Feral Children and Socialization
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Feral Children and Socialization
Socialization is important to the society because it allows people to meet, learn, interact and acquire human behavior. It is a social process that involves sharing with other people to influence the behavior, actions, thoughts and activities of a person (Kendall, 2015). This task will analyze three children as cases in order to explore the importance of socialization.
- Name of child: Oxana Malaya
Situation: Oxana was born in 1983 in Ukraine but was neglected by her parents who were extremely alcoholic (Grice, 2006). At the time, she was surrounded by dogs, and started living with them. It was for this reason that she was known for her behavior of acting like dogs. She is believed to have lived with the dogs long enough to pick up their behavior and habits. By the time she was rescued from the life with the dogs, she was walking on her four limbs and barked as well as growling (Grice, 2006). She would even seem to protect the pack of dogs that she used to live with.
Length of confinement
She lived with the dogs for five years. This was from the time she was three years old, to the time she was eight years old (Grice, 2006). It is at this time when she was found in 1991 ad attempts to rehabilitate her started.
Agents of Socialization:
After she was found in 1991, she was put through a therapy to help her learn the human verbal and social skills. She was taken through the rehabilitation in a center for mentally-disabled for children in Barabol.
Resocialization attempt:
At the rehabilitation, she was taught how to talk and speak to people. This was important because she did not know any language except for saying yes and no (Grice, 2006).
- Name of child: Ivan Mishukov
Situation: Ivan was born in 1992 in Russia as a normal baby boy. At the age of four years, he escaped home to flee from the abuse of his mother and her abusive boyfriend (Cornwall, 2010). Afterwards, he was adopted by a pack of dogs, after gaining their trust giving them foods (Cornwall, 2010). They protected him, and made a strong bond that made him the pack leader.
Length of confinement
Ivan is believed to have lived with dogs for a 2-year period, between the ages of four to six years.
Agents of Socialization:
He was rescued by police after a number of failed attempts, to separate him from the dogs.
Resocialization attempt:
The rehabilitation started after separating him from the dogs and starting language lessons for him (Cornwall, 2010). He gained language and speaks fluently
- Name of child: John Sesebunya
Situation: John was born in an abusive marriage and witnessed his father murder his mother at the age of three years. It is believed that this is the time that he was last seen by the villagers in Uganda (Molly and Paul, n.d). He disappeared from the village to the forests of Uganda, where he lived with monkeys. The monkeys took care of him after befriending him by giving him fruits, nuts, potatoes and cassava (Molly and Paul, n.d). He narrated that he could travel with the monkeys, eat with them and climb trees together.
Length of confinement
He is believed to have disappeared from the village for three years. He left the village after the murder of his mother in 1988 and lived with the monkeys until he was found. He was later found by firewood searchers in the forest, three years later in 1991.
Agents of Socialization:
When he was found, one villager was able to identify him and connected his story. At the time, he could not communicate to people when he was found. However, he was taken by a British organization that assisted him to enter the Pearl of Africa Children’s Choir (Molly and Paul, n.d). At 21 years, he was part of the 20 members of the choir who travelled to Britain.
Resocialization attempt:
The villagers attempted to resocialize him back to the ways of the village. However, it was challenging because he had to start as if he was a young child. His nails were long, knees hard, and were totally unsocial (Molly and Paul, n.d). However, he became normal, and changed to be a good singer of the Pearl of Africa Children’s Choir.
Importance of Socialization in the Society
Socialization is important in the formation of human behavior, human language and formulation of human mentality. This can be explained by citing the cases of the three children above, who had formed the non-human behavior due to isolation. Socialization influences human behavior and mentality by giving a person’s identity and human behaviors to learn from (Macionis & Linda, 2011). Socialization is important because it imparts a culture of living to a person’s life. Socialization impacts the society by teaching people a certain way of life that becomes embedded as their culture of life (Handel, 2006). In addition, Socialization is important as it enables the formation of human relationships that forms the basis of the society (Andersen & Taylor, 2007). Socialization forms the relationships that enhance the establishment of a society through human interaction.
References
Andersen, M., & Taylor, H. (2007). Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society, Updated. London: Cengage Learning
Corwall, T. (2010). Extraordinary story is intense and moving. Retrieved From, <http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Extraordinary-story-intense-moving/story-11419242-detail/story.html> 7 September, 2015
Grice, E. (2007). Cry of an enfant sauvage. Retrieved From, <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/3653890/Cry-of-an-enfant-sauvage.html> 7 September, 2015
Handel, G. (2006). Childhood Socialization. Piscataway: Transaction Publishers
Kendall, D. (2015). Sociology In our Times, 10th edition. Connecticut: Cengage.
Macionis, J.J., & Linda, M. G. (2011). Sociology. Toronto: Pearson Canada
Molly and Paul Child Care Foundation, n.d, John Ssebunya, Retrieved From, <http://www.mollyandpaul.org/john%20ssebunya.html> 7 September, 2015