4

Primary Concepts in Sociology

1. INTRODUCTION

Individuals and society are inter-related, and they are like the two sides of the same coin. Each influences the other. We cannot understand man and society without any knowledge of mechanism and construction of society, and sociology is a comprehensive discipline which fulfils this task. Man is a group animal. This is equivalent to saying that he is a social animal, for society is composed of groups. The life of an individual is determined by the society in which he lives. He comes into the world as a helpless little creature, endowed with the genetic potentialities of becoming a human being. Without the constant influence of group contacts, however, these biological potentialities would never be realized. From birth to death, his conduct is formed and modified by social influences outside himself. These influences are exerted by parents, siblings, playmates, teachers, religious instructors, business associates, and intimate friends.

The scientific study of human society will provide ultimately a body of knowledge and principles that will help in controlling the conditions of social life and improving them. Besides, sociology keeps up-to-date of modern situations, and it contributes in making the individual a good citizen. It also helps the individual to find his relation to society and it explains the essence of genuine democracy. It indicates the necessity of overcoming narrow personal prejudice, egoistic ambitions, and class hatreds.

2. SOCIETY

Sociology is the scientific study of social relations, institutions, and society. What is society? McIver and Page call it ‘the web of social relationships’, which is always changing: a system of procedures, usages, groupings, folklore, modes of conduct, assistance, and so on, that continually guides human behaviour. These relationships may be simple or complex; permanent or temporary. Society goes beyond individuals and their lives to their mutual interactions and interrelations. It is a complex structure formed by these mutual relations; it is a system, a pattern. Society in general cannot be limited within any space or time. But a society—meaning a particular society—is demarcated by geographical limits. In this way, the societies of people who live in India, Russia, China, and other countries are differentiated from one another, whereas the name human society or merely society’ would apply to all people of all countries in the world. Sociologists have defined society in various ways (Box 4.1), some as a grouping of people and some as an established pattern of relationships.

2.1. Characteristics of Society

2.1.1. Society Is Abstract

While describing the nature of society, it is necessary to keep in mind the prominent difference between society and a society. In this way, society is abstract because it is constituted of the social relations, customs, and laws, besides other elements. In the words of Odum, in another aspect, society may be visualized as the behaviour of human beings and the consequent problems of relationship and adjustments that arise.

2.1.2. Society Is Not Any Group of People

Some sociologists have viewed society as a group of people. Hankins writes that we may for our purpose here define society as any permanent or continuing group of men, women, and children able to carry on independently the process of racial perpetuation and maintenance on their own cultural level.

2.1.3. Society Is an Organization of Relationships

Society is an organization, a system, or a pattern of relationships among human beings. Parsons has written that society may be defined as the total complex of human relationships insofar as they grow out of action in terms of means—end relationships, intrinsic or symbolic.

2.1.4. Psychic Element in Social Relationships

According to Maclver and Giddings and some other sociologists, social relationships invariably posses a psychic element, which takes the form of awareness of another’s presence, common objectives, common interest, and so on. There is neither any society nor any social relationship without this realization. Society exists only where social beings behave towards one another in a manner determined by the recognition of one another.

2.1.5. Society Controls and Liberates Human Behaviour

In society, the individual is given liberty with respect to many kinds of changes. Society controls and directs human behaviour through informal and formal norms and codes. Every society has its own rules regarding how to behave and how not to. These may be formal, as in laws, or informal, as in customs and mores. These rules define as much our liberties: what we are free to do and achieve, as our limits: what we should not and must not do. In most societies, people have the freedom to get educated, choose a desired profession, marry and beget children, think independently, and to express their thoughts in an appropriate manner.

2.1.6. The Many Groups and Divisions in Society

There are many groups and divisions in each society. Some groups are bound together by a common region and a feeling of belonging together: these are called primary groups, such as the family and neighbourhood. Other groups are brought together with some common purpose that its members share: these are secondary groups, such as unions and labour unions. Both kinds of groups are extremely important for the development of social life.

But if groups bring together people, creating a sense of inclusion, they also create a sense of exclusion among people who do not belong to particular groups. An in-group is one’s own group, towards which one feels a sense of belonging. An out-group, on the other hand, is a group to which one does not belong, and which one opposes or competes against. In-groups and out-groups are an indicator of social identity and mark the divisions in society.

