Historically established stable forms of organization are called. Sociology test

In society, between individuals and social groups, certain connections and interactions constantly arise, function, and develop. They are divided, on the one hand, into random, spontaneous, chaotic, superficial, disorganized. On the other hand, there are stable, regulated, ordered social interactions. Particularly important and deep of them are attributed to social institutions (the concept of "social institution" is borrowed from legal science, where it means a set of norms governing social and legal relations such as institutions of inheritance, marriage, etc.).

Moreover, in the sociological educational literature the concept of "social institution" is used in two meanings. First, they mean a set of persons, institutions, etc., who are provided with certain material resources, perform specific social functions(for example, the state, labor collective, family, etc.). Secondly, a social institution is understood as specific mechanisms of social regulation, through which the behavior of individuals, groups is controlled through the application of special rules, principles, norms, attitudes - in general, the system of social control.

Both of these understandings of the essence social institutions do not contradict each other, since they indicate two interrelated sides of this complex social phenomenon.

Basic definition:

SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS- It is historically established, sustainable forms of organizing joint activities of people, including, on the one hand, a set of institutions, organizations that ensure the implementation of relevant social functions, and, on the other, a certain "set" of values, norms, standards, samples of behavior regulating BEHAVIOR OF PEOPLE AND SOCIAL COMMUNITIES.

BASIC CONCEPTS:

Institutionalization - the process of imparting an orderly, normative character to social relations (between individuals, social communities), incl. appearance for their implementation, regulation of special institutions, organizations.

Social control - the most important element of social institutions, a self-regulation mechanism that ensures their stability, the adherence of individuals and groups to the values, social norms, and standards of behavior accepted in society (or within certain social communities).

Social norm : the most important means of social regulation of the behavior of individuals and groups within the framework of social institutions, which is a set of requirements and expectations that a social community (organization, society as a whole) makes to its members in order to carry out activities of a certain pattern (type). Such social norms are, of course, relative in nature, are formed taking into account the interests social groups, their ideas about what is necessary, possible, approved and, conversely, about undesirable, unacceptable, etc.

So, social institutions are characterized by a clear delineation of the functions and powers of each of the subjects of interaction, consistency, coherence of their actions, a fairly high and tough level of regulation and control over this interaction. As for the functions of social institutions, the following are distinguished:

Consolidation and reproduction social relations in a certain area of ​​public life.

Integration and cohesion of society, social groups.

Regulation of the activities of individuals and social control over this activity.

Involvement of people in activities.

Depending on in which sphere of public life social institutions function, which functions they perform, what is the level and nature of their organization, the following types of social institutions are distinguished (according to Jan Schepansky's classification):

KINDS SOCIAL INSTITUTES

ECONOMIC, regulating the processes of production, exchange and distribution, carrying out the organization and management economic activities(property, market, enterprise, bank, money, labor, etc.)

POLITICAL related to the processes of establishment, maintenance and use state power(power, state, political parties, army, etc.)

SOCIAL, regulating social ties, interaction of people in society (work collective, family, voluntary associations citizens, public opinion, funds mass media)


EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL, associated with the creation and dissemination of spiritual values, the socialization of youth (education, science, theater, etc.)

RELIGIOUS, organizing "relations" a person with

transcendental forces (faith, church, etc.)

5.2. Social organizations: essence, types

The distinction between the concepts of "social institution" and "social organization", for the reasons already mentioned above, presents a certain difficulty: indeed, a social organization is, in principle, nothing more than a complex social institution.

However, it should be borne in mind that the term "social organization" is used in two other meanings.

Social organization means a certain organized type of activity, i.e. here is a social organization - process distribution of functions, coordination, purposeful impact of the subject of activity on the object.

The term "social organization" also denotes property a social object, meaning the degree of internal consistency, orderliness of a whole, its structure.

However, let us return to the concept of "social organization" in its basic meaning, which was already discussed above.

So, a SOCIAL ORGANIZATION is one of essential elements the social structure of society (in the broad sense of this term), an artificial social association of people of an institutional nature, which implements certain functions in society.

