Socialized

Socialized is the past participle of the verb socialize and functions as both a verb form and an adjective. As a verb, socialized can mean to interact with others socially or to accustom someone to behave according to a group’s norms. For example, people can be socialized through family, school, and community activities. As an adjective, socialized describes things related to socialization or to being integrated into a society’s norms.

In sociology and psychology, socialization is the lifelong process by which individuals learn and internalize the values, beliefs, and rules of their culture. Primary socialization occurs in the family during early childhood; secondary socialization occurs through schools, peers, media, and institutions. The specifics of socialization vary across cultures and historical periods.

In political and policy discourse, “socialized” is used in phrases such as socialized medicine, socialized housing, or socialized education to denote systems in which the government finances or provides services that private actors would otherwise supply. The term is often value-laden and its meaning depends on country and context; supporters emphasize public provision, while critics emphasize government involvement.

Other uses describe individuals or groups that have been socialized into particular norms, for example a well-socialized child learns to share and cooperate. The term is related to, but distinct from, socialist or socialism.

Origin: from Latin socialis via Old French and English, with usage dating to the late 18th and 19th centuries.