2.1.7. Liberty of the Individual

In society, the individual has the liberty to pursue several ways of his own choosing. In all civilized societies of the world, people have the freedom to make themselves educated, choose a profession of their own liking marry and beget children, and think and express themselves.

2.1.8. Mutual Assistance

In society, even inequality is based upon mutual relationships. People possessing diverse characteristics often assume complementary roles. People of opposite sexes are able to achieve more intense and intimate relations than individuals of the same sex because each fulfils the deficiency of the other. In the same way, people who differ from one another in respect of income, status, wealth, education, and so on, help and assist each other.

2.1.9. Usages and Customs

Man is a social being. His very existence and development is rendered impossible in the absence of society. He has to establish relations with the other members of society to fulfil his own needs. These relations lead to mutual behaviour. This behaviour becomes progressively complex and takes the form of usage or custom.

2.1.10. Authority

Inequality is inevitable in every society. This leads to an exercise of authority by the superiors over the inferiors. In this kind of relationship, those who consider themselves superior regulate or control other individuals or classes in such a way that the latter evince a sense of respect, faith, and subordination towards the former.

2.1.11. Institutions

Institutions, such as education, marriage, family, inheritance, and religious beliefs have a significant role in society. Maclver calls these institutions by the name procedures.

2.1.12. Organization

Every society has its own individual and unique organization in which there is division of labour of one kind or the other. People who are completely disorganized cannot be said to be consisting a society.

2.1.13. Assistance

Durkheim has expressly said that, due to division of work, there is greater evidence of dissimilarity. The life of society depends upon mutual assistance.

2.1.14. Limitations of Independence

An important element in the organization of society is independence. But man cannot satisfy his needs if he leads a solitary life. So, he needs society and stays in society because it is his nature. The members of society are dependent upon one another for the fulfilment of their needs.

2.2. Society Has Both Similarities and Differences

2.2.1. Similarities in Society

Social relationships exist because there is similarity of interests, objectives, mores, needs, and so on. This is why we find only human beings in human society. Man cannot share interests, mores, objectives, and others, with animals. Although variations can be seen with time and place, the fundamental elements of human society remain more or less the same. For example, men and women of all ages and all countries have experienced and exhibited a very natural attraction for each other, and will continue to do so. Family, the basic unit of society, has this mutual attraction as its basis.

2.2.2. Differences in Society

However, social organization cannot be based on similarity alone. Take the economic structure of society, for example. It is based upon division of labour, which inherently has differences or dissimilarities in the professional and economic activities of people. Again, consider the case of culture. There are differences in thoughts and views across generations, age groups, classes, and so on. It is these differences that lead to the prosperity of culture.

2.2.3. Both Are Essential

Thus, human society has both similarities and differences. And both these elements are essential for the existence, organization, and development of society. No matter how much the diversity in races and nations, a sense of unity is raking roots among people across the world. However, this unity of the world cannot be achieved by the process of homogenization. What is required is a synthesizing of these differences. The entire world needs to practice what India has long practiced—‘Unity in diversity’.

2.3. Functions of Society

• The social group may be defined as two or more persons who are in communication over an appreciable period of time and who act in accordance with a common function or purpose.
• Even in a society that places such a premium upon individual attainment, however, man is still primarily a group product. In the great sweep of human development, man has acted largely in a group role, cooperating with others to keep himself alive to hand on the social heritage from one generation to the next.
• Human society is dynamic in nature. It keeps on changing because of various factors, such as economic, culture, political, and so on.
• The various social factors, such as the customs, traditions, beliefs, mores, and so on though deep rooted in the human society and transmitted from generation to generation, they may have to change from time to time and the behavioural pattern of the individual also changes.
• To study the various social problems of the human society and human needs, observational studies needs to be conducted for understanding the development of the individual and society.
• Scientific study of society is needed in order to make necessary adjustments. The home, family, school, church, religion, state, government, and so on are some of great institutions through which human society functions.
• Society is defined as a complex of groups in reciprocal relationships, interacting upon one another, enabling human organisms to carry on their life-activities and helping each person to fulfil his wishes and accomplish his interests in association with his fellows.
• Society is in a wide sense. It has both structural and functional organization since society consist of mutual relationship with these individuals and maintains structure formed by these relations.
• Society studies the relationship between the individuals, which involves both the similarities and differences among human beings who form the society, and also studies various manifestations, which means different forms of people, that affects the relationship in the society.
• Society is the division of labour, co-operation, associate to the business partnership, affection of home, and so forth.
• Social relationships are as varied as society. The relationship of voters to candidates, employers, friends, social relationships, our language are all social relationships in mutual recognition.

