Page 132 - Essencials of Sociology

The Macrosociological Perspective: Social Structure 105

FIGURE 4.2 Social Institutions in Industrial and Postindustrial Societies

Social Some Groups or
Institution Basic Needs Organizations Some Statuses Some Values Some Norms

Regulate Relatives, Daughter, son, Sexual fidelity, Have only as
Family
reproduction, kinship groups father, mother, providing for your many children as;
socialize and brother, sister, family, keeping a you can afford,
protect children aunt, uncle, clean house, be faithful to
grandparent respect for parents your spouse
Concerns about Congregation, Priest, minister, Honoring God Attend worship
Religion life after death, synagogue, rabbi, imam, and the holy services,
the meaning of mosque, worshipper, texts such as the contribute
suffering and loss; denomination, teacher, disciple, Tora, the Bible, money, follow
desire to connect charity, clergy missionary, and the Qur’an the teachings
with the Creator associations prophet, convert

Transmit School, college, Teacher, student, Academic Do homework,
Education
knowledge and student senate, dean, principal, honesty, prepare lectures,
skills across sports team, PTA, football player, good grades, don't snitch on
generations teachers’ union cheerleader being “cool” classmates
Produce and Credit unions, Worker, boss, Making money, Maximize profits,
Economy distribute goods banks, credit buyer, seller, paying bills on “the customer is
and services card companies, creditor, debtor, time, producing always right,”
buying clubs advertiser efficiently work hard

Medicine Heal the sick AMA, hospitals, Doctor, nurse, Hippocratic oath, Don't exploit
and injured, pharmacies, patient, staying in good patients,
care for the HMOs, insurance pharmacist, health, following give best medical
dying companies medical insurer doctor’s orders care available

Allocate power, Political party, President, Majority rule, the Be informed
Politics
determine congress, senator, lobbyist, right to vote as a about
authority, parliament, voter, candidate, privilege and a candidates, vote
prevent chaos monarchy spin doctor sacred trust
Law Maintain social Police, Judge, police Trial by one’s Give true testi-
order, enforce courts, officer, lawyer, peers, innocence mony, follow the
norms prisons defendant, prison until proven guilty rules of evidence
guard

Master the Local, state, Scientist, Unbiased Follow scientific
Science
environment regional, researcher, research, open method,
national, and technician, dissemination of be objective,
international administrator, research findings, disclose findings,
associations journal editor originality don't plagiarize
Provide protection Army, navy, air Soldier, recruit, Willingness to die Follow orders, be
Military
from enemies, force, marines, enlisted person, for one’s country, ready to go to
enforce national coast guard, officer, veteran, obedience unto war, sacrifice for
interests national guard prisoner, spy death your buddies
Disseminate TV networks, radio Journalist, Timeliness, Be accurate,
Mass Media
information, report stations, publishers, newscaster, accuracy, freedom fair, timely, and
events, mold association of author, editor, of the press profitable
public opinion bloggers publisher, blogger
Source: By the author.

2. Socializing new members. Each baby must be taught what it means to be a member
of the group into which it is born. To accomplish this, each human group develops
devices to ensure that its newcomers learn the group’s basic expectations. As the
primary “bearer of culture,” the family is essential to this process, but other social
institutions, such as religion and education, also help meet this basic need.