- "An institution is a humanly devised structure of rules and norms that shape and constrain individual behavior."
An exploration of the various roles and status positions within social institutions, and how they affect individual behavior and identity.
Social Institutions: These are formal systems created by society, which structures social relationships.
Roles: These are expected behaviors and responsibilities that come with a particular social position.
Status: This refers to an individual's social position within a society, which can be determined by factors such as wealth, occupation, and education.
Social Stratification: This is the hierarchical rank order of individuals or groups within a society based on social status.
Social Mobility: This refers to the ability of individuals to move up or down the social ladder within a given society and its institutional system.
Ascribed status: This is a social status that is assigned at birth or imposed by society based on an individual's attributes such as race, gender, religion or social class/ethnicity.
Achieved Status: This refers to the social status that an individual attains based on their own efforts and accomplishments, for example, by gaining a degree or acquiring wealth.
Social Role Theory: This is a framework that aims to explain how social roles develop and are maintained within societies.
Role Conflict: This refers to the situation where the expectations of multiple roles that an individual has conflicts with one another.
Role Strain: This refers to the difficulty experienced when trying to meet the multiple expectations of a single role.
Gender roles: This refers to expected behavioral norms and responsibilities that are considered appropriate for individuals based on their gender.
Occupational roles and status: This refers to the expectations and responsibilities that come with different types of jobs within a society.
Status inconsistency: This refers to the situation where an individual has a social status that is incongruent with the other statuses they hold, such as a wealthy plumber.
Social Order: This refers to the way in which societies are structured to maintain social stability and control.
Social Categorization: This is the process by which individuals are sorted into groups based on attributes such as race, gender, social class or ethnicity.
Family roles and statuses: Father, mother, son, daughter, sibling, grandparent, great-grandparent, marriage partner, etc. These roles and statuses are typically defined by birth or marriage relationships.
Education roles and statuses: Teacher, student, administrator, staff, etc. These roles and statuses are typically based on the level of education attained.
Religion roles and statuses: Priest, minister, rabbi, imam, layperson, etc. These roles and statuses are based on religious beliefs and practices.
Political roles and statuses: President, governor, mayor, senator, representative, etc. These roles and statuses are based on political power and governance.
Workplace roles and statuses: CEO, manager, supervisor, employee, contractor, etc. These roles and statuses are based on occupational status and tasks.
Legal roles and statuses: Judge, attorney, police officer, correctional officer, litigant, etc. These roles and statuses are based on legal authority and responsibilities.
Military roles and statuses: General, soldier, sailor, airman, etc. These roles and statuses are based on military rank and duty.
Sports roles and statuses: Coach, player, umpire, referee, supporter, etc. These roles and statuses are based on sports-related skills and capabilities.
Entertainment roles and statuses: Actor, musician, artist, director, producer, etc. These roles and statuses are based on artistic talent and production.
Healthcare roles and statuses: Doctor, nurse, therapist, aide, patient, etc. These roles and statuses are based on healthcare training and practice.
- "All definitions of institutions generally entail that there is a level of persistence and continuity."
- "Laws, rules, social conventions, and norms are all examples of institutions."
- "Institutions vary in their level of formality and informality."
- "Political science, anthropology, economics, and sociology...science of institutions, their genesis, and their functioning."
- "Primary or meta-institutions are institutions such as the family or money that are broad enough to encompass sets of related institutions."
- "Institutions are also a central concern for law, the formal mechanism for political rule-making and enforcement."
- "Historians study and document the founding, growth, decay, and development of institutions as part of political, economic, and cultural history."