3. COMMUNITY

Community is a basic unit of social structure used frequently in sociology. This term generally refers to a pioneer settlement, a village, a city, a tribe, or a nation. It is applicable to a group of people, large or small, who live together and share the basic conditions of a common life. The community environment is very important since the social support and social problems are directly related to the equilibrium of an individual. Community is a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.

3.1. Essential Elements of Community

3.1.1. Group of People

Community is a group of human beings. It is not possible to form a community without a group of men and women.

3.1.2. Definite Locality

Community means it always frames particular geographical area, and based on the locality and physical basis of the area community is defined. Without identifying or locating an area social relations between human beings cannot be established and there will be no we feeling in the society.

3.1.3. Community Sentiment

Community sentiment means a feeling of belonging together. It is ‘we feeling’ among the members. The members of a community speak the same language, conform to the same mores, posses the same sentiment, and have the same attitudes.

3.1.4. Likeness

The people in a community share a common way of life. Their customs, traditions, mores, language, and so on are similar.

3.1.5. Permanency

A community is not temporary like a crowd or a mob. It is relatively stable. It includes a permanent life in a definite place.

3.1.6. Neutrality

Communities are not deliberately created. They are not made by planned efforts. An individual is born in a community. It has a natural growth of its own.

3.1.7. A Particular Name

Every community has some particular name. In the words of Lumley, ‘It points identity, it indicates reality, it points out individuality, it often describes personality and each community is something of a personality.’

3.1.8. Size

A community may be big or small. A small community may be included in a wider community. For example, a city and a village may be included in a district. District may enclose small communities, for example, villages, towns, tribes.

3.1.9. Wider Ends

People in community share several common interests. They associate not for the fulfilment of a particular end. The ends of a community are wider. People work together to fulfil some common interests.

3.1.10. Regulation of Relations

Every community in course of time develops a system of traditions, customs, and morals.

3.2. Characteristics of Community

3.2.1. Group of Human Beings

A community is a group of human beings. If there is no group of human beings, the question of there being a community simply does not arise.

3.2.2. Definite Locality

Definite locality is an essential condition for a community. If a group of human beings does not live in a particular area, the relation between them cannot be established. Besides, there will be no we feeling among them.

3.2.3. Likenesses

It is evident from Green’s definition given earlier that a community shares a common way of life. It exhibits similarity and concurrence in language, customs, mores, traditions, and so on. People conform to the same mores and speak the same language.

3.2.4. Community Sentiment

These likenesses lead to a similar way of feeling and doing things. People in a community evince similar interests and attitudes. They feel nearly the same sentiments. This is the real bond behind the we feeling that exists in a community.

Figure 4.1 Characteristics of Community

3.2.5. Natural

Communities are not made or created voluntarily. They are natural. An individual becomes the part of a community right since his or her birth. Later, it is this community that aids his or her development.

3.2.6. No Legal Status

A community does not have any legal status. As a result, it can neither sue nor be sued. The law does not hold it responsible for any sort of rights or duties.

3.2.7. Permanence

Unlike a crowd, a community is not transitory and temporary. It is essentially a permanent life in a definite place. A community also exists over and above the existence of its individual members, so deaths of individual members do not mean the end of a community.

3.2.8. Some Particular Name

Every community has some particular name. It is this name that expresses the individuality or personality of its locality. According to Lumley, it points to identity and individuality; it indicates reality; it often describes personality; and each community is something of a personality.

3.2.9. Wider Ends

People do not live in communities for the fulfilment of a particular end. They can live their lives almost wholly within a community, and so the community has a wider social function for an individual: that of being responsible for his or her upbringing and socialization of its members as a whole.

Community is different from society in the respects mentioned in Table 4.1.

 

TABLE 4.1 Difference between Community and Society

Community	Society
A group of individuals	A web of social relationships
A definite geographical area is essential	A definite geographical area is not necessary
Concrete	Abstract
Community sentiment is essential	Community sentiment or a sense of unity is not necessary
There cannot be more than one society in a community	There can be more than one community in society
A common agreement on interests and objectives is necessary	Common interests and objectives are not necessary
The common objectives are extensive and coordinated	The common objectives are less extensive and coordinated

3.3. What Makes Community Sentiment

3.3.1. We Feeling

The most important element in community sentiment is the we feeling. This feeling arises primarily due to a similarity of interests among people who live in the same place.

