What is the process called by which individuals internalize societal roles, norms, and values?

The process by which individuals internalize societal roles, norms, and values is known as socialization. This ongoing process begins in early childhood and continues throughout an individual's life. It involves learning and adopting the behaviors, beliefs, and cultural practices that are deemed acceptable and appropriate within a particular society. Through various agents of socialization—such as family, peers, education systems, and media—individuals come to understand their social world and learn how to navigate it.

Socialization is crucial for the development of self-identity and helps individuals understand their roles within various social contexts, allowing for smoother interactions within society. Understanding this process is essential for analyzing how individuals contribute to and are shaped by societal expectations and standards.

The other options pertain to different aspects of society: social cognition relates to the way individuals process and interpret social information; social mobility refers to the ability to move up or down the social ladder; and social stratification describes the hierarchical organization of society into different socioeconomic classes. While all these concepts are interconnected, they do not specifically pertain to the process of internalizing societal norms and values as socialization does.