ABSTRACT
The socialization function includes all of one's tendencies to establish and maintain relations with others, to become an accepted member of society-at-large, to regulate one's behavior according to society's codes and standards, and generally to get along well with other people. As a child grows, she experiences many different kinds of incentives toward socialization and integration into society. As with socialization, the demands of individuation and differentiation begin early and continue throughout life. In some ways, socialization and individuation are quite distinct processes, even at times operating in opposition to one another. Yet there is a sense in which there are profound connections between socialization and individuation. The puzzle of socialization is how an active child comes to adopt behavioral standards consistent with the values embedded in the child's culture. Rather, socialization is a complex process of interaction between the child and others in the child's social network.