Feeling does not look upon themselves as distant, aloof individuals. They identify with one another, with one another pleasures, and with one another’s pains. We often see such we feeling among people of a village. Among town dwellers, the immigrant community is especially known for its we feeling.

3.3.2. Role Feeling

In a community; every individual has a particular role to perform in accordance with his merit and status. In this way, everyone contributes to the community. The desire to contribute in this manner stems from community sentiment. It is this sentiment that makes an individual conscious of his obligatory role for the community.

3.3.3. Sense of Dependence

An individual believes that he is dependent upon the community and that the community subsumes him. Thanks to this feeling, he does not resist whatever the community determines for him. In fact, he tries to work in favour of the community. There is a marked difference between community and neighbourhood (Table 4.2).

 

TABLE 4.2 Difference between Community and Neighbourhood

Community	Neighbourhood
A unit of society	A unit of community
Wide circle of personal acquaintance	Narrow circle of personal acquaintance
Extensive	Limited
More organized and controlled	No particular organization
Prominent importance of community sentiment	Prominent importance of sentiment of local unity
Community sentiment is stronger	Sentiment of neighbourhood is comparatively less strong

3.4. Functions of Community

The important functions of community are as follows:

• Community provides space for housing, and shelter for socialization and recreation.
• Community provides safety and security by protecting the community members. Community protects and conserves the life, health, resources, and property of individuals.
• Community helps to make available means for production and distribution of necessary goods and services.
• Community links with social system outside the community for meeting needs of its members.
• Community educates and acculturates newcomers like immigrants and children.
• Community transmits the ideas, information, and beliefs.
• Community provides opportunities for employment and sustenance.

4. ASSOCIATION

An association is a group of people organized for a particular purpose or a limited number of purposes. It is a rationally constituted organization of human beings, for the fulfilment of objectives, which has its own rules and its own modus operandi (mode of operation). According to Bogardus, an association is usually a working together of people to achieve some purposes. To constitute an association, there must be, first, a group of people. Second, these people must be organized, that is, there must be certain rules for their conduct in the group. Third, they must have a purpose of specific nature to pursue.

Thus family, church, trade union, music club all are examples of association. Associations may be formed on several. bases, for example, on the basis of duration, that is, temporary or permanent like Flood Relief Association, which is temporary, and state, which is permanent, or on the basis of power, that is, sovereign like state, semi-sovereign like a university and non-sovereign like clubs, or on the basis of function, that is, biological like family. Association can also be vocational like a trade union or a teachers’ association, recreational like a tennis club or a music club, or philanthropic like charitable societies.

The elements of association are: a group of people, a common interest, being organized, spirit of co-operation, a set of rules, and code of ethics. An association and society are different in many aspects as shown in Table 4.3. Likewise, there is difference between an association and a community (Table 4.4).

 

TABLE 4.3 Difference between association and Society

Association	Society
A group of people	A system of social relationships
Association is concrete	Society is abstract
Association is temporary	Society is almost permanent
Association is established	Society is natural
Association is based upon co-operation alone	There are both co-operation and conflict in society
Association must be organized	It is not established for society to be organized
The basis of association consists of conscious feelings and thoughts	Society comprehends all conscious and unconscious relations
The objectives of an association are predetermined	The objectives of society are not completely determined
Association is a matter of volition. It is voluntary	Society is inevitable
Association is merely a means	Society is an end in itself

 

TABLE 4.4 Difference between association and Community

Association	Community
An association is voluntarily constituted	A community comes into existence of itself
The membership of an association is voluntary	The membership of a community is compulsory
An association has some definite objectives	The community fulfils all the needs of its members
An association is comparatively unstable	A community is comparatively stable
An intimate community sentiment is not found in an association	A community is based upon an intimate community sentiment
An association has its own property	A community does not have any property of its own
An association has a legal status	A community has no legal status
An association has its own special rules which maintain its harmony	This function is performed by customs and traditions in a community
An association is made for specific interests	A community is formed for common interest
An association is a part of a community. There can be many associations in a community	A community employs an association as the means to fulfilling its special or specific needs
An individual takes part in an association because of particular interests	Man is born in a community, and he also dies in a community
There are invariably some workers to perform the functions of an association	Workers are not indispensable for a community

5. INSTITUTION

An institution is a complete organization of collective behaviour established in the social heritage and meeting some persistent need or want. Every organization is dependent upon certain recognized and established set of rules, traditions, and usages. These usages and rules may be given the name of institutions. They are the forms of procedure which are recognized and accepted by society and govern the relations between individuals and groups. Thus marriage, education, property, and religion are the main institutions.

