Social Institutions

A social institution can be defined as the structural system within a society that purpose to meet all its needs by creating a linkage to the individuals and the larger culture. Example of social institutions in the US include Family, Religion, Law, Politics, Economies, Education, Science, Medicine, Military and Mass media. These institutions channel behavior in prescribed ways in the important areas of social life. Normally, a society comprises of people who are responsible for devising and passing on sets of normative elements like norms, values and role expectations which must be followed by the succeeding generations.

These set of social institutions act as regulatory agencies that channel behavior according to a culturally prescribed ways. An individual therefore will follow this procedures and his human conduct is patterned and compelled to go in ways that are considered desirable by the society. {Allyn&Bacon2001} Education system is a system within the social institution responsible for transmitting knowledge and skills across generations. {Nash et al 1992}.

The society has structured norms and values within which an individual must follow such as academic honesty, good grades; peer approval and so on. The individual undergoes the process of socialization and this process ushers in different newcomers into the society for the purpose of survival, society stability and unity. Nash J. E&Calonica. J. M, 1992 said social institutions are names we give to ways of thinking. In this sense they depend on human thought and emotions and they can therefore not exist without people.

Education is founded on human knowledge for it is the nature of human beings to think; think about the world, ourselves and human kind itself. Result of this thinking lead to practice and organization. A well educated and knowledgeable person is better placed in learning how the other institutions work and its best referred as a basic ingredient. My positive perception and attitude towards life is a product of a set of actions, procedures and rules that govern my individual way of life.