Secondary Socialisation

• Secondary socialization in education

  1. Building upon the knowledge of social norms and values gained from families to fit into wider society

  2. Examining different theoretical views of secondary socialization in education

  3. Evaluating the impact of secondary socialization for future generations
• Functionalist view of education

  • Centers upon education being an effective agent of secondary socialization
  • Durkheim and Parsons focus on the importance of education in passing on norms, values, and ideas to the next generation
  • Education reinforces ideas of social solidarity and social cohesion, making young people feel part of wider society
  • Children are taught specialist skills and the importance of qualifications for success
• Parsons' view on secondary socialization


  • Family socializes children into particularistic values, while education transfers them to universal values
  • Promotes ideas such as meritocracy through the informal curriculum
• Education


  • One of the agents of socialization that performs secondary socialization
  • Transfers knowledge of social norms and values to enable individuals to fit into wider society
• Marxist perspective on education


  • Family and education act as ideological state apparatuses controlling the way people think
  • Education legitimizes inequality by promoting the myth of meritocracy
  • Working-class students are disadvantaged from the start by being socialized into the norms and values of the ruling class
  • Correspondence principle mirrors work in schools, socializing children into being submissive workers
• Davis and Moore's perspective


  • Based on the ability shown, individuals will be socialized into their future roles
• Hidden curriculum

  • Implicit teaching of the education system, promoting hierarchies, obedience, timekeeping, and alienation
• Feminist perspective on education


  • Focuses on the gendered socialization of males and females in schools
  • Encourages gender-specific subject choices
• Gendered socialization in schools

  1. Encouraging girls to take on subjects within the female gender domain such as literature and arts

  2. Socializing males into subject areas given higher status in society such as maths and physics
• Expectations of girls behaviors

  Form of secondary socialization with girls being punished for acting outside of their gender domains
• Gender socialization in school


  Continues with appearance, boys are less likely to be sent home for their appearance than girls, particularly if they wear makeup, color their hair, or wear provocative clothing
• Boys are less likely to be disciplined for masculine behaviors


  As "boys will be boys" whereas girls will be sanctioned for being assertive or aggressive
• Boys behavior

  Often unchallenged or viewed as a reaction to something that girls have done
• Socialization in education


  Focuses on the gendered socialization of males and females in schools
• New Right views of socialization in schools

  Focus on promoting values of Christianity and social solidarity, socializing children into a British identity based on history and British values
• Educational changes in recent years

  Attitudes towards female stereotypes have changed, encouraging girls into science and challenging the crisis of masculinity
• Children are socialized into education

  Through competition and choice, promoting individualism and rejecting collectivism
• Education as an agent of secondary socialization

  Is seen as limited with a broader range of schools and the ability to opt out of the national curriculum, passing down different norms and values
• Changes in gender socialization in schools

  Embracing the increasing achievement of girls, breaking down gender stereotypes, while boys' socialization remains fixed on traditional ideas