SOCIAL STRUCTURE:

SESSIONS-25-27

1
Social Structure:
Nature:

The pattern of interrelated statuses & roles found
in a society or other group at a particular time &
constituting a relatively stable set of social
relations.

It is the organized pattern of the interrelated rights
& obligations of persons & groups in a system of
interaction as analyzed in terms of statuses, roles,
social norms, & social institutions.
2
Social Structure:
Nature:
Any relatively stable pattern of social behavior.
The relatively stable & enduring patterns that
organize social relationships & provide the basic
framework for society.
Relationships are the basic building blocks of social
structure.
Every society, large or small, has a social structure.
Social structure refers to the organization of
society.

3
Social Structure:
Elements:

The social structure of any social system, at any
level of organization, consists of the following
elements.

1) Norms (Already discussed in culture)
2) Statuses
3) Roles
4) Groups
5) Institutions (Already discussed)


4
Social Structure:
Elements:

2) Status/Social Position:

A defined position in the social structure of a
group or society that is distinguished from & at the
same time related to other positions through its
designated rights & obligations.

5
Social Structure:
Elements:

2) Status/Social Position:

OR
A social position that a person occupies.

A rank in a hierarchy.



6
Social Structure:
A. Status/Social Position:
Types:
1) Ascribed/Assigned Status:
Any status that is based not on individual ability,
skill, effort, or accomplishment, but on inherited
position in the society.
An ascribed status is fixed by birth (inheritance) &
is unalterable in a persons life time.
o Example:
Gender, race, religion, caste, etc.


7
Social Structure:
A. Status/Social Position:
Types:
2) Achieved /Assumed Status:
A status acquired by an individual through his/her
efforts, often through competition & the use of
special abilities, knowledge, & skill.
Many occupational statuses are considered to be
achieved.
o Example:
Physician, lawyer, artist, etc.


8
Social Structure:

Ascribed Status Achieved Status


Self
Asian College Student
Male Athlete
Muslim
Volunteer
Pakistani Employee
9
Social Structure:
Elements:
B. Role:

A pattern of behavior, structured around specific
rights & duties & associated with a particular status
position within a group or social situation.

A persons role in any situation is defined by the set
of expectations for his behavior held by others &
by the person himself.

10
Social Structure:
Elements:
B. Role:

Behavior expected of someone who holds a
particular status.
o Example:

Father/Mother:- Performed variety of roles at a
time.
11
Social Structure:
B. Role:
Types:

1) Role Set:
A set of roles (a role complex) that centers around
a particular social status.
OR
A number of roles attached to a single status.
12
Social Structure:
B. Role:
Types:
1) Role Set:

o Example:
The status of university professor frequently
involves the roles of teacher, research technician,
adviser to students, administrator, author,
specialist in a professional discipline, & so forth.

13
Social Structure:
B. Role:
Types:
2) Role Performance:

Role performance is the actual behavior of the
person who possess a status.

In real life there is a grave difference between what
people should do & what actually they do.



14
Social Structure:
B. Role:
Types:
2) Role Performance:

This difference leads to a gap between the actual &
expected behavior of an individual.

This gap leads to the variation in how the
individuals implement the rights & duties
associated with their roles.

15
Social Structure:
B. Role:
Types:
2) Role Performance:

The way a person actually plays his/her role in a
situation.
o Example:
The difference/change in teaching methodology
(before & after any situation).


16
Social Structure:
Institutions & Their Key Functions:
Institution Key Functions
I. Family:
Replacement of generation
Socialization of young/Cultural transmission
Status transmission
Shelter
Care of young & elderly
Emotional support

17
Social Structure:
Institutions & Their Key Functions:
Institution Key Functions
II. Religion:

Provision of belief system
Socialization of young/Cultural transmission
Social control
Personal support

18
Social Structure:
Institutions & Their Key Functions:
Institution Key Functions
III. Education:
Socialization of young/Cultural transmission
Passage of knowledge between generations
Creation of new knowledge through research
(universities)
Allocation of individuals to careers
Personal development/Enhancement of
awareness
19
Social Structure:
Institutions & Their Key Functions:
Institution Key Functions
IV.Economic:

Economic production
Provision of goods & services
Means to distribute scarce resources
Means to determine what is produced



20
Social Structure:
Institutions & Their Key Functions:
nstitution Key Functions
V. Political(Government):
Provision of needed public services
Representation of interest groups
Protection from foreign powers
Symbols of national unity
Protection of members of society from
Illegal actions by other members of society
Orderly settlement of disputes



21
Social Structure:

Simple Social Structure:

All these five basic elements create a simple social
structure.

This is a great social structure found in every
simple society.
22
A Simple Social Structure of Society:

Society Based on geographical territory of country
Institutions



Groups Norms




Statuses Roles


















































Social
Structure
23
A Complex Social Structure of Society:
Society Based on rural & urban community
Institutions =Types & Subtypes


Groups Norms
Types Types




Statuses =Types Roles =Types
Social
Structure
24