What elements are included in the social structure? How do they interact with each other? How to evaluate the results of such an interaction and can they be considered progressive? Sociology is closely studying such a complex organism as human society, because the content and way of its existence affects the future of new generations.
Social structure of the population
The conditions for the survival of any state is reproduction, that is, the restoration of its number, which is falling due to the natural decline (death) of the population. Updates and replenishment also require tools to ensure the normal existence and protection of people. Social groups, family, work collectives provide these processes of reproduction.
Dmitriev A.V., a Russian sociologist, determined which elements are included in the social structure of the population. It:
- elite - party, political;
- workers;
- intelligentsia;
- Entrepreneurs
- peasants.
Each of these groups consists of a number of smaller determinants, for example, the industry affiliation of their representatives: the intelligentsia includes teachers, doctors, art workers, etc.
This list of details of the social structure of the population can be detailed, supplemented, given that there are smaller entities: clergy, senior citizens, students, preschoolers, schoolchildren, men and women, etc.
What is a group and its characteristics?
An association of people connected by common characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity) or interests, obligations, activities, territory, etc., is called a group.
What elements are included in the social structure of the group by which it can be determined and studied the level of its development? Sociology calls many such signs.
One of them, for example, is the relationship between group members. If they are built on close interaction and the desire to achieve a common goal, then such associations reach the highest level in their development and become a team of like-minded people.
Sociologists unite people at risk groups who have specific signs of difficulties (material or other) and the need for help from society and the state. These include large and single-parent families with disabled children.
The so-called asocial groups leading a lifestyle that does not meet social and moral standards (alcoholics, drug addicts, criminals) are also risk groups, as they pose a potential threat to the well-being of society.
Social group and its purpose
Society consists of many large and small groups, diverse in species, form, composition, duration of existence.
A social group is a stable community of individuals that really exists, including two or more members, whose interaction is based on certain views, interests. Their main, that is, basic differences are professional, ethnic, religious and other characteristics.
Over the course of his life, an individual can repeatedly move from one social group to another with a change in his social status, marital status, place of residence, beliefs, preferences, etc. Adaptation to another structure of a social group, new conditions of coexistence with its members requires a lot of effort from a person and does not always end with its full adaptation.
A social group serves as a kind of mediator between a person and society, softens the process of his socialization. In this regard, it is difficult to overestimate the influence of the family, which prepares the child for the conscious assimilation of the norms of behavior in various life situations.
The same social group provides protection and normal living conditions for its aged members.
Professional groups perform the so-called instrumental function in relation to their members. Participation in the labor collective is a way (tool) of material self-sufficiency and self-realization.
The expressive function of the social structure is as follows. A person has a desire to feel respect for his personality, to get approval for his actions, he wants to experience psychological comfort. This is possible in a group, in communication with people close in spirit and outlook on life.
The group plays such an important role as supporting a person in critical periods of his life. Its purpose is the weakening of adverse, traumatic factors. It can be material, psychological, spiritual.
Social group structure
Like any object, a group consists of separate interconnected elements that perform specific functions and ensure its active existence.
There are various approaches of specialists to determining which elements are included in the social structure of a group, how intra-group relationships are ensured, and what are the properties of these relationships.
- The structure is functional. Its elements are shared responsibilities within organized groups (leader - executor).
- The formal and informal structure is characterized by the presence of established and informal relations between its members.
- The sociometric structure is determined by the results of studies of the interaction of microgroups resulting from positive and negative emotional relationships in any team.
- The communicative structure shows the frequency, type, stability of relationships within the group during the exchange of information.
- The role structure highlights the energetic team members who take responsibility for the results of the overall activity and those who support them.
- The structure of social power is characterized by the presence of directed and intense influence on team members - formal and informal leadership.
Any group structure can change under the influence of external and internal factors. Knowing the roles and position of its members helps interested parties to more accurately choose methods of interaction with her.