Agents of Socialization

Of the many agents of socialization (family, school, peer group, etc.), the mass media is gaining in importance at a rate faster than any other. Television, in particular, has become a critical force of socialization of children, often rivaling the family. According to Patricia McDonough (2009) of The Nielsen Company, children ages 2-5 watch more than 32 hours of TV a week and children ages 6-11 watch approximately 28 hours of TV a week. McDonough argues that older children watch fewer hours of TV because they are more likely to be attending school for longer hours.

In this week’s Discussion, you will consider a specific issue in socialization that is affected or reinforced by the increasing amount of time children watch television.