FEATURES OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS:

1. Social organizations have a target nature, since they are created in society for the realization of certain goals, i.e. it is a means of uniting and regulating people's behavior for joint achievement a specific purpose.

2. To achieve the goal, the members of the organization are forced to be distributed according to roles and statuses, i.e. take certain positions in it.

3. Organization arises on the basis of the division of labor and its specialization according to functional characteristics. Therefore, on the one hand, they have various horizontal structures. With another - social organizations are always built on a vertical (hierarchical) basis, in which the control and controlled subsystems are distinguished.

4. Management subsystems create their own specific means of regulation and control over the activities of the organization (meaning both the direct management bodies of the organization and internal organizational norms).

Based the above factors and a certain organizational order arises as a system of relatively stable goals and norms governing organizational ties, interactions and relationships. Accordingly, the behavior of individuals in the organization and outside it are different phenomena. Different elements of human behavior - motives, roles, values, attitudes, goals, needs, etc. - "line up" within the organization in a completely different way than outside the organization, since the organization operates under the laws of joint cooperative activities. Such organizational activity generates an organizational effect, which is called SYNERGY, i.e. an increase in additional energy exceeding the sum of the individual efforts of its participants.

COMPONENTS OF SYNERGY EFFECT

1. The organization unites the efforts of its members and is already a simple mass character, i.e. the simultaneousness of many efforts gives an increase in energy.

2. The units themselves, the elements of the organization, being included in it, become different, specialized, and this specialization, the one-pointedness of the actions of individuals also makes it possible to enhance energy, concentrating it at one point.

3. Due to the presence of a control subsystem, the actions of people are synchronized, which also serves as a powerful source of increasing the overall energy of the organization.

Basic definition:

SOCIAL ORGANIZATION- This is one of the most important elements of the social structure of a institutional society, designed to implement certain functions in society and differing from other social institutions by the presence of goals, hierarchical structure (including the presence of managing and managed subsystems), as well as specific forms of regulation and control of activities.

The most important component of society as a system is social institutions.

The word "institute" translated from the Latin institute means "establishment". In Russian, it is often used to denote higher educational institutions... In addition, as you know from your basic school course, in the field of law, the word "institution" means a set of legal norms governing one social relationship or several relationships related to each other (for example, the institution of marriage).

In sociology, social institutions are historically established stable forms of organization. joint activities regulated by norms, traditions, customs and aimed at meeting the fundamental needs of society.

This is a definition to which it is advisable to return after reading to the end. educational material on this issue, we will consider, relying on the concept of "activity" (see - 1). In the history of society, stable types of activity have developed, aimed at meeting the most important vital needs. Sociologists identify five such social needs:

  • - the need for the reproduction of the genus;
  • - the need for safety and social order;
  • - the need for livelihoods;
  • - the need for knowledge acquisition, socialization of the younger generation, personnel training;
  • - the need for solving spiritual problems of the meaning of life.

In accordance with the named needs in society, there were also types of activities, which, in turn, required the necessary organization, ordering, the creation of certain institutions and other structures, the development of rules to ensure the achievement of the expected result. Historically established social institutions met these conditions for the successful implementation of the main types of activity:

Institute of Family and Marriage;

political institutions, especially the state;

economic institutions, primarily production;

institutes of education, science and culture;

Institute of Religion.

Each of these institutions brings together large masses of people to meet a particular need and achieve a specific goal of a personal, group or social nature.

The emergence of social institutions led to the consolidation of specific types of interaction, made them permanent and obligatory for all members of a given society.

So, a social institution is, first of all, a set of persons engaged in a certain type of activity and ensuring, in the process of this activity, the satisfaction of a certain need that is significant for society (for example, all employees of the education system).

Further, the institution is secured by a system of legal and moral norms, traditions and customs that regulate the corresponding types of behavior. (Think, for example, what social norms govern the behavior of people in the family).

One more characteristic social institution - the presence of institutions supplied with certain material resources necessary for any type of activity. (Think about which social institutions the school, factory, militia belong to. Give your examples of institutions and organizations related to each of the most important social institutions.)

