Socialization is the assimilation of social experience and the training of an individual in social roles and behavior, without which they cannot become a full-fledged member of society. The agents of socialization of the individual are the immediate environment, which has a direct impact on her: family, parents, friends, peers, teachers, coaches, etc. Agents of socialization, being in direct interaction with a person, play a crucial role in how a person grows up and how their formation will occur.
The Internet as a means of socialization of young people has a significant impact on their personality and morale. For some people, the Internet is a virtual world into which they enter, which also gives them additional freedom to express their emotions, feelings, life positions, moods, and views. Under the influence of the Internet and social networks, people’s communication began to change. For instant messaging to occur, young people started to significantly shorten words, which impacted their knowledge of linguistic norms and rules of their native language. In addition, the Internet and social networks can bring a lot of stress, resulting in people becoming aggressive, nervous, and irritable (Kendall, 2013). Nevertheless, social networks and Internet access have their advantages, for example, they allow people to communicate at many thousands of kilometers. They can share their experience and culture, broaden their horizons, and increase their knowledge base.
Grandparents did not have access to the Internet and social networks, and respectively, they were dominated by live communication. There were correspondence clubs where they could communicate with foreigners through paper letters. Undoubtedly, at that time, it was pretty convenient and acceptable since there was no other possibility. With the advent of the Internet, communication has become much easier, but the level of stress and fatigue has also begun to increase. Some people use social networks and the Internet too actively, and in the pursuit of popularity, many of them are prone to depression, procrastination, and suggestibility. In conclusion, the Internet plays a significant role in the socialization of a person and helps them not only to communicate but also to gain new knowledge.
Reference
Kendall, D. (2013). Sociology in our times. Wadsworth Publishing.