One of the factors that characterize society as a whole is the totality of social institutions. Their location seems to be on the surface, which makes them especially good objects for observation and control.
In turn, a complex organized system with its own norms and rules is a social institution. Its signs are different, but classified, and it is they that are to be considered in this article.
The concept of a social institution
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 framework of society. The division into forms, Spencer said, is produced under the influence of the differentiation of society. He divided the whole society into three main institutions, among which:
- reproductive;
- distributive;
- regulating.
E. Durkheim's opinion
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 establish responsibility betweeninter-institutional forms and the needs of society.
Karl Marx
The author of the famous "Capital" evaluated social institutions from the point of view of industrial relations. In his opinion, 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". In principle, all the features of a social institution are reduced to this definition.
The definition includes the form of consolidation and the form of implementation of specialized activities. The purpose of social institutions is to ensure the stability of the functioning of communications within society.
A short definition of the term is also acceptable: an organized and coordinated form of social relations, focused on meeting the needs that are significant for society.
It is easy to see 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, key points that should be taken into account.
Institutionalization conditions
The process of institutionalization is the formation of a socialinstitute. 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 needed.
Stages of institutionalization
The process of establishing a social institution goes through several stages:
- emergence and awareness of the need for an institution;
- development of norms of social behavior within the framework of the future institution;
- creating your own symbols, that is, a system of signs that will indicate the social institution being created;
- formation, development and definition of a system of roles and statuses;
- creation of the material basis of the Institute;
- integrating the institution 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 specificrules 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 (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 institutions |
| market | political parties | education | marriage |
| wages | state | science | maternity |
| property | army | education | paternity |
| money | court | morality | family |
Spiritual social institutions in some sources are called institutions of culture, and the sphere of the family, in turn, is sometimes called stratification and kinship.
General features of a social institution
General, and at the same time the main, signs of a social institution are:
- circle of entities that enter into relationships in the course of their activities;
- the sustainability of these relationships;
- definite (which means, in one way or anotherformalized) 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. With the help of them, among other things, it is convenient to analyze institutionalization.
Social institution: signs on concrete examples
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 revealing to consider examples and their 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 belongs to the fourth type of institutions covering the same area. Therefore, it is the basis and ultimate goal for marriage, fatherhood and motherhood. In addition, the family also unites them.
Signs of this social institution:
- marriage or consanguinity;
- general family budget;
- shared living space.
The main roles of the family as a social institution boil down to the well-known saying that it is a "cell of society". Essentially, that's exactly what it is. Families are particles, ofthe 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, because from birth a person develops under its influence and experiences it for himself throughout his life.
Education as a social institution
Education is a social subsystem. It has its own specific structure and characteristics.
Key elements of education:
- social organizations and social communities (educational institutions and division into groups of teachers and students, etc.);
- sociocultural activity in the form of a learning process.
Signs of a social institution include:
- Norms and rules - at the institute of education, examples include: thirst for knowledge, attendance, respect for teachers and classmates.
- Symbols, that is, cultural signs - anthems and coats of arms of educational institutions, the animal symbol of some famous colleges, emblems.
- Utilitarian cultural traits such as classrooms and classrooms.
- Ideology - 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
Summarize the information presented here. Signs of a social institution include:
- set of social roles (for example, father/mother/daughter/sister at the family institution);
- sustainable behaviors(for example, certain models for the teacher and student at the Institute of Education);
- norms (for example, codes and the Constitution of the state);
- symbols (for example, the institution of marriage or a religious community);
- basic values (i.e. morality).
The social institution, the features of which were discussed 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 senior student belongs to at least three social institutions: the family, the school, and the state. 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 behavior model. She, in turn, defines his characteristics in society.
