Media Influences Dominate Parental Influences
Excellent example of paper 2 by Julianna Banse-Fay - Winter 2010.
Before modern technology, when an adolescent had a question, most would ask their parents. If the parents were unsure, then the adolescent would ask their grandparents. From there, they might ask a neighbor or a close friend. Then probably ask a member of a social group, such as church, for the answer. Information came from agents of socialization, or family, school, peers. The information was obtained from the geographical area one grew up in meaning the information received would usually be of best benefit in that area. After the expansion of technology (telephones, television, and in particular the internet), children most often go to the online world for answers. Then instead of going to their parents second, they chat online with friends. Sometimes they chat with people they have not met. The agents of socialization are now mass media, peers, family. The parents are left behind and close relationships with them are sparse. This happens because the internet offers very specific information about topics and the resources to chat with professionals of a topic. In comparison, parents' knowledge is microscopic. In this world, socialization creates who we are, thus technology advancements play an important role in the type of people we become.
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