What does "resocialization" involve?

Resocialization involves the process of unlearning old behaviors, norms, and values and adopting new ones when an individual enters a new social environment. This can occur in various contexts, such as when someone joins the military, enters a rehabilitation program, or moves to a different culture that has distinct values and norms.

The process often requires individuals to actively engage with and internalize the new norms and values to fit into their new social setting. For instance, in a military setting, recruits must learn discipline, teamwork, and a hierarchy that may differ significantly from their civilian life experiences.

While adjusting to societal expectations can be part of resocialization, it is specifically tied to the adoption of new norms and values, which is central to the resocialization process. Reinforcing existing beliefs and participating in collective behaviors do not accurately capture the transformative aspect of resocialization, which fundamentally focuses on adopting new perspectives and behaviors.