Final answer:
Agents of socialization including family, education, peer groups, mass media, religion, and economy crucially influence gender role development, promoting specific behaviors and expectations that contribute to a society's gender norms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Agents of socialization such as family, education, peer groups, and mass media play a crucial role in shaping gender role development. Family, the initial socialization agent, often instills traditional gender roles with different expectations and privileges for sons and daughters. Education and peer groups further influence by reinforcing gender norms through interactions and curricula.
Religion and economy can also impact gender socialization, where religious teachings and economic factors like job roles can perpetuate gender stereotypes. Mass media constantly exposes individuals to gendered imagery and messages, affecting their perception of normative gender behavior. Over time, these influences can lead to an entrenched belief in natural gender distinctions, when in fact, they are socially constructed.