1. Home Environment
Home is the first socialising agency. The congenial home environment has a positive and socialising effect
on the child. Thus, the family influence plays a vital role in the process of social development. A happy,
contented and well-knit family helps in advancing social adjustment of the individual members.
2. Socio-Economic Status of the Family
The family members of high socio-economic status have the opportunity of moving about in a higher and
wider circle of society. They get frequent occasions to mix with a large number of and different sorts of
people. This naturally helps them in their socialisation.
3. Love and Affection. Love and affection are the basic psychological needs of children. If the child is
treated with love and affection, he feels secure, and thus, develops self- confidence. This gives him the
necessary courage to enter into social relationships outside the family. If the children get love and
affection at home, they will naturally expect love and affection from others also; this will develop in
them a positive attitude toward life and other people, which will help them in their social development.
4. Participation in Social Organisations
There are various types of social organisations. Participation in such organisations widens the sphere of
child’s social contacts and increases his social understanding. He learns, and imbibes the qualities of
leadership, cooperation, and toleration. Self- Centredness is replaced by social consciousness which is
increasingly broadened. This brings about social development of the child.
5. School Programmes
School is another potent agency for the social development of the child. In the school the child gets an
opportunity of mixing with the large number of students, and thus, getting varied types of social
experiences. In addition to these, school experiences in the form of various types of school
programmes and activities, opportunities for healthy social communication, guidance from teachers,
determine to a large extent the social skills and attitudes as well as the habits that the child learns.
Schools also teach some of the basic social attitudes and principles of good conduct. Thus the school
programmes help tremendously in the children’s social development.
Stages of Social Development in Adolescence
Expanding on Erik Erikson's ideas, James Marcia (2002) developed his Identity Status Theory. Not all
teens will move through every stage during adolescence. Many remain in the diffusion or foreclosure
stage.
1. Diffusion: Adolescents in the diffusion stage have not begun the process of forming their
identity. They have not begun any exploration of their identity and have made little to no
commitment to a set of values. Adolescents in the diffusion stage adamantly avoid conflict or
discomfort and are highly motivated by pleasure. They do not have any real goals in life and
passively move through life.
2. Foreclosure: Similar to the diffusion stage, adolescents in the foreclosure stage of identity
development have not gone through an identity crisis. However, it is not due to a lack of any
identity or commitment to values. Instead, teens in the foreclosure stage have not moved past
