Social Institutions

An institution is a system of norms to achieve some goal, and an organized system of social relationships which embodies certain common values and procedures and meet certain basic needs of the society.

Social Institutions
In the definition: Common values refer to shared ideas and goals. common procedures are the standardized behavioral patterns followed. System of relationships is the network of roles and statuses through which people carryout this behavior. Five important basic institutions in complex societies are: the familial, religious, governmental, economic and educational institutions.
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Social Institutions The Family

Family is found in all societies, it is also called kinship-a social bond based on blood, marriage or adoption who live together. Individuals are born into the family composed of parents/siblings known as family of orientation, because of its importance in socialization. In adulthood, people form a family of procreation in order to have or adopt children of their own. Today some people object to the traditional idea of couples and children as families, therefore many people recognize families of affinity, the people with or without legal ties who feel they belong together.
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The Family
Culturally and religiously, marriage is the right setting for having children explains the historical description born out of wedlock as illegitimate. Matrimony in Latin means conditions for motherhood. The link between having children and being married is weakened in the west, and number of children born out of wedlock to single women has increased. In primitive societies, family was the only institution that existed, and only authority was the family authority. As the cultural complexity increased, other institutions have grown from this basic institution.
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The Family Structure

For sociologists the definition of family is unsatisfactory, as it excludes the extended family, which is the basic institution in many societies. The more sociological definition of the family is: a kinship grouping which provides for the rearing of children and for certain other human needs. If society is to survive, people must find some workable and dependable way of pairing off, conceiving & raising children, meeting economic needs, caring for ill and aged, and carrying out certain other functions. These family functions vary from society to society, while the family forms vary more greatly.
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Composition of the Family Groups

Family Structure-- Nuclear Family. Extended Family. Blended Family Mate SelectionEndogamy. Exogamy Residence--Matrilocal. Patrilocal. Neolocal Forms of MarriageMonogamy. Polygamy. Polyandry AuthorityMatriarchy. Patriarchy. Egalitarian Descent/InheritanceMatrilineal. Patrilineal. Bilineal
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Functions of The Family

Traditionally, family as an institution has served a number of important functions in society, including, sexual regulation, biological reproduction, the care and socializing of the young, economic functionproviding food/shelter, warmth for family members and emotional intimacy. In some societies, other institutions could fill these functions better than the family. But in most societies family is still the basic unit.
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Functions of The family

Sexual Regulatory Function. Sex is an important drive in human beings and it has the potential of disrupting relationships in social groups, therefore every society has developed norms governing sexual relations. Today various categories of sexual relations are possible, including marital, incest and homosexual, but marriage recognizes and approves the sexual union of two or more individuals and includes a set of mutual rights and obligations.

Functions Of The Family

Reproductive Function. Every society depends primarily upon the family for producing children, it does not only legitimize the children but also morally binds the society to strictly follow the incest taboo. When people had relatively short life span, and infant mortality rate was high, the emphasis was upon forming families and having as many children as possible. Today society shows opposite tendency, life expectancy extended and infant mortality dropped, therefore small family is preferred.
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Functions of Family
Care and socialization of Children. All over the world, family is the standard institution for looking after the children. Russia and China did experiment with special child care facilities to raise the children more scientifically and to free their mothers for labor. Russia abandoned it, and in China, family and school cooperate closely to socialize the child for conformity, obedience, and altruism. Modern Israel, children are kept in Kibbutz the communal cottage and looked after by the nursery workers. But it is no longer a popular practice.
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Functions of Family
Care & Socialization (contd.) Family is the first primary group where the personality development begins. By the time the child goes to school, foundations of personality are already laid. By providing role models for the child to copy, the family socializes the child. Learning disabilities are sometimes the outcome of family atmosphere.
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Functions of the Family

Affection and Care. Strongest social need is companionship & intimate/affectionate human response. The person who has never been loved is seldom happy, healthy and useful. Other than spouse, the individual needs for intimacy may be met by other family members, such as siblings, parents and children. Most societies rely almost entire upon family for the intimate response and for some companionship need is filled partly by the family and partly by other groups.
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Functions of Family
Status Definition. In family setting, one inherits a string of statuses. One is ascribed several statuses within the familyage, sex, birth order and many cases social class. In a society with a class system, the class status of the childs family determines the opportunities and rewards open to it and the expectations through which others may inspire or discourage it. The assignment of class may seem unfair; yet it is inevitable. The family can not avoid preparing the child for a class status similar to its own. The child naturally absorbs from its family a set of interests, values, and life habits.
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Functions of Family
The Protective Function. In all societies the family offers some degree of physical, economic and psychological protection to its members. An attack on person is considered an attack on ones family, all members bound to defend or revenge the injury. Guilt and shame is equally shared by all family members. In primitive societies, as long as ones relatives have food, one has no fear of hunger.
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Functions of Family
The Economic Function. The human species must work to meet the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter and water. In most societies, the basic economic unit is the family. In primitive societies, members work together as a team and share jointly in their produce. In some societies the clan is the basic unit for working and sharing, but more often it is the family. The situation now, however is changing, but traditional families do respect family preferences.
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Changing Family Structure

Family size has declined Single-parent families have increased Unmarried parenthood has increased Single-person households have increased Non-marital cohabitation has increased The quiet revolution in womens employment. Women are opting for careers rather than a job. The status of divorce has changed
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Changing Family Functions

The economic functions have greatly declined The sexual regulation functions have diminished The reproductive function has declined in importance The socialization function has grown in importance The protective functions have declined and family violence cases are on the rise.
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The Future of The Family

Discussion Nuclear family is crumbling and will be replaced by the free floating couples less tied to children, closed friends and friends than in the past. Next few decades may see a return to a more highly structured, traditional, and less permissive family than that of today. In fact rapidly growing movement called Toughlove is encouraging parents to be firm and strict in enforcing rules within the family.
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