ABSTRACT
To understand power and its distribution it is necessary to examine political behaviour within societies, in particular to explore who takes part in politics and why. One explanation for political involvement or lack of it which is not necessarily evident to the participant or non-participant is that of socialisation, defined by White as a long and complicated process of learning to live in society. How far socialisation accounts for political participation is an important question, but other explanations need to be explored, particularly the motivational and psychological dimensions of participation. Socialisation therefore needs to be seen in dynamic rather than static terms, as a process which continues throughout life. Other factors and variables need to be taken into account. A key variable of socialisation is the individual's personality. A second key variable in this process is the individual's experience, which may reinforce existing knowledge, values and attitudes or change them.
