Social Institutions
Social Institutions
Social Institutions
An institution is a system of norms to achieve some goal, and an organized system of social relationships which embodies certain common values and procedures and meet certain basic needs of the society.
Social Institutions
In the definition: Common values refer to shared ideas and goals. common procedures are the standardized behavioral patterns followed. System of relationships is the network of roles and statuses through which people carryout this behavior. Five important basic institutions in complex societies are: the familial, religious, governmental, economic and educational institutions.
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The Family
Culturally and religiously, marriage is the right setting for having children explains the historical description born out of wedlock as illegitimate. Matrimony in Latin means conditions for motherhood. The link between having children and being married is weakened in the west, and number of children born out of wedlock to single women has increased. In primitive societies, family was the only institution that existed, and only authority was the family authority. As the cultural complexity increased, other institutions have grown from this basic institution.
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Functions of Family
Care and socialization of Children. All over the world, family is the standard institution for looking after the children. Russia and China did experiment with special child care facilities to raise the children more scientifically and to free their mothers for labor. Russia abandoned it, and in China, family and school cooperate closely to socialize the child for conformity, obedience, and altruism. Modern Israel, children are kept in Kibbutz the communal cottage and looked after by the nursery workers. But it is no longer a popular practice.
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Functions of Family
Care & Socialization (contd.) Family is the first primary group where the personality development begins. By the time the child goes to school, foundations of personality are already laid. By providing role models for the child to copy, the family socializes the child. Learning disabilities are sometimes the outcome of family atmosphere.
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Functions of Family
Status Definition. In family setting, one inherits a string of statuses. One is ascribed several statuses within the familyage, sex, birth order and many cases social class. In a society with a class system, the class status of the childs family determines the opportunities and rewards open to it and the expectations through which others may inspire or discourage it. The assignment of class may seem unfair; yet it is inevitable. The family can not avoid preparing the child for a class status similar to its own. The child naturally absorbs from its family a set of interests, values, and life habits.
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Functions of Family
The Protective Function. In all societies the family offers some degree of physical, economic and psychological protection to its members. An attack on person is considered an attack on ones family, all members bound to defend or revenge the injury. Guilt and shame is equally shared by all family members. In primitive societies, as long as ones relatives have food, one has no fear of hunger.
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Functions of Family
The Economic Function. The human species must work to meet the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter and water. In most societies, the basic economic unit is the family. In primitive societies, members work together as a team and share jointly in their produce. In some societies the clan is the basic unit for working and sharing, but more often it is the family. The situation now, however is changing, but traditional families do respect family preferences.
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