Role of Socializing Agents - Research Paper Example

Parents, Media, Peers, and Schools are the major socializing agents. The mass media are impersonal communication aimed at a wider audience. Television, Radio, Internet, and Cinemas are various examples of mass media. Mass media, in general, influences every man of every age. It spreads information at a wider scale therefore it strongly influences one’s opinions, and views and thus changes and affects our attitudes about many things.

Television is a main source of entertainment and a major agent of socialization. Mass media influences our political views, views on women, and people of color, our taste in popular culture, what to buy, and various other beliefs and practices. Through the portrayal of imaginary characters in different programs and advertisements, media helps in projecting gender, political, and religious, perceptions. Some programs affect people’s orientation towards life and society as well. It also serves as a platform to present their ideas to the world when required.

After his parents and caregivers, within the comforts of his home, a child gets exposure to mass media in the form of radio, listening to nursery rhymes, and then watching them on television in the form of various adaptations and characters. Some studies indicate that the children learn to work together, do group activities, and value each other’s presence using character descriptions or story adaptations. Some programs for kids like Noggin promote healthy eating and exercise. Wiggles promote education on nutrition and activity. Sesame Street teaches a healthy lifestyle and new numbers and the alphabet playfully. There are meaningful and informative programs for school-going children and adults. Thus right programs serve as educating and learning tools.

No doubt, Television, and media, in general, serves as educational and informational tool but it has negative influences on children. Studies indicate it shortens attention span, distorts body image, and in conjunction with other factors leads to obesity. “.. the mass media socialize children, adolescents, and even adults; a key question is an extent to which media violence causes violence in our society” (Surette, 2011). Some programs showing excessive violence and anti-social activities influence children's behavior thus spreading violence in society. Certain advertisements target kids and affect their thinking. Models, famous movie stars, and popular sportsmen who are role models are shown smoking which appears as an acceptable norm to children. Another example is the presentation of women's image on television as sexual objects or as passive homemaker leaves a negative impression on kids' minds. Models and movie stars endorse beauty products and cosmetic uplift which encourages young girls to experiment with them. Anorexia, bulimia, depression, and low self-esteem are the outcomes of these influences. Another controversy that surrounds mass media is the behavior troubles among youth. By the time the kids reach their adolescence, these influences become prominent in their thought processes. Drugs, violence and petty crimes to satisfy their urges and requirement as they have been watching on the television or in cinemas become the acceptable norm for them. Some programs show kids being disrespectful to their parents, caregivers, and peers. Youngsters imitate them without thinking about the consequences of their actions on others and on themselves in the long run. With so many negative influences one is bound to think why the media is not exercising any restraints. Why media is not banned?

The answer to the above question is very obvious. Most of the values are stressed in television in the form of various programs and shows. In socializing a child to various sets of values, “both message content and mode of presentation are invoked. Some commercials, notably public service messages, overtly instruct a child in such values as honesty (anti-shoplifting) and neatness ("Don't be a litterbug"). These messages, direct and to the point, represent an obvious attempt to instruct in terms of "correct" behavior” (Ann H.Beuf, 528-530). Certain values are frequently stressed in television programs like success, individualism, equality, patriotism, fairness, and equality, good health. The child is learning and gaining knowledge. Television, movies and the internet is the vast source of information. They help children to explore the entire knowledge available outside their parent's and caregivers' limits and boundaries. Thus, “mass media must be considered socializing agents because they reveal many aspects of the society and elicit cognitive process in children that cultivate their understanding of the real world” (Comstock & Scharrer, 2006).