Social institutions

Social institutions are universal. They vary from time to time and in all cultures, in terms of complexity, specialization, size, formality and organization. But their main characteristics and objectives are the same everywhere. The feature is particularly the case with regard to the five major social institutions discussed below. Social institutions are resistant to change; they tend to persist. However, once there is a change in the particular social setting, it tends to affect other settings.

Public settings can be defined as methods based on similar principles to add some structure. More specifically, a social institution is a coherent system of social roles and social norms, organized around the satisfaction of an important social needs or social functions.

In general, a social institution is an established pattern of behavior that is organized to foster the good of society and to maintain its shape. From the above definition, we can see that social institutions are a number of important functions. Three of the main functions are:

(a) Consolidation of the welfare of society,

(b) Custody and maintenance of the shape of society, and

 (c) Meet the basic needs of members of society. A society is functionally integrated and combines social institutions.