Sociology

Man is not only social but also cultural. Every society prescribes its own ways and means of giving social training to its new born members so that they may develop their own personality. This social training is called 'Socialisation'. Little of man's behaviour is instinctive. Rather, man's behaviour is 'learnt' behaviour. The process of moulding and shaping the personality of the human infant is called 'Socialisation'. Man is not born social. At birth the human child possesses the potentialities of becoming human. The child becomes a man or a person through a variety of experiences. He becomes then what the sociologist calls 'Socialized'. Man is man because he shares with others a common culture. Sociologists have given more importance to socialisation because man is a cultural being. Socialisation is often referred to as the ' transmission of culture ' the process whereby men learn the rules and practices of social groups. Education - purposeful instruction- is thus only a part of the socialisation process.
Some definitions are as follows :
Bogardus : Socialisation is the 'process of working together, of developing group responsibility, or being guided by the welfare needs of others'.