THE STUDY OF SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Meaning and Nature Sociologically, an institution is not a person or group. It is a part of the culture, a patterned segment of the way of life of a people. Social relations and social roles from the major elements of the institution An institution is a configuration or combination of behavior patterns shared by a plurality and focused upon the satisfaction of some basic group needs.

Characteristics of Institution 1. Institutions are purposive. Each of them has its own goal or objective as the satisfaction of social needs. 2. They are relatively permanent in their content. The patterns, roles, and relations that people enact in a particular culture become traditional and enduring. 3. The institution is structured. The components tend to band together and reinforce one another 4. Each institution is a unified structure. It functions however as a unit. Institutions are dependent on one another. However, each does not function as a distinct series of human behavior. 5. The institution is necessarily value-laden. Its repeated uniformities, patterns, and trends become codes of conduct. Most of these codes subconsciously exert social pressures. However, others are in the form of rules and laws From these characteristics, it may be said that: An Institution is a relatively permanent structure of social patterns, roles, and relations that people enact in certain sanctioned and unified ways for the purpose of satisfying basic social needs.

Functions of an Institution
Do the functions of an institution differ from those of a group? The ff. have to be noted. 1. 2. 3. The objectives, goals, or purposes of an institution are the same as those of a group since the economic, religious, and political groups strive for economic, religious and political ends. The functions of the group are the conceptual and external activities performed in patterned ways by the people. Besides having the specific objectives and the patterned activities of the group, there are certain generalized functions that all institutions perform for the people

It has to be noted that some functions of the institution bring about higher level of integration and coordination in groups while others do not.

What then are the functions of the institutions? 1. Institutions simplify social behavior for the individual person. The ways of thinking and even acting have become largely regularized and prearranged for the individual before he enters the society. Institutions therefore, provide ready-made forms of social relations and social roles for the individual. The principal roles are not invented by the individuals; they are provided by the institutions.

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Institutions also act as agencies of coordination and stability for the total culture. The ways of thinking and behaving that are institutionalized make sense to people. They provide a means of security because they become the normal ands proper ways which the great majority of people approve of. Institutions tend to control behavior. They contain systematic expectations of the society. Group behavior is often subconsciously fixed through constant repetition, and when there is a need for planning, the group can easily ascertain from its institutions the normal modes, trends, and procedures.

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There are functions of institutions which are certainly negative in their nature 1. The major negative function of institutions is the way they sometimes obstruct social progress. they tend to be rigid and to discourage changes since they conserve and stabilize social behavior. This conservation function is two-fold; The institutions sometimes conserve patterns of behavior even when the values represented by this behavior have become outmoded. b. They sometimes conserve social values that are quite inconsistent with the external behavior of the majority of the people. Institutions sometimes serve to frustrate the social personality of individuals. Another negative function is the diffusion of social responsibility. a.

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Classification of Institutions Major Institutions are those which the largest number of people participate in, that are essential to the society, and that are considered most important for the individual and for the economic, political, religious, and recreational institutions. Subsidiary Institutions they are numerous, minor, and variable institutions that are contained within the major institutions.

Basic Major Institutions 1. The familial institution. This is a system that regulates, stabilizes, and standardizes sexual relations and the reproduction of children. The Educational institution. This is basically the systematized process of socialization occurring informally in the home and in the general cultural environment, and formally in the complex educational arrangements of the society. The economic institutions. This is the configuration of patterned social behaviors through which material goods and services are provided for the society. The political institution. This functions primarily to satisfy the need for general administration and public order in society. The religious institution. This is the institution that satisfies mans basic social need for a relationship with God. The recreational institution. This fulfill the social need for physical and mental relaxation.

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Traits of Major Social Institutions

GOVERNMENT 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Attitudes and behavior patterns subordination, cooperativeness, loyalty, obedience Symbolic culture traits flag, seal anthem, uniform Utilitarian traits public buildings, public works,, artistic works, monuments Code of oral or written specifications constitution, treaties, orders, laws Ideologies decentralization, nationalism, centralization, democracy, communism

BUSINESS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Attitudes and behavior patterns efficiency, thrift, shrewdness, cooperation Symbolic culture traits trademark, patent sign, slogans, singing commercials Utilitarian traits shops, stores, factory, offices Code of oral or written specifications contracts, licenses, franchises Ideologies laissez faire, managerial responsibility, rights of labor

FAMILY 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Attitudes and behavior patterns love, affection, loyalty, responsibility, respect Symbolic culture traits marriage ring, crest, coat of arms, Our song Utilitarian traits home furniture Code of oral or written specifications marriage license, will, genealogy, laws Ideologies romantic love, togetherness, familism

RELIGION 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Attitudes and behavior patterns reverence loyalty, devotion, generosity Symbolic culture traits cross, icon, shrine, hymn Utilitarian traits church edifice, monuments, artistic works Code of oral or written specifications creed, church law, sacred books, doctrines Ideologies Thomism, Liberalism, Fundamentalism, Liberation Theology

Pivotal Institution The pivotal institution is to the culture what the key role is to the individual The rise of the pivotal institution to its place of prominence must obviously have the positive sanction of the people in the society.

The Institutional System as a Total Culture Culture of Society -The major institutions are conceptualized as a complete and continuous network in which both the total and all its segments are a functioning system (Fichter)

Visualizing the total functioning system 1. Once the pivotal institution is recognized, the position of the remaining major institutions can be conceptualized as clustering around it. Within each of these may be placed the subsidiary institutions, some of which are closely integrated and others which are incidental or even partially inconsistent with the major institutions.

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The major institutions can be identified by the objectives they are pursuing, but their relative position of importance in any culture can be judged by other criteria. The power position of a major institution can be judged by the degree of control and dominance it exerts over other institutions, the extent to which it invades other institutions, and the strength of its affiliation with them.

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Since patterns, roles, and relations are institutionalized around certain central objectives, they can be studied from the point of view of the persons in action. The position and importance of any given institution can be evaluated according to the degree of the interest and the amount of time and energy people employ in it.

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Social values are involved in all institutions, and one may say that the position of any institution depends largely upon these values. This again requires a knowledge of the persons who perform institutionalized behavior.

The institutionalized system operates for and through people. It can never be conceptualized as either internally or externally static because it grows and changes through actual human behavior.