Political Socialization

Political Socialization is the process through which individuals become aware of politics and form political values.

·         Family Influences children often take on the political culture of their older family members. This refers to the system of general political traditions, customs and beliefs of the family. Though most parents don't include their children in political discussion

s, kids pick up on casual remarks made between adults and acquire the same political beliefs

·         School and Peer Influences Experiences, like class elections, also help students form opinions about the fairness of the political process, college-aged students and adults, our peers greatly influence our political attitudes. Work peers, who are simply colleagues from work or people associated with your career greatly influence our political perspectives. The most important task of schools as agents of political socialization is the passing on of knowledge about the fundamentals of American government, such as constitutional principles and their implications for citizens’ engagement in politics

·         Religious peers since religion influences our political in the way we view how we should treat others, modes of punishment and the notion to forgive others models our political ideologies.

·         Media radio and film had tremendous power to educate: “Millions of persons are reached daily through these agencies, and are profoundly influenced by the material and interpretations presented in impressive form, incessantly, and in moments when they are open to suggestion.” The use of more personalized forms of media, such as text messaging and participation in social networking sites, has expanded exponentially in recent years. Young people using these forms of media have greater control over their own political socialization

·         Group differences there are significant differences in the way that males and females are socialized to politics. Historically, men have occupied a more central position in American political culture than women. This tradition was institutionalized at the time of the founding, when women did not receive the right to vote in the Constitution.

·         Political generations this is a group of individuals, similar in age, who share a general set of political socialization experiences leading to the development of shared political orientations that distinguish them from other age groups in society. People of a similar age tend to be exposed to shared historical, social, and political stimuli. A shared generational outlook develops when an age group experiences a decisive political event