Social Institutions

Social Institutions A social institution if an organized group that is responsible for socializing people to function in society function as agents of socialization culturally relevant

Agents of Socialization Family - Military Schools - Music group Religion - Volunteer group Government Peers Teams Media Legal system

Functions of a Social Institutions 1. Maintain order and security 2. Shape values and beliefs 3. Help society to function efficiently 4. Act as agents of socialization

Two Types of Institutions: 1. Personal institutions - affect individual lives intimately (eg: family) - direct - smaller groups

2. Impersonal Institutions affect individual lives through large, impersonal groups (eg: government) Indirect fail to recognize unique people reduces individual input

Characteristics of Institutions 1. Usually exist for long periods of time 2. Entrenched structure 3. Change occurs slowly 4. Have a specific purpose 5. Members share values and beliefs

Two Types of Socialization 1. Primary Socialization – (predominantly family) -teaching basic functions such as: - language - hygiene - dealing with emotions - understanding male/female roles

2. Secondary Socialization (all agents) - teaching how to function in: - groups - follow society’s behaviours - follow society’s norms

Agents of Socialization The Family Families are small groups which allow children to closely observe the interactions of their parents and other family members and develop strong emotional bonds.

The Family Is: - the first agent of socialization we encounter in our lives - the most influential - the most constant (cradle to grave) - essential to personality development

The Family Teaches: - language, communication skills (body language) - folkways, morals and laws - how to get along with others through interaction with siblings/relatives - how to develop strong emotional bonds through observation and participation - social capital that determines life chances

Social Capital - Resources that are useful for gaining advantages in life (life chances) Health - ability to afford food, vitamins - knowledge of nutrition - knowledge of the benefits of exercise - leisure time to exercise - regular visits to doctor/dentist

Wealth - class background - schools - family and friendship networks - inheritance - education - technology available at home - confidence/support with decisions

- financial/emotional resources to deal with problems Happiness - financial/emotional resources to deal with problems - financial/emotional resources to afford support - likelihood of attaining dreams - confidence in future

Rhesus Monkey Experiment The following is a description of a social science Experiment performed at the University of Wisconsin in 1967 by Dr. Harry Harlow.

Three rhesus monkeys were removed immediately after birth from their mother. The infant rhesus monkeys were placed in a cage with two substitute mothers. One of the mothers was made of cloth and the other mother was made out of wire with a feeding bottle where the nipple on a real mother would be found. Predict which mother the infant monkeys would choose to be with. Explain why you believe the infant would make this choice.

Experiment Outcome In this experiment, the monkeys preferred the warmth and security of a terry cloth mother over food. Only when the babies needed to be fed did they leave the security of the cloth mother, and then only for short periods of time. Predict what kind of adults these monkeys became?

When the monkeys became older, their behaviour was extremely fearful of anything unusual or outside their life experience. The very limited nature of their life experiences, meant they were fearful and upset most of the time. The presence of other rhesus monkeys was disturbing to them. They were incapable of utilizing facial expressions or of reading facial expressions. As parents these monkeys took no interest in their own infants and had a tendency to be abusive. In general, they had no knowledge of how to raise their own babies and no empathy for their own young. The other infants of the original parents, who were not removed at birth, sought out love and attention from their mothers and the mothers were very nurturing.

What do we learn through socialization?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02r3u59FRPU