Social Structure and Its Effect on Our Lives

Social Structure And Social Structures
Social structures are the most important aspects of human society. Social structure is the foundation upon which human society is created from.
Therefore, it is necessary that we understand what social structures actually are. These structures are what organize the social relationships and
institutions within a society, making it possible for the existence of a society. As a result, the question of how and why social structures matter are
important in understanding how social structures work. Therefore, social structures are important because they force us to take on new perspectives
in the analysis of everyday experiences, produce the social structures and institutions that control us, analyze the manifest and latent functions they
serve, observe the objectivity of social reality and finally they allow for an intimate evaluation of ones self and social position. Consequently, social
structure is relevant in my daily life because it has forced me to change how I look at myself and my own experiences and more importantly the
power that the historical context and its social structures exert on my personal consciousness. As a result, Mills makes the argument that we are
falsely led to believe that our current social position in society is due to our own effort and doing. This argument reflects social reality and it is the
result of the social structures that are present in society, and the interplay between societal history and biography. According to Mills, the ability to
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Social And Social Structure Theory
Social Structure Theory Introduction The social structure theory deliberates delinquency as a gathering of the person's dealings with numerous groups,
organizations, and process in the society. Any person irrespective of their prominence in life is likely to become delinquents if they continue with
negative social affiliations. Every aspect of the society, social and economic must be viewed using the social structure theories to find the cause of
crime and deviance. The social structure theories consist of four types which include social disorganization theory, anomie theory, differential
association theory, and labeling theory. Several theories offer different answers to this delinquent of influential the key features of a social group....show
more content...
He contended that the financial base considerably resolute the social and political framework of a humanity. Consequent Marxist elucidations put
forward a more complex connection that emphasized the relative objectivity of social and political groups, and an inclusive purpose by financial
facets only (Mason, 2013). In 1905, the German sociologist Ferdinand TГ¶nnies argued in his study that merely the constitution of a crowd into an
accord generates a societal organization (Triplett, 2014). Г‰mile Durkheim offered an idea that mixed social organizations and implements a played
in guaranteeing the concrete consolidation of society from side to side integration of different parts into a cohesive and self–reproducing whole. The
idea of social structure was widely advanced in the 20th century, by key aids from structuralist viewpoints drawing on the philosophies of Claude
LГ©vi–Strauss, Feminist or Marxist perceptions, from functionalist perceptions such as those established by Talcott Parsons and his supporters, or
from a range of logical viewpoints (Mason, 2013). The greatest persuasive efforts to syndicate the notion of social structure with support are Anthony
Giddens ' theory of structuration and Pierre Bourdieu 's practice theory. This allows him to contend that structures are neither autonomous of performers
nor defining of their conduct and which,

Social Structure and Its Effect On Our Lives
Social structures are constraints that affect the lives of both the affluent and the indigent members of society. Each society has its own set of social
arrangements for example; class, gender and ethnicity are all constraints that each society has to deal with in one way or another. One of the most
fundamental of the social structures would be class. Class structure is found in all societies and is the key source of economical inequality. Members of
different class groups start their lives with unequal opportunities. This means that when someone is born into a poor household they will undoubtedly
remain in the same economical situation they began in. Gender is another important...show more content...
According to McGregor (1989) class is the main cause of inequality and social injustice in Australia. The prime explanation for this is that members of
different class groups begin their lives with unequal opportunities, this affects the education they will receive, the social connections they will make
and even the way they speak and behave. McGregor also argues that the class one belongs to is determined by many factors, these include; power,
family background, wealth, lifestyle, mannerisms, social interactions, and employment. Class can be separated into three categories, upper class, middle
class and lower class.
According to Abercrombie (2000) the upper class is distinguished from the rest by its wealth and power. The upper class consists of very few
people; McGregor argues that it may be as little 1% of society's population. The people in this group are employers, they own large quantities of land,
and some are self–employed or have a career as managers or professionals. Wealth is distributed among the upper class members mainly through
inheritance. With greater wealth people have the opportunity to manipulate the life that they will lead. The education system reinforces many
inequalities insuring that members of the highest class have better opportunities and elevated chances of achieving greatness. Members

