What is a Social Structure?
Introduction
It refers to the way the units of a group or a society relate to one another. According to some sociologists, it is the term applied to the particular arrangement of inter-related institutions, agencies and social patterns as well as the statuses and roles which each person assumes in the groups. As we know all men and women relate themselves to each other and they establish a structural form; it may be a group, an association or an organization. It is made up of these structural forms through which society functions.
Meaning
Churches, colleges, playgroups, and political parties are examples of organizations. In all these cases, there is an arrangement of persons or parts, which are inter-related or inter-dependent. We may take the example of an educational institution or college. It is nothing but an arrangement of parts or persons.
There are many kinds of organizations. A state is called a political organization because it is concerned with political matters. A factory is called an economic organization because it is concerned with the production and distribution of goods. A church is a religious organization that takes care of spiritual issues. All these are the organizations of society. The words ‘organization’ and ‘social structure’ are closely related. However, the two concepts emphasized two different points. The organization asserts the coordination of social relationships, while social structure includes positions and some rules along with social relationships.
Definition
Here are definitions of social structure by different scholars, each offering a unique perspective on how social structure operates in society:
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Herbert Spencer: – Spencer viewed social structure as analogous to the biological organism. He defined it as the organization of society into distinct but interdependent parts, each of which serves a function necessary for the survival of the whole.
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Talcott Parsons: – Parsons described social structure as a system made up of roles and norms that dictate the expectations and behaviours of individuals in society. These roles and norms form a framework that organizes society and enables its functioning.
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Karl Marx: – Marx defined social structure primarily in terms of economic relations. He viewed it as the framework of society shaped by the mode of production and class relations, where the economic base determines the social superstructure (including legal, political, and ideological aspects).
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Max Weber: – Weber saw social structure as a system of stratification based on class, status, and power. He focused on how different forms of social action, authority, and legitimacy shape society’s structure.
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Ralph Linton: – Linton defined social structure as “the network of relations among members of a society.” He emphasized the importance of roles and statuses within a given structure, highlighting how individuals are integrated into society through their assigned roles.
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Radcliffe-Brown: – Radcliffe-Brown, a key figure in structural-functionalism, defined social structure as the set of relations between individuals and groups that create the enduring patterns of society. He viewed social structure as the “arrangement of persons in institutional roles and the relationships between those roles.”
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Anthony Giddens: – Giddens defined social structure as a set of rules and resources that shape the behaviours and actions of individuals. He introduced the concept of structuration, emphasizing that social structure is both the medium and the outcome of the practices it organizes.
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George Homans: – Homans defined it in terms of social exchange theory. He saw social structure as the patterns of exchanges or interactions between individuals in a society, where behaviours are shaped by the rewards or punishments that people anticipate.
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Robert Merton: – Merton viewed it as the organized set of social relationships and institutions that guide behaviour and maintain order within society. He emphasized both the intended and unintended consequences of these structures, introducing the idea of manifest and latent functions.
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Claude Lévi-Strauss: – Lévi-Strauss viewed social structure through a structuralist lens, focusing on the underlying patterns and binary oppositions that organize human thought and culture. He saw social structure as a set of universal laws that govern all human societies.
CHARACTERISTICS
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Organization of Relationships
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Hierarchy and Stratification
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Norms and Values
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Stability and Continuity
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Social Institutions
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Roles and Status
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Functional Interdependence
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Cultural Context
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Social Control
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Adaptability and Change
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Social Networks
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Regulation of Social Behaviour
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Role of Power and Authority
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Differentiation
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Role Expectations
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Social Inequality
Here we will describe the features of social Structure
Features
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Organized Relationships
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Hierarchy and Stratification
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Norms and Values
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Role Expectations
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Institutionalization
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Stability and Continuity
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Interdependence
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Cultural Influence
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Power and Authority
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Social Control
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Differentiation
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Social Roles and Status
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Social Networks
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Flexibility and Adaptability
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Social Mobility
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Inequality
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Social Integration
Elements
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Status
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Roles
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Institutions
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Groups
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Norms
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Values
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Social Hierarchy (Stratification)
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Social Networks
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Social Control
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Cultural Symbols and Language
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Social Interaction
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Division of Labour
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Socialization
Roles
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Maintaining Social Order
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Guiding Social Interaction
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Facilitating Socialization
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Providing Social Identity
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Regulating Access to Resources and Opportunities
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Supporting Social Institutions
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Promoting Social Integration
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Facilitating Social Control
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Encouraging Social Stability
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Influencing Social Change
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Shaping Power and Authority
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Facilitating Economic Organization
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Creating Social Networks
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Reinforcing Cultural Values
BASES
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Need to pursue a goal
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Preparedness to accept one’s role and status
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Norms and mores
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There is a functional relationship among the parts of a system.
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All the parts create a new entity when they are functionally related.