5.1. Characteristics of Institution

It is evident from the foregoing definitions of institution that an institution is not only an organized form of racial customs, dogmas, and rituals or methods, but also has some definite aims by virtue of which it is beneficial to society.

Figure 4.2 Characteristics of Institution

The following are the characteristics of an institution in a nutshell:

• It has some definite aims.
• It has some rules which individuals must adhere to.
• It has definite procedures which are formulated on the basis of customs and dogmas.
• It depends upon the collective or group activities of man.
• It is formed in order to fulfil primary needs.
• It has a symbol which can be either material or non-material.
• It is a means of controlling individuals.
• It is more stable than other means of social control.

5.2. Social Importance of Institution

An institution is socially important for the following reasons:

• It transfers cultural elements—morals, ideals, knowledge and forms or modes of behaviour from one generation to another.
• This helps the younger generation to solve the problems confronting it.
• This also helps make human behaviour uniform.
• An institution controls the conduct of man and guides man according to circumstances.

An institution is different from an association as shown Table 4.5.

Furthermore, an institution is different from a community (Table 4.6).

 

TABLE 4.5 Difference between Institution and Association

Institution	association
Formless and abstract	Concrete
Evolved	Constituted
Permanent	Comparatively impermanent
Procedure of working	Organized group
Indicative of a method of working	Indicative of membership
Comprises laws and system	Comprises human beings
Aims at primary needs	Aims at other kinds of definite objectives
Dependent upon human activities	Based upon mutual cooperation
Has a definite structure	Has no specific structure
Laws based upon racial customs and dogmas	Laws formed after rational considerations
Compulsory observance of laws	Observance of laws is limited to only as long as membership remains.
A symbol, not a name	Definite name

 

TABLE 4.6 Difference between Institution and Community

Institution	Community
Fulfils primary needs	There is no such definite aim
Dependent upon collective activity	Dependent upon mutual relations
A particular type of behaviour	No particular type of behaviour
The structure of an institution encompasses workers, festivals and rituals, besides social relations	The structure of a community is inclusive of a group of human beings, community sentiments, and social relations
Indicative of procedures	Indicative of organization
Draws its life-breath from association and communities	It is of spontaneous birth
Abstract	Concrete
An institution is related to a particular sphere of life	It is related to the community life in its entirety

6. ORGANIZATION

Organization means an arrangement of persons or parts. Thus, family, church, college, factory, a play group, a political party, a community, an empire, and the United Nations, all are examples of organizations. There are many kinds of organizations. A state is called a political organization because it is concerned with political matters. A factory is called an economic organization because it is concerned with production and distribution of wealth. A church is a religious organization. A bank is a financial organization. A college is an educational organization. However, all these organizations are also social organizations as they are organizations of society.

Thus, in sociology, the term social organization is used in a wide sense to include any organization of society.

6.1. Essential Elements of Organization

6.1.1. A Goal

The members of an organization are inter-related to each other for the pursuit of a common goal. They have unity of interest. In the absence of such unity; they would fall apart, and the organization would come to an end.

6.1.2. Preparedness to Accept One’s Role and Status

An organization is an arrangement of persons and parts. By arrangement is meant that every member of the organization has an assigned role, a position, and status. Man enjoys status in proportion to the social value of his role. In an organization, all the members have an assigned role and status. They should be prepared to accept their roles and do acts which the role assigned to them expects of them.

6.1.3. Norms and Mores

Every organization has its norms and mores that control its members. Norms are the socially approved ways of behaviour. The norms define the roles of an individual. An organization can function smoothly if its members follow its norms. A family has its norms. The father and mother and the children have their assigned roles and are expected to behave according to family norms.

6.1.4. Sanctions

Every organization has a system of sanctions which support the norms. If a member does not follow the norms, he is compelled to follow them through sanctions, which may range from warning to physical punishment.

7. SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Social structure is the basic concept in sociology. Herbert Spencer was the first thinker to throw light on the structure of society, but he could not give clear-cut definitions. Spencer’s evaluation of structure as the maintenance of component parts as independent units was indeed a positive step in the development of structural studies.

The units were considered independent structures in the society; preliminary requirement is the maintenance of the total whole society as one unit.

Social structure studies are of special and basic interest to the social anthropologist since most of the complexities in pre-literate societies and their peculiar customs can be understood in their basic structural terms. Thus, the whole structure of many primitive societies can be understood only in relation to their kinship structure, which extends its tentacles in all directions. Starting from the elementary family, various peculiar terminologies and their implications can be understood only in kinship terms.

7.1. Social Structure and Role

In a social structure roles are more important than role occupants. Role occupants in turn divide themselves into sub-groups. According to Johnson, it will be manifestly untrue to say that all the stability, regularity, and recurrence that can be observed in social interaction are due to normative patterning, roles and sub-groups of various types are the parts of social structure to the extent that stability, regularity, and recurrence in social interaction are due to the social norms that define roles and obligation of sub-groups.

Sub-groups and roles are closely linked with each other because all those who are required to perform certain roles have some duties and obligations towards the group to which they belong. The responsibilities of role occupants are of different types and can be broadly divided into obligatory and permissive. Each social structure has also quasi-structural aspect. In complex society there can be standardized or institutionalized norms. Every rigid social structure is bound to result in social disharmony. In a human society its structure must go on changing.

8. SOCIAL SYSTEM

A social system is an orderly and systematic arrangement of social interactions. The word system signifies patterned relationship among the constituent parts of structure that is based on functional relations and which makes these parts active and binds them into unity. It is a network of interactive relationships; it may be defined as a plurality of individuals interacting with each other according to shared cultural norms and meanings. The constituent parts of social system are individuals. Each individual has a role to play. He or she participates in interactive relationships. He or she influences the behaviour of each individual and is influenced by their behaviour. The behaviour of individuals and groups in society is controlled by social institutions. The various groups do not act in an independent and isolated manner.

8.1. Special Features of a System

• System is not a unitary concept. A system is made of different parts which together constitute a system.
• Mere collection of these parts does not make a system. These parts must be arranged in a systematic manner. There must be a systematic relationship between them.
• The arrangements of these parts should create a pattern. The parts of a watch should be so arranged that it may create a specific pattern called a watch.
• There is a functional relationship among the parts of a system. Each part has a function to perform. The system is related with every part and every part is related to the system.
• The plurality of parts creates unity although the parts perform different functions. In a system the parts do not lose their existence. They continue to exist and perform their specific functions.
• It may also be noted that a defect in any part may affect the working of the system.

8.2. Types of System

8.2.1. Natural System

The natural system is created by nature. It is independent of man’s will, it is of two types: (i) inorganic and (ii) organic. The inorganic relates to non-living things. The organic relates to biological things like the human body.

8.2.2. Man-made System

The man-made system is created by man. It may be of four types: (i) mechanical system; (ii) personality system; (iii) cultural system; and (iv) social system, in the development of structural studies.

8.3. Characteristics of the Social System

1. Social System Is Based on Social Interaction: The social system is based on the interaction of plurality of individuals. When a number of individuals act and interact, the interaction produces a system that is called social system.
2. Interaction Should Be Meaningful: Social system is an organization of meaningful interactions. Aimless and meaningless interactions do not produce a social system.
3. Social System Is a Unity: Social system is a state or condition where the various parts are arranged in an integrated manner. A social system implies order among the interacting units of the system.
4. Functional Relationship: The parts of social system are related on the basis of functional relationship.
   

   Figure 4.3 Characteristics of Social System

5. Social System Is Related with Cultural System: Culture determines the nature and scope of inter-relations and interactions of the members of society
6. Social System Has Environmental Aspects: A social system is related to a particular age, a definite territory, and a particular society.

8.4. Elements of Social Structure

Normative system presents the society with the ideals and values. The people attach emotional importance to these norms. The institutions and associations are inter-related according to these norms. The individuals perform their roles in accordance with the accepted norms of society.