Social Theory, Social Structure And Change
Rationale Essay
Area of Study: Social Theory, Social Structure and Change
Concentration: Studies in Social Justice
I. Introduction
I have enrolled in SUNY Empire State College to earn an Associate in Arts degree with a concentration in Studies in Social Justice. For me, earning an
AA in Social Theory, Social Structure and Change represents a foundation onto which I may structure additionallearning in pursuit of a Bachelor of
Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, perhaps with a concentration in Alternative Dispute Resolution, and ultimately leading toward advancement to
graduate school, opportunity permitting.
II. Goals
My goals are rooted in learning to create cultures of cooperation and collaboration within an otherwise rather competitive culture that dominates
mainstream U.S. culture. I have recently completed an independent learning opportunity that allows me to volunteer as co–mediator for an
organization, Mediation Matters, which works in six New York State counties in collaboration with the NYS Unified Court System. The purpose of this
organization is to assist participants in working out their own creative and collaborative solutions, due to conflicts in which they find themselves, as an
alternative to the judicial process. The education I am pursuing at SUNY Empire State College will support and expand...show more content...
According to the guidelines, a program in Social Theory, Social Structure and Change examines the "interaction of social, political and economic
structures and processes while learning how they affect the human experience (Undergraduate Areas of Study, n.d.)." I have decided to focus on issues
concerning social justice in contemporary U.S. society, such that I might be better able to work to develop and implement programs that address these

Social Structure And Human Social Life
Before the 18th century, there were no systems of public education, which were paid by taxation, remained compulsory to everybody and were free in
terms of delivery. This revolutionary idea was conceived in the intellectual culture of the enlightenment and in the economic circumstances of the
industrial revolution. Due to widespread misconception that working class offspring's are not able to learn or could benefit from education, what was
influenced by economic interests of the time, speculations in regards to social structure and human social life start to appear (Ken Robinson 2008 n.p.).
Education had series of reforms before it obtained its current form. Through the time, national curriculum broadened as additional subjects and
qualifications were added e.g. politics or introduction of 'Tripartite Education' in 1944. Also, initial pattern of having different curriculum for boys and
girls has changed. Nevertheless, despite all the alterations, key functions of education remained. Developing socialisation abilities, academic
knowledge, job skills and cultural understanding is the aim of contemporary comprehensive curriculum in almost all countries in the world. Yet,
education sphere is not without flaws, many sociologists are in debates trying to resolve issues of alienation, class conflict, gender and ethnicity as well
as improve vocationalism and lifelong learning practices.
In education, Functionalists put an emphasis on interdependence and integration.

Gender Social Structure
In the article Gender as a Social Structure: Theory Wrestling with Activism was explained how gender is a structure that has affected all aspects in our
society. Since gender is a result of sociocultural it creates the roles that both men and women should follow if they want to be accepted in society,
which have created inequality for women. I agree with the author that gender is a social structure that affect our identity; however, our identity can be
affected different depend on society that the individuals live in. Since there are so many structural factors that affect our identity such as ethnicity,
cultural background, family values, and religion. The social structure of gender could be encouraged by the way parents act with their children, by
their beliefs about how their children should behave and by the toys they buy for them. For example, girls are expected to play with dolls and be
lovable, nurture, and emotional. Boys are expected to play with action figures and be aggressive. As a result, clothes, toys, and the language used with
children has constructed gender roles at a young age. This could prove how social influences affect gender notions, behaviors, and institution
concerning gender. Furthermore, cultural and religious have an influential impact on gender identity and in many ways, promote stereotypes beliefs
against women and lead to inequality. For example, when a society depends on religious or cultural motives we see that women are viewed as weak or