Any of these institutions is integrated into the socio-political, legal, value structure of society, which makes it possible to legitimize the activities of this institution and exercise control over it.

A social institution stabilizes social relations, brings consistency into the actions of members of society. A social institution is characterized by a clear delineation of the functions of each of the subjects of interaction, the consistency of their actions, a high level of regulation and control. (Consider how these features of a social institution are manifested in the education system, in particular in the school.)

Let us consider the main features of a social institution using the example of such an important institution of society as the family. First of all, each family is a small group of people based on intimacy and emotional attachment, connected by marriage (spouse) and consanguinity (parents and children). The need to create a family is one of the fundamental, i.e. fundamental, human needs. At the same time, the family performs important functions in society: the birth and upbringing of children, economic support for minors and the disabled, and much more. Each family member occupies his own special position in it, which presupposes appropriate behavior: parents (or one of them) provide a livelihood, do household chores, and raise children. Children, in turn, study, help around the house. Such behavior is regulated not only by intra-family rules, but also by social norms: morality and law. Thus, public morality condemns the lack of care of the older family members for the younger ones. The law establishes the responsibility and obligations of spouses in relation to each other, to children, adult children to elderly parents. The creation of a family, the main milestones of family life are accompanied by traditions and rituals established in society. For example, in many countries the marriage ritual involves the exchange of wedding rings between spouses.

The presence of social institutions makes people's behavior more predictable and society as a whole more stable.

In addition to the main social institutions, there are also non-main ones. So, if the main political institution is the state, then the non-main ones are the institution of the judiciary or, as in our country, the institution of presidential representatives in the regions, etc.

The existence of social institutions reliably ensures regular, self-renewing satisfaction of vital needs. A social institution makes connections between people not random and not chaotic, but permanent, reliable, stable. Institutional communication is a well-oiled order social life in the main spheres of human life. The more social needs are met by social institutions, the more developed society is.

Since new needs and conditions arise in the course of the historical process, new types of activity and corresponding connections appear. Society is interested in making them orderly, normative, i.e. in their institutionalization.

In Russia, as a result of the reforms of the late XX century. appeared, for example, such a type of activity as entrepreneurship. The streamlining of this activity has led to the emergence different types firms, demanded the publication of laws regulating entrepreneurial activity, contributed to the formation of the corresponding traditions.

Institutions of parliamentarism, a multi-party system, and the institution of the presidency have emerged in the political life of our country. The principles and rules of their functioning are enshrined in the Constitution. Russian Federation corresponding laws. In the same way, the institutionalization of other types of activity that have arisen over the past decades took place.

It happens that the development of society requires the modernization of the activities of social institutions, historically formed in previous periods. So, in the changed conditions, it became necessary to solve in a new way the problems of familiarizing with the culture of the younger generation. Hence the steps taken to modernize the institution of education, as a result of which the institutionalization of the United state examination, new content of educational programs. So, we can return to the definition given at the beginning of this part of the paragraph. Think about what characterizes social institutions as highly organized systems. Why is their structure stable? How important is the deep integration of their elements? What is the diversity, flexibility, dynamism of their functions?

1. M. Weber 2. Plato 3. E. Durkheim 4. O. Comte 5. Aristotle

2. Which definition of sociology is more accurate?

1. Sociology is the science of society 2. Sociology studies the behavior of people 3. Sociology is the science of the emergence, development and functioning of social communities and social processes, of social relations as mechanisms of interconnection and interaction between these communities, between the community and the individual 4. Sociology studies mechanisms of interaction between organizations and social institutions 5. The whole set of connections and relations that are called social

3. The concept of "social action" was introduced into scientific circulation ...

1. O.Cont. 2.G. Spencer. 3. M. Weber. 4. E. Durkheim. 5. T. Parsons.

4. Who viewed society as a biological organism?

1. G. Spencer. 2. M. Weber. 3. V. Paretto. 4. K. Marks. 5. T. Parsons.

5. What is the name of the historically established stable forms of organizing joint activities of people?

therefore, the main feature is geographic boundaries. 3. The concept of "society" coincides with the concept of "culture" 4. Society - people interacting on a delineated territory and having a common culture. 5. Society is the largest group of people

7. For what type of society is social solidarity and cohesion characteristic?

1. Mass society. 2. Industrial society. 3. Post-industrial society. 4. Postmodern society. 5. Traditional society.

8. What, according to T. Parsons, keeps society as a stable system?

1. Differentiation and integration. 2. Organic solidarity, which in the process of development of society, replaced mechanical solidarity. 3. Certain mechanisms and structures that perform the functions of adaptation, goal-setting, integration and maintenance of the pattern. 4. Social conflicts that bring the opposing sides together. 5. The ever-increasing rationalization of society.

9. What type of society is characterized by such features as the division of ore, increased social diversity, increased opportunities for personal choice?

1. Agrarian society. 2. Traditional society. 3. Society of hunters and gatherers. 4. Industrial society. 5. Industrial and post-industrial society.

10. What is the name of the process of the increasing influence of various factors of international importance on social reality in individual countries?

1. Modernization. 2. Industrialization. 3. Informatization. 4. Globalization. 5. Integration.

11. The methodological section of the program of empirical sociological research includes:

1. Description of methods of data processing and analysis. 2. Description of the goal, objectives, object, subject of research, interpretation of concepts. 3. Justification of sampling, justification of data collection methods. 4. Organizational plan of the research 5. Distribution of responsibilities between the performers and accounting for financial resources.

12. What is the object of sociological research?

1. This is a substantive, methodological, organizational concretization of the goal 2. This is what exists regardless of the researcher and what the research process can be directed to 3. These are significant properties, sides, features of the phenomenon that are subject to direct study 4. This is a significant side of the social phenomena subject to systemic analysis 5. Certain social relations.

13. The most common method of collecting sociological information is:

1. Survey 2. Observation 3. Experiment 4. Sociometric test 5. Document analysis

14. V sociological research translation of concepts into a system of empirically verified indicators, indices and scales is:

1. Theoretical interpretation of concepts. 2. Empirical interpretation of concepts 3. Operationalization of concepts 4. Analysis and interpretation of empirical data 5. System analysis object of research.

15. Representativeness in sociological empirical research means:

1. Assumption about the properties of the studied objects 2. Part of the objects of the general population selected using special techniques to obtain information 3. The totality of all possible social objects that are subject to study within the program of the sociological phenomenon 4. The property of the sample population to reproduce the parameters and significant elements of the general population ...

5. Social contradiction requiring resolution.

16. What is the most essential principle for defining a small social group?

1. Number of participants. 2. The degree of formalization of statuses and roles. 3. Duration of existence. 4. Close interpersonal contacts, proximity of interaction participants. 5. Availability of a control system.

17. What is conformism?

1. The tendency towards coherence between group members, which leads to a narrow view on a particular issue. 2. Behavior controlled by group pressure. 3. Behavior in which the abilities of the group leader are manifested. 4. Actions to support social change. 5. Type of groupthink.

18. An example of a quasigroup would be ...

1. The crowd. 2. Student group. 3. Family. 4. A friendly get-together. 5. Labor collective.

19. Identification of oneself with another subject, group, social image in the process of socialization is called ...

1. Socialization. 2. Identification. 3. Institutionalization. 4. The device. 5. Assimilation.

20. Who cannot be called agents of primary socialization?

1. Family. 2. School. 3. Educators. 4. Labor collective. 5. Peers.

21. Secondary socialization includes ...

1. Professional socialization. 2. Education at school. 3. Upbringing in a family. 4. Norms and rules of behavior that the child learns in the circle of peers. 5. Norms and rules of behavior that a person receives from parents, educators, teachers.

22. Social status- it…

1. A set of actions that must be performed by a person who occupies a certain place in the social system 2. A certain position in the social space. 3. Stable connection of elements in the social system. 4. Normally regulated participation of an individual in a specific process of social interaction.

5. A set of interrelated and interacting social groups, social institutions and

relationship between them.

23. Which of the listed personality statuses and roles cannot be called prescribed?

1.Man. 2. African American. 3. Male and female roles characteristic of a given culture. 4. Husband. 5. An elderly person.

24. Select the most complete set of the most important differentiating features of the layer.

1. Nationality, religion, origin, income 2. Education, profession, income, prestige.

3. Profession, nationality, income. 4. Profession, income, gender and age characteristics. 5. Income, education, origin, nature of consumption of goods.

25. Which of the following concepts is not directly related to social structure societies

1. Stratification 2. Socialization 3. Social mobility 4. Marginality 5. Social class

26. Choose the most accurate formulation of such a phenomenon as social mobility:

1. This is a person getting a new profession 2. This is the struggle of social groups to improve their own position 3. This is the transition of society as social system to a higher level of development 4. This is a change in the living conditions of individuals 5. This is the advancement along the hierarchical social vertical or horizontal of social groups or individuals

27. What is the name of the system of ordered interactions, where a set of stable social expectations appears.

1. Social action. 2. Social community... 3. Social relationships. 4. Social institutions. 5. Social organization.

28. What is deviant behavior?

1. Behavior deviating from the norms and values ​​accepted in society. 2. The system of interdependent social actions. 3. Behavior oriented to the actions of other people. 4. Behavior that characterizes the leader in the group. 5. Behavior aimed at social change.

29. A social group focused on achieving interrelated specific goals and on the formation of highly formalized structures is

1. Social institution. 2. Social community. 3. Formal group. 4. Organization. 5. Institute of socialization.

30. What is the name of the process of defining and consolidating social norms, rules, statuses and roles, bringing them into a system that is capable of acting in the direction of satisfying some social need?

1. Socialization. 2. Organization. 3 Institutionalization. 4. Modernization. 5. Stratification.

The key to the test

Question number

Answer No.

1. Social institution- This is a historically established, stable form of organizing the joint activities of people performing certain functions in society, the main of which is the satisfaction of social needs.

2. Purposes and functions of social institutions... Each social institution is characterized by the presence goals of activity and specific functions, ensuring its achievement.

Functions Key Institutions Spheres of society Main roles Physical traits Symbolic features Other institutions of this sphere of society
Caring for children Family, Inheritance Social (family and marriage relations) Father Mother Child Home Furnishing Rings Engagement Contract Marriage, blood feud, motherhood, fatherhood, etc.
Procuring food, clothing, shelter Own Economic sphere Employer Salaried worker Buyer Seller Factory Office Store Money Trade Advertising Money, exchange, economic relations, etc.
Maintaining laws, regulations and standards Power State Political sphere Legislator Subject of law Public buildings and places Flag of the Charter Power, state, separation of powers, parliamentarism, local government, etc.
Promoting conciliar relations and attitudes, deepening faith Religion Spiritual realm Priest Parishioner Cathedral Church Cross
Socialization of people, familiarization with basic values ​​and practices Education Spiritual realm Teacher Pupil School College Textbook Diploma Degree Public opinion, media, etc.

In modern society, there are dozens of social institutions, among which the key ones can be distinguished: inheritance, power, property, family.

Within fundamental social institutions, there are very distinct divisions into small institutions. For example, economic institutions, along with the basic institution of property, include many stable systems of relations - financial, production, marketing, organizational and management institutions. In the system of political institutions modern society along with the key institution of power, the institutions of political representation, presidency, separation of powers, local self-government, parliamentarism, etc. are distinguished.

Social institutions:

· Organize human activity into a specific system of roles and statuses, establishing patterns of human behavior in various spheres of social life. For example, a social institution such as a school includes the roles of teacher and student, and the family includes the roles of parents and children. Between them, certain role relationships are formed, which are governed by specific norms and regulations. Some of the most important norms are enshrined in legislation, others are supported by traditions, customs, public opinion;

They include a system of sanctions - from legal to moral and ethical;

They order, coordinate many individual actions of people, give them an organized and predictable character;

Provide standard behavior for people in typical social situations.

