Some basic concepts

of sociology
1- Society ?
society - Group of people involved with each other through
persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical
or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and
dominant cultural expectations.

Human societies are characterized by patterns of

relationships ( Social relations) between individuals
who share a distinctive culture and institutions;

Society may be described as the sum total of such

relationships among its constituent members.
“ I like the society of artists’’…………….?
“I move in high society”…..??

‘Man is a social animal’…. Aristotle

• Society- derived from latin word- “socius’

Which means , ‘friendship’ or
‘companionship’

George simmel- “ It is this element of

Urban society sociability which defines the true essence of
society”

Open society
 society

Morris Ginsberg –
“collection of individuals united by certain relations or mode of behaviour
which mark them off from others who do not enter into these relations or
who differ from them in behaviour’’.

Maclver –
“society is a web of social relationship”.

August Comte –
the father of sociology saw society as a social organism possessing a
harmony of structure and function.
Charecteristics of society

1. Society consists of people

2. Mutual interaction& mutual awareness.
3. Society depends on likeness.
4. Society rests on difference too.
5. Co-operation & division of labour.
6. Society implies interdependence also.
7. Society is dynamic.
8. Social control.
9. Culture.
10. Gregarious nature of man
2- community ?
community

The term community is one of the most elusive and vague in sociology and
is by now largely without specific meaning.
It refers to a collection of people in a geographical area.

We can list out the characteristics of a community as follows:

• Territory
• Close and informal relationships
• Mutuality
• Common values and beliefs
• Organized interaction
• Strong group feeling
• Cultural similarity

Examples- village, town, tribe, city, district etc.

 community

• Community is “ a social group with some degree of “we-

feeling” and living in a given area” – Bogardus

• Community is “ the smallest territorial group that can

embrace all aspects of social life”
– Kinsley Davis

• “A community is a group or collection of groups that

inhibits a locality” – Ogburn and Nimkoff

• Community is “ any circle of people who live together and

belong together in such a way that they do not share this
or that particular interest only, but a whole set of
interests”. – Manheim
Main Elements of Community:

The main bases of community are:

1. Locality:
A community is a territorial group. It occupies some geographical area.
Locality is the physical basis of community. Living together facilitates
people to develop social contacts, give protection, safety and
security. Further, the very physical conditions may influence social life to a
great extent.
2. Community Sentiment:
It means a feeling of belonging together.
The members must be aware of their staying together and sharing
common interest.
The members develop a sense of “we-feeling”.
It means a kind of identification with the group. Without a sense of
identification, a sense of awareness, a sense of living and sharing some
common interest in life , there can not be any community.
Other Aspects of Community:

• Stability

• Naturalness

• Size of community

• Regulation of Relations
 Society & Community : Difference
Society Community

1. Society is a web of social Community consists of a group of

relationships individuals living in a particular area
with some degree of “we-feeling”
2. A definite geographic area is not an It always denotes a definite locality /
essential aspect geographic area
3. Society is abstract Community is concrete
4. “We-Feeling” may or may not be “Community sentiment” is an essential
present element
5. Society is wider. There can be more Community is smaller than society
than one community in a society

6. The objectives and interest of society Objectives and interests are

are more extensive and varied comparatively less extensive and varied

7. Society involves both likeness and Likeness is important than difference in

difference. community
3-Association ?
 Association

An Association is “ an organization deliberately formed for the collective

pursuit of some interests, or a set of interests, which its members share”.
– R.M.MacIver

An Association is “ a group of social beings related to one another by the

fact that they possess or have instituted in common an organization with
a view to securing a specific end or specific ends”.
– Morris Ginsberg
Characteristics of Association:

• Association- a Human Group

• Common Interest or Interests

• Co-operative Spirit

• Organization

• Regulation of Relations

• Association as Agencies

• Durability of Association
 Association Community
1. Membership is voluntary By birth itself individuals become
members of a community. It is rather
compulsory
2. Has some specific Has some general interests
interest/interests
3. Does not necessarily imply the Is marked by a locality
spatial aspects
4. May be stable and long lasting or Is relatively more stable and permanent
it may not be so
5. May have their legal status Has no legal status
6. May have their own rules and Regulates the behavior of its members
regulations to regulate the by means of customs, traditions, etc. it
relations of their members. They does not have written rules or laws
may have written or unwritten
rules
7. Association is partial. It may be Community is integral. It may have
regarded as a part of the within its boundary, several
community associations.
 4- Institution ?