Social Structures Of Western Society Essay
"A Ratty Western World"
When searching for "rats" on the internet; pests control services, campaigns of eradicating rodents, media reports on rat infestation and diseases,
outnumbers the various other search results. This widespread negative image of the rat, according to Edelman (2002), can be traced back historically in
the Western world. However, after rat–sporting became prohibited by English law in 1870s, the Western culture began to interact with the animal
differently (Edelman 2002).By the end of the nineteenth century, the rat was classified in Western contexts as: detestable pest, a lovable pet, and
laboratory subjects (Edelman 2002). In this essay, I aim to show their cultural meaning and social structures to Western society, by analysing the
human–rat relations and classifications in the Western world. In the West, the diverse contexts we encounter and interact with the rats have transformed
their cultural meanings and social structures in our society. Rats as detestable pests
Historically, rats have been viewed as disgusting, categorised as detestable pests and associated with negative images in Western contexts. Edelman
(2002) reveals how westerners tend to despise and demonise rats with examples of from the media, such as films and advertisements which act as
enhancers of disgust. Consequently, the rat has become a symbol of "dirt, disease and evil aggression" (Edelman 2002:6). This presents a cultural
understanding in Western societies of cleanliness and

Social Structure
Social structure surrounds the concept of different structures of groups that create social organizations. Social structures also play a role in defining
people. These groups are normally a resolute class. The components of social structure helps fits people into certain categories within the structure that
defines them as individuals. Social structure helps divide people into different divisions of society. A community is defined as groups of individuals
who enjoy interacting or living within the same space. A community is usually larger than a single household. These individuals tend to share interests
and values. Most members of a community have things in common and may also share geographic location. The concept of community is constantly
...show more content...
Jeff and Bert are both apart of my community. Jeff is a clerk at the kroger a few blocks away. Bert Is a bus operator for Marta. Jeff is saving up for
a car so he uses the Marta to get to work. Many times Jeff is short on the funds; however, Bert supplies him with tokens that he recieves with his
promotions. I'm return Jeff allows both Bert and John to use his Kroger number which includes a ten percent discount on all Kroger items. Three
characteristics of my community that better represent the social structure that I believe best represents my community are; of complex, industrial
societies and labor. I feel the complex system creates multiple ways for human interaction and behavior. The complex characteristic displays the
challenges within the environment. In order for one to receive help one must be aware of what area they lack in. Many people feel that asking for help
can be difficult. Which may affect their behavior and their interactions with others when they are in need. The complementary characteristics displays
the relationship and situation aspects of the community. It also helps unites individuals. When one lacks the ability to complete a task one may ask
someone who is familiar with completing that task properly. The community is based on individuals lending a hand and being a helping hand when
needed. It unites people and creates a give and take

Social structure theories focus on the economic and social conditions in which lower–class youth live. The relationship between socioeconomic
structure and crime is a relationship that scholars concluded that effected urban areas in which it promoted criminal behavior. While studies have
shown a direct link between lower–class citizens and crime it is mistake to predispose all of them to a life of crime. Social structure theories examine
why lower–class youth are more likely to commit crime than middle and upper–class youth. Social structure theories focus on two major factors that
influence delinquency: socioeconomic conditions and cultural values. These conditions and values, in turn, are based on social and economic
inequality in the...show more content...
Those who don't have equal opportunity are considered "strains" thus more likely to be a delinquent. People have differential means available for
achieving these culturally supported goals. Some have blocked opportunities, maybe because of class location or socioeconomic status, but also
because of race, ethnicity, or gender discrimination. As a consequence these individuals are unable to achieve their goals through legitimate
means. Society offers members of different social group's very different institutional means of achieving its goals such as opportunities for
education regardless of ability, fulfilling work, and financial aid. A gap between effort and reward makes it impossible for some people to set
realistic, achievable goals or to plan legitimate ways of achieving their goals. People can break out of this system but it is not easy. For example,
imagine a fisherman casting his net over the side of the boat, while the net is designed to catch certain fish it cannot catch all of them no matter what
some of the fishes will escape or avoid the net. This analogy represents the social theory structure where some people can break through poverty
while the odds for other are too great to overcome. Subculture plays a big part in increasing or decreasing the chances of an individual to break out of
poverty. Subculture is a set of values, norms and beliefs that differs from those within the dominant culture. If a person

