Social Institute: signs. Examples of social institutions

One of the factors that characterize society as a whole is the aggregate of social institutions. Their location is as if on a surface, which makes them especially successful objects for observation and control.

In turn, a complex organized system with its own norms and rules is a social institution. Its features are different, but classified, and they are subject to consideration in this article.

The concept of social institution

A social institution is one of the forms of organizing social activity. For the first time this concept was applied by G. Spencer. According to the scientist, the whole variety of social institutions creates the so-called framework of society. The division into forms, Spencer said, is produced under the influence of differentiation of society. He divided the whole society into three main institutions, among them:

• Reproductive;
• Distributive;
• Regulating.

The opinion of E. Durkheim

E. Durkheim was convinced that a person as a person can realize himself only with the help of social institutions. They are also called upon to create responsibility between the interinstitutional forms and the needs of the society.

Karl Marx

The author of the famous "Capital" evaluated social institutions in terms of production relations. In his view, the social institution, the signs of which are present both in the division of labor and in the phenomenon of private property, was formed precisely under their influence.

Terminology

The term "social institution" comes from the Latin word "institution", which means "organization" or "order." To this definition, in principle, all the features of a social institution are reduced.

The definition includes the form of consolidation and the form of the implementation of specialized activities. The purpose of social institutions is to ensure the stability of the functioning of communications within society.

Acceptable is also a short definition of the term: an organized and coherent form of social relations, focused on meeting the needs that are significant for society.

It is easy to see that all of the definitions given (including the above-mentioned opinions of scientists) are based on "three whales":

• society;
• organization;
• needs.

But these are not yet full-fledged features of the social institution, rather, the supporting points that should be taken into account.

Conditions for institutionalization

The process of institutionalization is the formation of a social institution. It occurs under the following conditions:

• Social need as a factor that will satisfy the future institution;
• Social ties, that is, the interaction of people and communities, as a result of which social institutions are formed;
• An expedient system of values and rules;
• Material and organizational, labor and financial resources.

Stages of institutionalization

The process of formation of a social institution goes through several stages:

• The emergence and awareness of the need for an institute;
• The development of norms of social behavior within the framework of the future institute;
• The creation of its own symbolism, that is, a system of signs that will point to the social institution being created;
• Formation, development and definition of a system of roles and statuses;
• Creation of the material basis of the institute;
• Integration of the Institute into the existing social system.

Structural features of the social institution

Signs of the concept of "social institution" characterize it in modern society.

Structural features include:

• Sphere of activity, as well as social relations.
• Institutions that have certain powers to organize people's activities, as well as perform different roles and functions. For example: public, organizational and performing the functions of control and management.
• Those specific rules and norms that are designed to regulate people's behavior in a particular social institution.
• Material means to achieve the goals of the Institute.
• Ideology, goals and objectives.

Types of social institutions

The classification that systematizes social institutions (the table is shown below) divides this concept into four separate types. To each of them there are at least four specific institutions.

What are the social institutions? The table shows their types and examples.

Spiritual social institutions in some sources are called cultural institutions, and the family sphere, in turn, is sometimes called stratification and kinship.

General signs of a social institution

General, and at the same time, basic, signs of a social institution are:

• A circle of subjects who in the course of their activities enter into a relationship;
• The sustainability of these relationships;
• Defined (and this means, in one way or another, formalized) organization;
• Behavioral norms and rules;
• Functions that ensure the integration of the institution in the social system.

It should be understood that these signs are informal, but logically follow from the definition and functioning of various social institutions. With the help of them, among other things, it is convenient to analyze institutionalization.

Social Institute: signs on concrete examples

Each specific social institution has its own characteristics - signs. They closely resemble roles, for example: the basic roles of the family as a social institution. That is why it is instructive to consider examples and corresponding signs and roles.

Family as a social institution

A classic example of a social institution is, of course, the family. As can be seen from the above table, it refers to the fourth type of institutions that cover the same sphere. Consequently, it is the base and ultimate goal for marriage, paternity and motherhood. In addition, the family also unites them.

Signs of this social institution:

• Marital or blood relations;
• Total family budget;
• Living together in the same housing.

The main role of the family as a social institution is reduced to the famous saying that it is a "cell of society". In essence, everything is exactly like that. Families are particles, from the totality of which the society is composed. In addition to being a social institution, the family is also called a small social group. And it is not by chance, because from birth a person develops under her influence and experiences it for herself throughout her life.

Education as a social institution

Education is a social subsystem. It has its own specific structure and attributes.

The main elements of education:

• Social organizations and social communities (educational institution and division into groups of teachers and students, etc.);
• Socio-cultural activity in the form of an educational process.

Characteristics of the social institution include:

1. Norms and rules - in the institution of education examples can be considered: the desire for knowledge, attendance, respect for teachers and classmates / classmates.
2. Symbols, that is, cultural signs - hymns and arms of educational institutions, the animal-symbol of some famous colleges, emblems.
3. Utilitarian cultural traits, such as classrooms and cabinets.
4. Ideology is the principle of equality between students, mutual respect, freedom of speech and the right to vote, as well as the right to one's own opinion.

Signs of social institutions: examples

Let us summarize the information presented here. Characteristics of the social institution include:

• A set of social roles (for example, father / mother / daughter / sister at the family institute);
• Stable patterns of behavior (for example, certain models for the teacher and student at the Institute of Education);
• Norms (for example, codes and the Constitution of the state);
• Symbolism (for example, the institution of marriage or religious community);
• Basic values (that is, morals).

The social institution, the features of which were examined in this article, is designed to direct the behavior of each individual person, directly being a part of his life. At the same time, for example, a regular high school student refers to at least three social institutions: families, schools and states. It is interesting that, depending on each of them, he also owns the role (status) that he has and according to which he chooses his own behavior pattern. She, in turn, sets his character in society.