Political socialization
Life Stages of Political Socialization
Life Stages of Political Socialization
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### Childhood

Political socialization begins in [childhood](/wiki/Child "Child"). It has been found that family is the first main influence, and following social circles are often chosen based on these initial views. Therefore, views are assumed to persist. Research suggest that family and educational environment are the most influential factors in socializing children. In terms of family, in early childhood, indirect exposure, such as parenting styles, or sibling composition might be more relevant, than direct political discussions. However recent literature suggest that increasing influence is coming from mass media such as digital and social media. On average, both young children and teenagers in the United States spend more time a week consuming television and digital media than they spend in school.[Graber, Doris](/wiki/Doris_Graber "Doris Graber"); Dunaway, Johanna (2014\). *Mass Media and American Politics*. CQ Press. [ISBN](/wiki/ISBN_%28identifier%29 "ISBN (identifier)") [978\-1\-4522\-8728\-7](/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4522-8728-7 "BookSources/978-1-4522-8728-7"). Young children consume an average of thirty\-one hours a week, while teenagers consume forty\-eight hours of media a week. Given that childhood is when a human is the most impressionable the influential of agents of socialization is significant as children's brains are "[prime](/wiki/Priming_%28psychology%29 "Priming (psychology)") for learning", thus more likely to take messages of political attitudes of the world at face value.Searing, D., Schwartz, J., \& Lind, A. (1973\). The Structuring Principle: Political Socialization and Belief Systems. American Political Science Review, 67(2\), 415\-432\. 

### Adolescence

With media influence carrying into adolescence, high school students attribute the information that forms their opinions and attitudes about race, war, economics, and patriotism to mass media much more than their friends, family, or teachers. Other literature suggests that political identification and political participation often stem from values and attitudes attained during one's adolescence.Sears, D. O., \& Valentino, N. A. (1997\). Politics matter. Political events as catalysts for preadult socialization. American Political Science Review, 91(1\), 45\-65\. The literature argues that pre\-adult socialization in both childhood and adolescence has a longstanding and stable catalyzing influence from political events. This political socialization of these catalytic events establishes predispositions that are often felt by mass and collective political socialization. Literature also suggests that adult political participation shows a longitudinal influence from adolescent forces of political socialization, with three models assessing the effects of parental influence in the context of socioeconomic status, political activity, and civic orientation.Beck, P., \& Jennings, M. (1982\). Pathways to Participation. American Political Science Review, 76(1\), 94\-108\.  A decade later, this literature observed a longitudinal impact of socialization that stems from adolescent political socialization. Literature found that parents' socioeconomic status and high school activities impact the most, although the family is an important and stable agent of socialisation, especially if views and stances are consistent, stable, clear, salient and frequently communicated, which favours higher transmission rates. Primary carriers of pre\-adult political socialization play a crucial role in later political participation, with the parent political participation model contributing to an understanding of political activity. This literature suggests that political socialization during the adolescent period significantly influences political participation and voting behavior. It is argued that views persist when the initial socialisation in the family has been strong, hence views have been strongly formed when the adolescents enter adulthood.

### Adulthood

While political socialization is lifelong process, after adolescence, people's basic values generally do not change. Most people choose what content they are exposed to based on their already existing values, and they use information from a favorable source to simply reaffirm what they already believe. Internal outcomes during adulthood can have far more significant development if these beliefs remain constant over time, especially if an attitude is present for the remainderdisambiguated of one's adolescence, the odds of that belief being consistent during adulthood are very likely.Sharot, T., Rollwage, M., Sunstein, C. R., \& Fleming, S. M. (2023\). Why and when beliefs change. *Perspectives on Psychological Science*, *18*(1\), 142\-151\. Chicago  


Can people's basic values change after adolescence?