From birth onwards all individuals go through a process of socialisation during which they learn the norms and values of their society. This section considers that process.

Family The family is often considered as the bedrock or cornerstone of society. A stable family, comprising a man and woman who are married and caring for their own children, is described as a ‘nuclear family’ and has been presented as the ideal family type in the contemporary UK. In 2004, of the 17 million families in the UK around 70 per cent were headed by a married couple with an average of 1.8 children per family. However, many individuals in the UK do not live in nuclear families. In 2004, one in four dependent children lived in single parent families. Some individuals live in extended family units where more than two generations of relatives can share a home, most commonly with grandparents but also sometimes with aunts and uncles. There are also reconstituted families where two families come together and create a new family network. It is estimated that 10 per cent of all families with dependent children in 2004 were reconstituted families, or what is commonly known as ‘step’ families (Labour Force Survey, 2004).

Family relationshipsClearly, family size and structure will have an impact on relationships within the family unit and on family life. A family with two parents and one child, with grandparents living 200 miles away, will have a different set of family relationships than a reconstituted family who all live in the same geographical area and where two mothers and two fathers are involved in childcare. Maintaining contact with grandparents and extended family is often reliant on technology, with the internet and e-mail providing an opportunity for enhanced communication and arguably e-relationships.

The following factors have all been identified as having an impact on family relationships.

u The extent to which parents balance work with family life. The concept of ‘shift parenting’ has been used to describe situations where both parents are in paid employment, often working complimentary

shifts and sharing responsibility for the children around their working lives and shift patterns (National Centre for Social Research, 2006). These families rarely spend quality family time together as their lives are based around their employment and childcare.

u The number, age and even gender of siblings will impact on family relationships.

u As life expectancy increases in the UK, a different dimension to family life is emerging. Adults are increasingly likely to be involved in caring for their parents into old age for a longer period than in the past. The impact of the aging population on family life and family relationships is a relatively new area of research for sociologists.

Family as an agent of socialisationThe family is the main agent of primary socialisation for most individuals in the contemporary UK. Three ways in which the family socialises the young are given below.

1 The family teaches the basic norms and values of everyday life. This is often through a process of imitation, where children copy the behaviour of family members, or where children learn the social roles expected of them by looking at role models within the family unit. Basic norms such as how to eat food and the time and place for family mealtimes are passed on by the family. These basic norms can reflect wider values such as the importance of family mealtimes for maintaining close relationships.

2 Socialisation within the family can also come from the use of positive and negative sanctions. Positive sanctions include praising a child when they behave in the way a parent wants them to: for example, giving stickers to young children as a reward. When parents want to discourage inappropriate behaviour they can use negative sanctions such as withholding computer time.

3 Gender roles within the family are also likely to impact on a child’s socialisation. If a young boy sees his father going out to work every day and taking the role of the main wage

Figure 1.1 A family mealtime.

Section 1

The process of socialisation

Pause for thought1 Who were the most influential people in your life from birth to being 5 years old?

2 Who were the most influential people in your life from when you were 5 years old to 16 years old?

3 Who are the most influential people in your life now?

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