A Complementary Perspective to Primary Socialization Theory

Abstract

Primary socialization theory as formulated by Oetting and his associates emphasizes the transmission of societal norms during childhood and adolescence within society's three major socializing agencies: family, school, and small, intimate peer groups. The norms thus transmitted may be prosocial or deviant, with prosocial norms more likely to be transmitted through strong bonds to healthy families or schools. Personality traits and other personal characteristics influence negative outcomes, such as deviance or drug use, only to the extent that they interfere with socialization to family or school. Our own research does not address primary socialization theory directly in that we have not focused on the transmission of norms per se as central. Nevertheless, we have studied social factors, personality factors, and various psychopathologies as etiological for deviance and substance use. By and large our research has supported the hypotheses of primary socialization theory, even extending them in specific areas, such as the importance of family influences as etiological. Our work has also emphasized the significance of rebelliousness and impulse control in this regard. Like all large-scale theories which necessarily abstract from the totality and diversity of human behavior, primary socialization theory leaves some gaps requiring further elucidation. Among these is its ethnocentric and temporocentric perspective, but even within this perspective it understates the difficulties for adolescents in making a successful transition to adult social roles (Kingley Davis) and in establishing a unique identity independent of parents (Erik H. Erikson). Also, it generally ignores the salience of the youth culture as rebellious against the older generation, a particularly important characteristic of modern society. And finally, it should cover the process of “maturing out” of deviance, which perhaps results in a reaffirmation of the legitimacy of norms transmitted earlier, and it should also cover gender differences in their transmission and legitimization. Nevertheless, despite these caveats and especially because of this theory's insightfulness and path-breaking character, its hypotheses should be tested in carefully designed, large-scale studies. These studies should allow, among other factors, measurement of the effects of genetic factors on the early emergence of deviant personality attributes and of their impact on the transmission of prosocial norms.