As discussed earlier that, socialization is a lifelong process, it starts from our childhood and continues throughout our adulthood, even keep going on in our old age. Ian Robertson has discussed four types of socialization in his book sociology. Following are the four types of socialization, primary socialization, anticipatory socialization, professional or developmental socialization and re-socialization.
Primary Socialization
Primary socialization is early childhood socialization. It is called primary socialization in a sense; it is the beginning of the socialization process, it occurs first and it is the most crucial stage of socialization for later development. This stage is considered to be the development stage in children in which their personality and self-concept is developed; they acquire cognitive abilities, language and internalize norms and values. Moreover, they establish emotional ties and pick up other roles and perspectives.
Anticipatory Socialization
This stage occurs in between the childhood and adulthood. Adolescence begins to establish independence from their parents. During this stage adolescence participate in Anticipatory socialization. They not only learn their immediate group culture but also learn the culture of a group which they are expecting to join in future.
Professional or Developmental Socialization
Developmental socialization occurs during the adulthood. This type of socialization is dependent on the primary and anticipatory socialization. In the early two stages an individual has acquired the skills, developed his attitude and established the goals for future, which have prepared him for the position which he is likely to hold as an adult. As an adult individual is encountered with new situations and roles such as, marriage, job, husband and employee or employer, which will require new expectation and obligations. In this stage new learning combines with old to continue the process of developmental or professional socialization.
Re-Socialization
Sometime when an individual changes his group and become a part of new group he have to abandon his old way of life. Such situations compel an individual to abandon the old values, norms and beliefs. To adjust in a new group he has to learn the values norms and beliefs of new group. The process of learning a new ways of life is called re-socialization.