Abstract
How is it possible that the individual socialized in a particular society reforms that society? This is a central problem of socialization theory.
1) In his theory of Identity, E. Erikson integrated two functions of socialization: gratification of social functional requisite, namely “maintenance of social order”, and gratification of individual functional requisite, namely “independence of individual as self-controlled system”. The change of his developmental task from Identity to Integrity seems to me to mean that the final form of socialization is the “socialization for death”.
2) In case of the linguistic socialization, there is no contradiction between, the acquisition of a fixed and abstract rule of language (grammer) and the acquisition of creativity to make infinite varieti esof sentences (speech). The aim of linguistic socialization is to give a concrete particular form to the human universal linguistic competence or universal communicative competence. The linguistic socialization, therefore, is the prototypeof all kinds of socialization. The internalization of social values, norms, and rules is nothing but a precondition for individual creativity, activity, and subjectivity.
3) Nevertheless, in case of oversocialized or undersocialized person, it is necessary to extinct or reinforce the conditioning of socialization. For this purpose, first of all, effects of completed socialization have to be dissolved. This dissolving effort is the first step of psychoana lysis and psychotherapy. I would like to name this dissolving effort “desocialization”.
4) According to A. Schutz, our multiple realities can be divided into three main worlds daily life world (pragmatic horizon), scien-tific world (objective horizon), and transcendental world (transcendental horizon). These worlds seem to correspond respectively wit hworlds in which the primary socialization, the secondary socializatio n, and the adult socialization are carried out.
In conclusion, the aim of adult socialization (or, elderly socialization) must be not only “maintenance of social order” and “independence of individual”, but also “reformation of existing social order” and “preparation for death”. It will be one of future problems of socialization how to integrate the concept of “desocialization” or “transcendental socialization” into socialization theory.
