Microsoft Word - sociology_body.doc

Box 3.1. The five human biological bases of

socialization

ƒ Absence of instinct

ƒ Social contact needs

ƒ Capacity to learn and teachability

ƒ Capacity for language

ƒ Longer period of childhood dependence

3.4. Modes of Social Learning

What are the mechanisms by which socialization is
accomplished? Fuller answer is not yet found to this
question. Sociologists have, however, identified four
modes of social learning. These are: conditioning,
identity taking, modeling-after and problem solving
(Ibid.).

Conditioning: This involves learning based on the
principle of association. Conditioning refers to the
response pattern which is built into an organism as a
result of stimuli in the environment. There is what is
called classical conditioning in which the response