Social Structure Social Structure Meaning of Structure The

Social Structure

Social Structure

Meaning of Structure The word ‘Structure’ in its original English meaning refers to “building construction” or “arrangement of parts”, or “manner of organiasation”. Gradually, structure began to imply inter-relations between the parts of any whole. For example, a building which has structure consists of various parts such as stones, sand, bricks, iron, cement, wood, glass etc. Stones Bricks Sand Structure of Building Needs Concretes

In the same way, society too has its own structure called ‘social structure’. The components or units of social structure are “persons”.

Introduction of Social Structure q. The concept of social structure became popular amongst the sociologists, after the World War II. In this period of time the term Social Structure came to be applied to ‘almost any ordered arrangement of social phenomenon’. q. Herbert Spencer was the first sociologist to through light on the structure of the society. He was too much fascinated by his biological analogies(organic structure and evolution) to make clear which he meant by the structure of the society. q. According to him the meaning of social structure can be easily understood if we take an example of the organic structure of body. Body is an arrangement of different parts like legs , mouth , nose and ears , etc. The body works through these interdependent and inter-related parts. Social structure also consists of many parts like families, schools , factories, offices , non-govermental origination , jails , police and hospitals , etc.

Bank Social Structure

q Social Structure is recurring pattern of social behavior. It is based on the working of subgroups and there is always a close relationship between roles and sub-groups because each role occupant is required to perform certain duties towards the members of a sub-group Model of Social Structure Educational System Political System Economic System Stratification System Kinship System

Meaning of Social Structure Social structure refers to the stable patterns of collective rules, roles and activities or in a society or in one of its part. For example, In the University every year seniors depart and a new class of freshman enters, some faculty members are replaced, new classes are added to the curriculum, the administration arranges to include students representatives in its planning sessions, curfews are abolished and tuitions rises yet despite change in the personnel and policies, something about the university remained unchanged. Faculty members still design their courses, assign work to the students and evaluate their progress. This way in which individual faculty members perform their role vary, but the general pattern are much the same and fit together into an overall structure that we call a University. Structure itself remain invisible, it silently shapes our action.

Definitions of Social structure S. F. Nadel – “Social Structure indicates an ordered arrangement of parts which can be treated transferable being relatively invariant while the other parts themselves are variable”. Redcliffe Brown – “The components of social structure are human beings, the structure itself being an arrangement of persons in relationships institutionally defined an regulated”. Moris Ginsberg – “The study of social structure concerned with the principal forms of social structure of social organization, i. e. , types of groups, associations and institutions and he complex of those which constitute societies , … A full account of social structure would involve a review of the whole field of comparative institutions.

Characteristics of Social structure q Social Structure is an Abstract and Intangible phenomenon q Social Structure is comparatively a permanent concept q. Patterned Arrangement q. Normative Base q Social Structure indicates External forms q Social Structure is influenced by the Local Condition q Social Structure does not indicates always the state of organization

q. Importance of Social processes in Social Structure q. Social Structure is formed by many sub – structure – For example, family, religion, economy these social units has their on structure. q. Social Structure is a “living” structure which is created maintained for a time and changes. q Position System: Position system refers to statuses and roles of the individual. The desires and aspirations of the individual are varied. Proper functioning of social structure depends upon proper assignment of roles and statuses. For example, when you hear the word status you are likely to think of position. In Sociology, status refers to the position that an individual occupies. That position may have a great deal of prestige, as in the case of a judge or doctor, or it may carry less prestige, as in the case of with a bus conductor. In addition, all of us occupy several positions at the same time.

q. Sanction System: For the proper enforcement of the norms, every society has a sanction system. It may also be understood from the perspective rewards and punishments or penalties a society prescribes q A System of Anticipated Response: Everyday, we hear the words like “work ethics”, or see the play cards, which read – “city is yours, keep it clean”. All are supposed to be the functions of the system of anticipated responses. The anticipated responses system calls upon the individuals to participate in the social system. It points to the fact that individuals must realize their duties and should make effects to fulfill them. Depending on this, a social structure can work successfully.