Position system refers to the statuses and roles of the individuals. The desires, aspirations, and expectations of the individuals are varied, multiple, and unlimited. So these can be fulfilled only if the members of the society are assigned different roles according to their capacities and capabilities. Actually the proper functioning of social structure depends upon proper assignments of roles and statues. For the proper enforcement of norms, every society has a sanction system. The integration and coordination of the different parts of social structure depend upon conformity of social norms. The stability of a social structure depends upon the effectiveness of its sanction system.

The anticipated response system calls upon the individuals to participate in the social system. Their preparation sets the social structure in motion. The successful working of social structure depends upon the realization of duties by the individuals and their efforts to fulfil these duties.

It is object of the goal to be arrived at by the social structure. The whole social structure revolves around it. The action is the root cause which weaves the web of social relationships and sets the social structure in motion.

Social structure is an abstract entity. Its parts are dynamic and constantly changing. They are spatially widespread and therefore difficult to see as wholes. Social structure denotes patterns which change more slowly than the particular personnel who constitute them.

8.5. Relationship between Social Structure and Social System

The two concepts of social structure and social system are closely related to each other. Social system relates to the functional aspect of social structure. Both social structure and social system go together. Social structure is the means through which social system functions. The value of any structure depends upon the manner in which it accomplishes its functions. When a social structure does not function properly, we try to modify it, for example, if the family does not accomplish its purpose, we modify it, for example, in place of polygamous families we have monogamous families. The educational system may be modified if it fails to accomplish the purpose of education. Structure is useless without function and function is only accomplished through some structure. In short, social structure and social system go together.

There is another aspect of the relationship between social structure and social system. The nature of functions to be carried out influences the form of structure. And the form of structure will influence the functions to perform. Thus, if we want our social system to function in a democratic way, the parts of social structure will have to be organized on a democratic basis. The state cannot function democratically unless its structure is democratic, or to put it in other words, if our state is dictatorial in its structure, it will function in a dictatorial manner. The traditional family is unsuited to modern needs. Hence, there is a change in the structure of family in modem times. A rigid social structure may fail to meet the needs of a changing society. While norms are necessary to regulate the social system, it is also equally necessary that the parts of social structure should be allowed to use their creative capacity.

• Nursing students should understand the characteristics, differences, and similarities between the societies.
• They should learn about the functions of the society and inculcate essential elements, characteristics, functions, and community sentiments in their minds.
• They should understand about association; institution and its characteristics; importance of organization and its essential elements; social structure and its role, special features of social system and its types, elements, characteristics, and relationship between the social system and structure.
• They should apply the gained knowledge in their future nursing practice in their society.

I. LONG ESSAY

• Define primary groups. Explain in detail about the characteristics of society.
• Define community. Explain in detail about characteristics of community.

II. SHORT ESSAY

• Discuss the differences between society and community.
• Discuss the differences between community and neighbourhood.
• Discuss the differences between association and society.
• Discus the differences between association and community.
• Define institution. Explain the characteristics of association.
• Discuss the differences between institution and association.
• Define organization. Explain the elements of organization.
• Define social system. Explain the special features of social system.

III. SHORT ANSWERS

• Explain types of social system.
• Explain social structure.
• Define institution.
• Explain characteristics and importance of institution.
• Explain We-feeling

IV. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. Which one is an institution?
   1. family
   2. stateorms
   3. party systemorms
   4. all the above
2. An association is characterized by
   1. norms
   2. customsorms
   3. folkwaysorms
   4. usage
3. Status and rank characterizes the members
   1. a tribe
   2. casteorms
   3. societyorms
   4. clan
4. Which is not an organization?
   1. college
   2. factoryorms
   3. raceorms
   4. prison
5. Which is not an institution?
   1. marriage
   2. theatreorms
   3. inheritanceorms
   4. property
6. Which one of the following is not the basic element of a community?
   1. relationship with environment
   2. legal bindingorms
   3. relationship with territory
   4. psychological feeling
7. What makes a society?
   1. the people
   2. the places of their residence
   3. reciprocity
   4. time boundness
8. Which among the following is an organization?
   1. UNO
   2. international law
   3. diplomacy
   4. diplomatic protection
9. The function in a social structure has been classified by Johnsons as
   1. manifest and latent
   2. objective and subjective
   3. involved and relative
   4. dormant and latent
10. Herbert Spencer classified the society into
    1. four classes
    2. eight classes
    3. two classesorms
    4. three classes

ANSWERS

1. d 2. a 3. b 4. c 5. b 6. c 7. c 8. a 9. a 10. a

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