Institutions “may be described as recognized and established usages

governing the relations between individuals and groups”. – Ginsberg

Institutions represent “ the social structure and the machinery through

which human society organizes, directs and executes the multifarious
activities required to satisfy human needs”. – H.E. Barnes
 Institutions

Primary?

Secondary?
Characteristics of Institutions:

• Social in nature
• Universality
• Institutions are Standardized
Norms
• Institutions as Means of
Satisfying Needs
• Institutions are the Controlling
Mechanisms
• Relatively Permanent
• Abstract in Nature
• Oral and Written Traditions
• Synthesis Symbols
• Institutions are Interrelated
 Functions of Social Institutions

1. Institutions cater to the Satisfaction of Needs

2. Institutions control Human Behavior

3. Institutions simplify Actions for the Individual

4. Institutions assign roles and Statuses to the

Individual
5. Institutions Contribute to Unity and Uniformity

6. Manifest Functions of Institutions

7. The negative Functions of Institutions

 Association Institution

1. Is a group of people organised for Refers to the organised way of doing

the purpose of fulfilling a need things. It represents common procedure
/needs

2. Association denotes Membership. Denotes only a mode or means of

We belong to associations, to service. We do not belong to institution.
political parties, youth clubs ,etc. We do not belong to marriage,
education or law

3. Consists of individuals Consists of laws, rules and regulations

4. Are Concrete Are Abstract

5. An association has a location An institution does not have location

6. Are mostly created or established Are primarily evolved

7. May have its own distinctive name Does not posses specific names, but has
a structure and may have symbol

8. May be temporary or permanent Are relatively more durable

 5. Social System??

System??

Examples ?
 Social System

According to David Popenoe, “ A Social System is a set of persons

or groups who interact with one another; the set is conceived of as a
social unit distinct from the particular persons who compose it”.

Duncan Mitchell in his A Dictionary of Sociology writes: “ A social

system basically consists of two or more individuals interacting
directly or indirectly in a bounded situation”.
 Social System

An organization of individuals into groups or structures that have

different functions, characteristics, origin or status.

For example,
a social system might break a larger population down
into family groups, races, religious
affiliations, gender, wealth categories and social classes.
 Characteristics of Social System:
1. Social system consists of two or more individuals among whom we
find an established pattern of interaction.

2. Individuals in their actions take account of how the others are

likely to act or behave

3. Individuals in the system behave in accordance with their shared

cultural norms and values.

4. Individuals in the system act together in pursuit of common goals

or rewards.

5. “Social System” as a concepts may represent entire society or a no.

of subsystem such as political system, judicial system, etc.

6. A social system has its own boundary with the help of which it can
be distinguished from other social systems.
Social System:
 Elements of Social System

1. The Social Act – is a process in the social system that motivates the
individual/ individuals in the case of a group. The orientation of action
has a close relation with the attainment of satisfaction of the actor

2. The Actor- it is he who holds the status and performs the role. A social
system must have a sufficient proportion of actors. Those actors must be
sufficiently motivated to act according to the requirements of its role
system

3. The Role & Status – the social system involves participation of actor
in the process of interactive relationship. The Role denotes the
functional significance of the actor for the social system. Status denotes
the place of the actor in the social system
Social action??
In sociology, social action refers to an act which takes into account the actions
of and reactions of individuals.
 Types of social action
Rational actions (also known as, wertrational):
Actions which are taken because it leads to a valued goal, but with no thought of its
consequences and often without consideration of the appropriateness of the means
chosen to achieve it ('the end justifies the means').
Eg.War
Instrumental action (also known as value relation, goal-instrumental
ones, zweckrational):
Actions which are planned and taken after evaluating the goal in relation to other
goals, and after thorough consideration of various means (and consequences) to
achieve it.
An example would be a high school student preparing for life as a lawyer.. Thus the
student must take the appropriate steps to reach the ultimate goal.
Affectional action (also known as emotional actions): actions which are taken due
to one's emotions, to express personal feelings. For examples, cheering after a victory,
crying at a funeral would be affectional actions.
Traditional actions:(customs and habit) actions which are carried out due
to tradition, because they are always carried out in a particular manner for certain
situations.