WHAT IS PRIMARY SOCIALISATION IN SOCIOLOGY

 Primary socialisation is in sociology

By Wilbert Masamba

Primary socialisation occurs, according to Cooley (1909), within primary groups that involve ‘intimate face-to-face association and cooperation’ and which are fundamental to the development of those behaviours we recognise as ‘fundamentally human’ (such as walking upright and talking). 

The first primary relationship we form is usually with our parent(s), followed by primary attachments to people of our own general age (our peers) and, subsequently, to other adults (such as work colleagues).

Primary socialisation is necessary because human infants require the assistance of other members of society to develop both as human beings and as members of a culture. We don’t just need to learn ‘general human behaviours’, we also have to learn about social relationships, how to play roles and so forth. 

Primary socialisation within the family, for example, teaches us some of the basic skills and values we will need in adult life. 

Most importantly, it does this in the context of a family group governed, according to Parsons (1951), by affective relationships (relationships based on love, affection, responsibility and duty), where mistakes can be made and lessons learned without too much harm being caused. Much of this type of learning is informal (there is no set curriculum for primary socialisation)