Socialisation is a dominant contributor to culture as it allows individuals from

different socio-economic background to interact and formulate new perspectives about their

society. According to Mustapha (2013), Socialisation is the process whereby individuals

learn about the culture of their society. Hence, socialisation can be the process of interaction

where individuals acquire a self -identity and physical, mental, and social skills needed for

survival in society. The process of socialisation affects personality development, the learning

of a culture such as language, values, and norms. The study of socialisation reveals

interesting issues regarding how we are influenced by our genetic make-up compared to the

influence of the environment which we live. Another function of socialisation is that it helps

to shape and define our thoughts, feelings, and actions and it provides us with a model for our

behaviour. Socialisation is culturally relative. This is evident in the Caribbean society. The

Caribbean society and culture has been dynamically influenced from being a periphery, and

the intermixing of culture has allowed for the Caribbean national to be versed on different

cultural backgrounds and ultimately easily influenced through acculturation. Therefore,

socialisation affects the ways how cultural changes through diffusion, invention and

innovation which is transferred interculturally and cross culturally. There are many agents

that are responsible for the process of socialisation, but this essay will be limited to the

parameters of : the family being the first agents of socialization, secular groups such as

schools and religious institutions, being secondary agents of socialization, and finally the

mass media.

Firstly, the family being the first agents of socialization helps to transfer cultural

norms and values to their children. Therefore, the family is the building block of how culture

changes, as what was relevant to one generation may not be relevant to the current

generation, and can be lost through the inconsistency of oral tradition. Mustapha (2013)

highlighted that The family is the key institution involved in the primary socialisation
process and is responsible for training the child in basic social skills like sharing and respect

for others, (pp. ). This statement asserts that a child learns how to speak, walk, learn certain

ethics such as to properly use knife and fork and is usually attributed to the exposure from

their parents or family members. It should be noted that every family have their own

microculture, so parents raise their children based on how they themselves were raised, or by

the new cultural traits they have adapted from ascending into a new socioeconomic stading in

society. For example, a Caribbean parent who was afforded the opportunity of free education

in Jamaica in the 70s, and going to university, will now see it fit that their children learn

aspects of high culture, rather than popular culture. In Caribbean families, as culture changes,

then thats how children will be taught in their homes to adapt to society. A prime example of

cultural change in the Caribbean is the impacts of innovation on contemporary Caribbean

society. From the past Caribbean culture, telegrams and word of mouth was the easiest way

of communication, but through innovation, it is now the norm for every child even at a tender

age to have a cell phone to keep in contact with their parents. Moreover, it is now the culture

of many parents to interact with their children through social media, which is an affordable

and cheaper outlet. Hence, the family will influence the perspective and outlook of the child,

as they make choices which they have learnt from their parents, who will ultimately choose

the best aspects of culture for them to build from.

Secondly, secular groups such as the church and the school being secondary agents of

socialization, are also major players in how culture is interpreted, received and changed. This

level of socialization is introduced to the child when they begin going to school. It is here

they are able to experience other microcltures in the society and specific training and skills

are learnt. Students get to interact with their peers and teachers and this prepares them for the

work and society on a whole. It teaches them individual skills such as punctuality, respect,

knowing how to socialise with people in society especially those in high positions (authority),
etc. The culture taught at this level is let the child know what are the accepted cultural

practices, both static and dynamic culture practices. Especially in the Caribbean, subjects

such as Food and Nutrition, many individuals still believe that only girls should engage in it,

and boys in subjects such as technical drawing, Feminists also view the school as serving to

reinforce many of the masculinity and femininity issues just learnt in the family. This was

suggested because girl learn certain skills from within the home such as cooking, washing,

cleaning, spreading beds, and many other domestic chores. However, they were assigned to

subjects such as Home Economics in school. The school is mostly where secondary

socialisation takes place. In schools, students socialise with their peers and this helps and

teaches and gets them prepared for the outer society. Due to the changes in the culture of

education in Jamaica, more individuals are allowed access to education on a higher level,

increasing not only the awareness of children but to all the possibilities they can do to unlock

their full potential. Hence, students in many traditional high schools are socialized by their

teachers and peers that they should sit overseas examinations such as SAT and A-levels, as it

is still believed that going to a school overseas is better than one here. Moreover, religion has

been a crucial part of Caribbean society dating back from plantation society, where it was

used by the plantocracy as a form of social control, before churches such the Baptist were

established. However, with so many individuals being uprooted and brought to the Caribbean

still maintain their culture such as the Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago. Religion has still

remained to be the moral fibre of the Caribbean despite aspects of worship have changed to

make it more relatable to individuals in society, and basic religious teachings have underlined

the society, such as be kind to one another, and to respect each other and so on. Children are

taught at these religions institutions to develop morality and the further distinction is made

between what that culture stipulates what is right or wrong. Secular groups continue the
process of socialization and impact how an individuals views on society, and to maintain

aspects of static culture.

Finally, the mass media is another agent of socialisation that changes culture in the

Caribbean, through globalization have modified the Caribbean society. The mass media

includes television, magazines, radio, video games, newspapers, phones, the internet etc. The

mass media is used mainly to transfer information to the public especially through the

internet. The mass media today, has an immense impact on young minds. With the advent of

the internet, television has a stimulant visual impact on young minds as some of the

information being portrayed is of higher age content. The culture portrayed by the mass

media emphasizes glamour, sexual satisfaction and promiscuity, violence, comedic vulgarity

and immediate gratification of needs. Mass media and social sites such as Twitter, Facebook,

and Instagram opens a childs mind into the wider world and teaching them things they

shouldnt even know existed. They meet new people, learn different norms and also adapt to

different cultures through the mass media. There are advantages of the mass media on culture

through the process of socialisation. Firstly, being as persons get to interact with each other

through the internet, culture had changes today as communication becomes faster and easier.

Persons are able to inter-connect with family and friends worldwide using various mediums

of communication. Persons get to meet new people from different Caribbean islands and

learn about their culture as well. Secondly, through various visual advertisements through the

television and internet, people get to see how beautiful the Caribbean is especially Jamaica.

Due to the exposure of the Caribbean cultural heritage, it is used by tourists as a platform to

experience the culinary culture such as (curry, roti, jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish), our dress

, music (reggae, soca and dancehall) and of course the creolization of the English language to

patois(second language), this persuades them to visit and enjoy not only tourist attraction

sites. Thirdly the mass media had changed culture through inventions with technology
increases, so does culture. Through acculturation, many Caribbean Nationals have become

americanised and our preferences have changed such as the type of food we consume, clothes

they wear, gadgets they use etc. A notable example is most Caribbean nationals buying their

favourite American fast food on Fridays. Although, the mass media have encouraged more

international exposure to the region, it has also created culture erasure which many historians

believe is created due to the interdependence the Caribbean society had on the metropoles

and still on North America. Mass media have definitely modified the Caribbean society and

culture, through acculturation and cultural erasure.

The process of socialization have greatly moulded the Caribbean society and culture.

The main agents of socialization have influenced directly and indirectly the static and

dynamic aspect of the Caribbeans culture. Socialization has continue to transform the

cultural of the Caribbean region, to remain contemporary with the rest of the world,
Name: Brittney McIntyre

ID#: 620102215

Course: SOCI1002- Introduction to Sociology

Tutor: Mr. Alphanso Blake

Day and Time: Mondays 4:00pm-5:00pm

Room: SR8

Assignment due date: Monday, February 13, 2017

Instruction Question 1:

Socialisation is the key process by which culture changes in our societies. Evaluate

this statement using relevant Caribbean examples.