Case Study: Social Structure
Primary Groups
Primary groups are those that are formed by a bond of like psychology, genetics, or phase of life. The members of a primary group are usually
intimately familiar with each other, and form close bonds that often result in an altruistic approach to supporting, and if necessary defending the group.
Usually, the group's cohesiveness is based on time spent together sharing a culture, fostering kindred feelings in one another, trust and deep sympathy.
As a father and husband, my family is the most obvious primary group in my life. My wife and I share time, shelter, trust and a loving relationship
with each other. We know each other's secrets, fears and doubts, no matter how embarrassing or painful. We also share our victories, conquests and
successes with support and pride, no matter how big or small they might seem. We watch our toddler son grow more into a boy, and inevitably a
man, every day. We share in each stumble, giggle and tear, and help him to help himself in every way that we can possibly think of. We couldn't
imagine living any other way. The thought of ever having to be separated is inconceivable, and we revel in every moment we have together.
As a defense contractor, I am also a part of a more novel group of men that share a common interest in doing whatever it is that we must do in order to
support the warfighter, and our country. We willingly put ourselves in harm's way in order to bring our expertise and consistency to the combat zone, in

The Importance Of Social Structures In My Life
Throughout my life, I have been shaped in many ways by the social structures present in my life. I had never realized the importance of these
influences before this year as I learned the basics of sociology. Those theories helped me be more aware and have a better understanding of how
society influences individuals. This text will present examples of how the person I am today was shaped by social structures The socioeconomic
status (1) I was born into is that both my parents have university degrees and work in marketing. They both had a good income level that allowed
my sister and I to participate in many diverse activities and receive a good education. Since my parents got the jobs they have because of their
studies, school has always been important for my family and I put a lot of effort into having good grades. My socioeconomic status shaped my life
as it defined my priorities and the opportunities I have to achieve them. The ascribed status (1) I have from birth is that I had many privileges due to
the achieved status (1) of my parents. My parents worked throughout their lives to get the socioeconomic status they now have. Because of that, my
sister and I never lacked anything for our wellbeing. We had the opportunities of participating in diverse activities, had a good education and a good
living situation. To see the advantages my sister and I had motivates me to work hard to achieve the same status as my parents when I'll be adult to
give the same ascribed status to

Racism And The Social Structures Of Race Essay
The idea of race has been constructed over hundreds of years, with numerous cultural implications arising from this construction. Since Johann Fredrich
Blumenbach's racial hierarchy, the inventor of a "...modern racial classification" (Gould 1994:66), the idea of race as a scientific truth justified slavery,
colonisation and other existing racial structures. We see these racial hierarchies with notions of white superiority affecting events around the globe
everyday; regardless of the fact that race has been proven as a flawed biological concept, with racial categories a result of 'pseudo science'. The events
following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 are evidence of the racist attitudes that linger in our society, institutionally and in everyday life – racism is more
than simply individual attitudes, and is embedded in the social structures of society.
The idea of race has been disproved due to lack of genetic variation within humans. There are not genetically distinguishable differences between
humans, contradicting the idea there are subspecies as suggested by Carl Linnaeus' theory of racial taxonomy (later taken up by Blumenbach in 1779
and expanded upon to categorise five races instead of four). Subspecies within the human race would require much greater genetic variation between
'races', whereas it has been determined that there is more genetic variation within a group of people than between groups of people. This can be
attributed to the amount of time homo sapiens have

Major Types Of Social Structure Theories
In a narrative, I will compare and contrast the three major types of social structure theories, and the three major types of social structure theories are
social disorganization theory, strain theory, and culture conflict theory. Also, I will, include the major principles for each perspective. In this I will
define social structure , and I will detail key points in each of these subjects. Introduction Social order,and economics in society explains crime by
reference to the Social Structure theory. This type of theory makes important relationships among social institutions and recount the types of behavior
that differinate groups of people from certain Individuals.There are three major types of social structure theories. The first theory is social
disorganization, and this theory lack of alerting, not even development of culture, social change, and conflict, This is the conditions that exist when
faced with these conditions. A sociological approach that propose a separation between socially and sub culturally sanctioned goals and means as the
source of criminal behavior, and this is the strain theory. Culture conflict theory perspective on crime suggest that the main cause of being a criminal
can be found in a inconsistennse of values in the middle different socialized groups over what is acceptable . These theory focus on the way in which
society is organized. They are organise by their group, or class. In comparison all of these theories believe that social structure in

