Social Structure and it's Elements

 

Social Structure

It refers to the social arrangements that are both emerged from and determines the actions of the individuals. It is an abstract and intangible phenomenon. In micro level, social structure are socio-economic stratification, institutions and group. In meso-level, social structure is the social network between individuals or organization. In micro-level, social structure is way norms shape the behaviors of actors within the social system. It regulated through accepted norms and shared values.

Elements of Social Structure:

a.      Institution

It is an established and prevailing pattern of social relationship. There traditional institution are family, religion, politics, education and economics. The modern institution are science and technology, mass media, medicine, sport and military. Social problems are generated by inadequacies in social institutions. For eg: Unemployment is influenced by educational institutions failure to prepare skilled manpower and economic institution’s failure to generate job.

b.     Social Groups

Institutions are made up of social groups. Social group is defined as two or more people  who have a common identity, interaction and form of social relationship. For eg: Family is a social group which is a part of family institutions.

c.      Statuses

Social group consists of statuses. Status is a position a person occupies within a social group. It defines our social identity. Status in the family mays consists of Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, etc. There are two types of social status:

1.     Ascribed Status-Society assigs to an individual on the basis of factors over which the individual has no control. For eg: Caste, gender, race,etc.

2.     Achieved Status-It is assigned on the basis of some characteristic or behavior over which the individual has some control. For eg: College degree, Spouse, parent, bank president, etc.

d.     Roles

Every status is associated with roles. It is the set of rights, obligations and expectations associated with status. It guides our behavior and allows us to predict the behavior of others. Single status involves more than one roles.