Social Institutions

What are social institutions?

Purposes?
Characteristics?
 What are social
institutions?
They are all around
us
Include:
 Schools, Family
 Churches
Legal system
 Peers
 Military Media
 Purpose
Social institutions play an important
role because:
1. They shape values and beliefs
2. Maintain order
3. Help societies to function
 Two kinds
Personal Impersonal
 Because they  Because they
affect an involve large
individuals life groups of people

 Include family  Include

government
 Characteristics
Usually have existed for a long period of
time
Well established (entrenched) structure
Change occurs slowly
Each has a specific purpose-
 Members are held together by shared
values and beliefs
 My Family In the 50's
Students are to write a brief paper about
their family during the fifties. They are to
interview either their parents or
grandparents to find out what life was
like for them during their teenage years
(during the 50's). This paper should
include their likes, dislikes, concerns,
greatest moments, what they remember
best and so on.
 My Family In the 50's
You will need to prepare a list of questions
before interviewing their family members.
Take the information from the interview and
write a short paper. (Paper should be typed
with a cover page). The paper should also
introduce the family member to the reader.
Due date: