Unit 7: sociological Perspectives P1, P2, M1.
P1
First, social institution is described as:
“A major building block of society, which functions according to widely accepted customs,
rules or regulations. The family, the education system and the legal system are all social
institutions.”
(Billingham, 2010)
Social Structures:
• The family
“The family in its various forms is the universal basis of all human
societies and social structures. However the institution of the family has
decayed in modern times, so converting society into an alienated agglomeration of
disconnected individuals, susceptible to arbitrary, remote and authoritarian
governance.”
(Ewdward Goldsmith, n.d.)
The family is categorised as primary socialisation.
“Primary socialisation – The first socialisation of children that normally takes place
within the family.”
This means that typically the family have the initial influence on an individual. Our
socialisation affects our attitudes since we are surrounded by beliefs, opinions, and
behaviours.
The following is Murdoch’s definition
“a social group characterised by common residence, economic cooperation and
reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of who maintain a socially
approved sexual relationship and one or more children, own or adopted, of the
sexually cohabiting adults.” (Burch, 2017)
1|P age