995. Psychology. Library of Congress Cataloging-in Publication Data Third Edition.
Haralambos, M and Holborn, M. 1996. Sociology Themes and Perspectives. Collin Education: An imprint of Harper Collin Publisher, Fourth Edition.
Macionis, John J and Plummer, Ken. 1998. Sociology a global introduction. Prentice Hall Inc., Second Edition.
Munroe, Trevor. 1993. An Introduction to Politics. Lectures for first Year Students. Canoe Press. University of the West Indies, Second Edition.
Patlon, Carl A. 1999. Political Socialization. www. Political socialization.