One of the factors characterizing society as a whole is the totality of social institutions. Their location is as if on the surface, which makes them particularly successful objects for observation and control.
In turn, a complex organized system with its own norms and rules is a social institution. The signs of it are different, but classified, and it is they that are subject to consideration in this article.
The concept of social institution
A social institution is one of the forms of organizing social activities. 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 skeleton of society. The division into forms, Spencer said, is made under the influence of differentiation of society. He divided the whole society into three main institutions, among which:
- reproductive;
- distribution;
- regulatory.
Opinion E. Durkheim
E. Durkheim was convinced that a person as a person can realize himself only with the help of social institutions. They are called upon to establish responsibility between the interinstitutional forms and needs of society.
Karl Marx
The author of the famous "Capital" evaluated social institutions in terms of industrial relations. In his opinion, a 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" is derived from the Latin word "institution", which means "organization" or "order". In principle, all the features of a social institution are reduced to this definition.
The definition includes a form of consolidation and a form of specialized activity. The purpose of social institutions is to ensure the stability of the functioning of communications within society.
A brief definition of the term is also acceptable: an organized and coordinated form of social relations, aimed at meeting the needs that are significant for society.
It is easy to notice that all of the definitions provided (including the above opinions of scientists) are based on the “three pillars”:
- society;
- organization;
- needs.
But these are not yet full-fledged features of a social institution, rather, support points that should be taken into account.
Institutionalization Conditions
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 appropriate system of values and rules;
- material and organizational, labor and financial necessary resources.
Stages of institutionalization
The process of becoming a social institution goes through several stages:
- the emergence and awareness of the need for an institution;
- development of norms of social behavior in the framework of the future institution;
- the creation of their own symbolism, that is, a system of signs that will indicate a 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 a social institution
Signs of the concept of "social institution" characterize it in modern society.
Structural features cover:
- Field of activity, as well as social relations.
- Institutions that have certain powers in order to organize the activities of people, as well as perform various 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 the behavior of people 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 below) divides this concept into four separate types. Each of them includes at least four more specific institutions.
What are the social institutions? The table shows their types and examples.
| Economic Institutions | Political Institutions | Spiritual Institutions | Family Institutes |
| market | political parties | education | marriage |
| wage | state | the science | motherhood |
| own | army | education | paternity |
| money | court | morality | a family |
Spiritual social institutions in some sources are called cultural institutions, and the sphere of the family, in turn, is sometimes called stratification and kinship.
Common signs of a social institution
General, and at the same time basic, signs of a social institution are:
- the circle of subjects that in the course of their activities enter into relationships;
- the sustainability of this relationship;
- a specific (and this means, to some extent formalized) organization;
- behavioral norms and rules;
- functions that ensure the integration of the institution into the social system.
It should be understood that these signs are informal, but logically follow from the definition and functioning of various social institutions. Using them, among other things, it is convenient to analyze institutionalization.
Social Institute: Signs on Case Studies
Each specific social institution has its own characteristics - features. They closely overlap with roles, for example: the main roles of the family as a social institution. That is why it is so significant to consider examples and the corresponding features 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 belongs to the fourth type of institutions covering the same field. Therefore, it is the base and ultimate goal for marriage, fatherhood and motherhood. Moreover, the family also unites them.
Signs of this social institution:
- marriage or blood relationship;
- total family budget;
- cohabitation on the same living space.
The main roles of the
family as a social institution are reduced to the well-known dictum that it is the "cell of society." Essentially, that's exactly the case. Families are particles from the totality of which society is formed. In addition to being a social institution, the family is also called a small social group. And it is no coincidence, since from birth a person develops under its influence and experiences it on himself throughout life.
Education as a social institution
Education is a social subsystem. It has its own specific structure and features.
The main elements of education:
- social organizations and social communities (educational institutions and the division into groups of teachers and students, etc.);
- sociocultural activity in the form of an educational process.
The signs of a social institution include:
- Norms and rules - in the Institute of Education, examples can be considered: craving for knowledge, attendance, respect for teachers and classmates / classmates.
- Symbolism, that is, cultural signs - anthems and emblems of educational institutions, an animal symbol of some famous colleges, emblems.
- Utilitarian cultural traits such as classrooms and classrooms.
- Ideology is the principle of equality between students, mutual respect, freedom of speech and the right to vote, as well as the right to own opinion.
Signs of Social Institutions: Examples
Summarize the information presented here. The signs of a social institution include:
- a set of social roles (for example, father / mother / daughter / sister in a family institution);
- sustainable patterns of behavior (for example, specific patterns for a teacher and student at an educational institution);
- norms (for example, codes and the Constitution of the state);
- symbolism (for example, the institution of marriage or a religious community);
- core values (i.e. morality).
A social institution, the features of which were considered in this article, is designed to guide the behavior of each individual person, being directly a part of his life. At the same time, for example, an ordinary classmate belongs to at least three social institutions: families, schools and states. It is interesting that, depending on each of them, he also has the role (status) that he has and according to which he chooses his model of behavior. She, in turn, sets his characterization in society.