Social Institution

A social institution is not a building, it is not a group of people and not even an organization but, it is a system of the norm or a specific set of ideas to achieve the goal and to perform the activity or to follow it.

It is an organized cluster of folkways and mores(the essential or characteristic customs and conventions of a society or community) centered around a major human society; an organized system of social relationships that embodies certain common values and procedures and meets certain basic needs of society. It has certain norms and values to operate social activities smoothly.

Nature of Social institution:

• Social institutions provide better chances for human survival.
• The central aspects of institutions are the functions and the roles carried out by their members.
• The basic cultural values of a society are embodied in its institutions.
• The claims of the institutions upon the members are known as loyalties
• An institution is an organized way of doing things, but it represents a common procedure.
• The institution is abstract, It does not have a specific location.
• The institution does not have members they have followers.

Eg- Religion is not a group of people, it has a system and regulation (which carry commitment, faith, belief of god, group bond, etc)

Definitions by Renowned sociologists:

• Maciver and Page “Institutions may be defined as the established forms or conditions of procedure characterized by group activities”
• Horton and Hunt, “ an institution is a system of norms to achieve some goal” Or activity that people feel is important.

Functions of Social Institutions:

• They simplify the actions and work of the individual.
• They provide a means to control society and the people who constitute it.
• Every individual is assigned a role depending on which he can achieve and regulate his status.
• They help to maintain order in society

Basic Social Institutions:

The basic social institutions are divided into:

• Micro social institutions
• Macro social institutions

1) Micro social institutions:

• Marriage
• Family
• Kinship system

2) Macro social institutions:

• Economic institutions
• Political institutions
• Educational institutions
• Religious institutions