3. Types of functions of social institutions:

· Explicit - officially declared, recognized and controlled by the society

· Hidden - are carried out covertly or unintentionally (they can develop into shadow institutions, for example, criminal ones).

When the discrepancy between these functions is large, a double standard of social relations arises, which threatens the stability of society. The situation is even more dangerous when, along with official institutions so-called shadow institutions are formed, which take on the function of regulating the most important social relations (for example, criminal structures). 4. The value of social institutions. Social institutions define society as a whole. Any social transformations are carried out through changes in social institutions.

Institute. Most often, this word is used in the meaning of a higher educational institution (pedagogical, medical institute). However, the word “institute” is ambiguous. “Institute” is a Latin word. Translated means "institution".

In the social sciences, the term "social institution" is used.

What is a social institution?

There are several definitions of this concept.

Here is one of them, easy to remember and containing the essence of this term.

Social institute Is a historically established, stable form of organizing joint activities of people who perform certain functions in society, the main of which is the satisfaction of social needs.

EXPLANATION.

A social institution, speaking more easily, is such formations in society (an institution, a government body, a family and many, many other formations) that allow one to regulate some kind of relations, actions of people in society. Allegorically speaking, this is the door through which you will enter in order to resolve some issues.

  1. You need to order a passport. You will not go somewhere, namely to the passport office - the institution of citizenship.
  2. You got a job and want to know what your salary will be. You where are you going? In accounting, it is created to regulate salary issues. It is also a wages institute network.

And such social institutions in society great amount... Someone somewhere is responsible for everything, performs certain functions in order to satisfy the social needs of people.

I will give a table in which I will designate the most important social institutions in each area of ​​social relations.

Social institutions, their types

Institutions by spheres of society. What do they regulate Examples of
Economic institutions Regulate the production and distribution of goods and services. Property, market, production
Political institutions They regulate public relations using powers of power. The main institution is the state. Authorities, parties, law, army, court
Social institutions They regulate the distribution of social positions and social resources. Provide reproduction and inheritance. Education, healthcare, leisure, family, social protection
Spiritual institutions They regulate and develop the continuity of the cultural life of society, spiritual production. Church, school, university, art

Social institutions are a constantly evolving structure. New ones appear, old ones die off. This process is called institutionalization.

The structure of social institutions

Structure, that is, the elements of the whole.

Jan Schepalsky singled out the following items social institutions.

  • The purpose and scope of the social institution
  • Functions
  • Social roles and statuses
  • Funds and institutions performing the functions of this institution. Sanctions.

Signs of social institutions

  • Samples of behavior, attitudes. So, for example, the institute of education is characterized by the desire to acquire knowledge.
  • Cultural symbols. So, for a family, these are wedding rings, a marriage ritual; for the state - coat of arms, flag, anthem; for religion - an icon, a cross, etc.
  • Oral and written codes of conduct. So, for the state - these are codes, for business - licenses, contracts, for a family - a marriage contract.
  • Ideology. For the family, this is mutual understanding, respect, love; for business - freedom of trade, entrepreneurship; for religion - Orthodoxy, Islam.
  • Utilitarian cultural traits. So, for religion - cult buildings; for healthcare - clinics, hospitals, diagnostic rooms; for education - classes, gym, library; for family - home, furniture.

Functions of social institutions

  • Meeting social needs Is the main function of every institution.
  • Regulatory function- that is, regulation certain types public relations.
  • Consolidation and reproduction of social relations... Each institution has its own norms, rules that allow the standardization of people's behavior. All this makes society more stable.
  • Integrative function, that is, cohesion, interconnection of members of society.
  • Broadcast function- the ability to transfer experience, knowledge to new people who have come to this or that structure.
  • Socialization- assimilation by an individual of norms and rules of behavior in society, methods of activity.
  • Communicative- This is the transfer of information both within the institution and between social institutions as a result of the interaction of members of society.

Formal and informal social institutions

Formal institutions- in them, activities are regulated within current legislation(authorities, parties, court, family, school, army, etc.)

Informal institutions- their activities are not established by formal acts, that is, laws, orders, documents.

Prepared by: Vera Melnikova