The Development of Civic Competence: Socialization or Task Generalization

According to prevalent sociological theory people acquire their basic attitudes and skills through socialization processes during childhood and adolescence. Such assumptions are challenged in this study of civic competence among 18 year old students and their middle-aged parents. The findings show low parent-student congruity of political knowledge, ideological sophistication, political efficacy and interest, and indicate that the degree of civic comptence more is a result of experiences in people's ethnic, educational and occupational situations. In other words, availability of this political resource to a great extent directly depends upon a person's place in the general opportunity structure of society.