Social Structure Essay example
American Intercontinental University Social Structure HUMA 215 – Topics in Cultural Studies 9/8/12 Abstract Cultural syncretism has transformed
and shaped our world today; because of encounters years and centuries before our time we have religion and even art. Our modern culture was
contributed to by the happenings of yesterday. Social Structure Introduction The legacies of cultural syncretism in the Americas and Africa can be
compared and contrasted with the resistance to cultural change that westerners experienced in China and India. These encounters have left many
legacies of change and differences in the culture today. Had syncretism not occurred or if syncretism had taken root during earlier encounters in China
or India...show more content...
China and India on the other hand easily resisted invaders and thought no harm could come to their country. The cultural backgrounds of China and
India were also similar in the way that these two cultures were richer than the culture of Africa and the Americas which allowed them to grow
rapidly. The Americas and Africa were just beginning to develop whereas China and India has established themselves and these countries had a deep
history. Cultural Factors & Outcome Differences Because of so many similarities and differences in these cultures there were a number of
factors that played a role in the cultural differences between Africa, the Americas, China, and India to make up the cultural syncretism. This is
especially true for Africa and the Americas who were resisted by the population of Asia and India from the arrival of the Europeans (Sayre, 2013). The
rituals performed in Africa was the primary source of culture which is why there are differences between the Westerners and non–Westerners process of
thinking (Sayre, 2013). The transformation of the Americas and African culture was widely influenced by Europe, but Europe had no effect on China
and India. Legacies of Cultural Change Left Today To understand the legacies that have been left behind and have had an effect on cultural change by
different encounters throughout history an

In our daily social life, when people meeting together whether with a stranger or a friend, they are likely to classify others by a certain category of
characteristics consciously or unconsciously. However, making categories not only applies to individual life, also societies have categories, as what the
sociologists called stratification. Stratification which divides people according to social structures refers to bigger areas of factor including gender, age,
ethnicity, family lineage, economic and achievement. There are several characteristics of stratification (McLenna, et al 2007), firstly, stratification
creates beliefs that reflect the social structure, which formed the second character. The beliefs access to the society like institutions and political
groups. Lastly, stratification divides people as groups, and put same expectation to the group. Unfortunately, the effects of stratification are not so
positive, in contrast, it enhances social inequality. Class as a significant form of inequality, which formed in the very beginning of industrial society
(McLenna, et al 2007). There are quite lots of researches that focus on class studies, and it has been counted as the fundamental part of sociology.
However, the main idea of this essay is to discover social class from personal experiences and extend to the social phenomenon in the general public
but mainly using China as the example.
Almost all sociologists have researched on stratification and social class in various

Essay on Social Structure
This essay will begin by describing the three spheres that tie society together. The main institution of society is the family or household which is broken
up into thousands of units. Secondly, it will discuss the economic institution and its ties to the family. The use of labour power and how that effects the
power struggle with the capitalist marketplace will also be discussed. Lastly, the political institution of government will be shown along with its
relationships to the family and the families ability to create reform and change regulation.
One of the main institutions in society in the household or family. It is here that almost all the consumption in society takes place. It is also here that
almost all the labour power in...show more content...
In 1901 only 12% of Canadian women were economically active, however, in 1961 there were 29.5% economically active. (Wilson, 1982:71). This
percentage has gotten exponentially bigger with time.
In 1981, 54% of women with dependent children were economically active.(Purdy, 1988:203)Another facet of the economic family unit is
reproduction. The goal of the family unit is to produce children, which in turn expands the labour force, which creates a larger economic base. In
Canadian families the emphasis is on quality not quantity and because of this there are gaps in the unskilled labour force. It is only through
immigration that the capitalist economy has been able to keep up with the demand for cheap unskilled labour. (Purdy, 1988:229) So the value of labour
power is determined outside capitalism, in non–capitalist units that maintain and reproduce labour power...families. Corporations produce wealth in the
form of goods and services and a can last well beyond an individuals life span.
Capitalism is a powerful institution with holds on the economy, political state and family as well. The payment of wages allows the corporations to
grow and continue to produce goods and exploit workers. (Bailey, 1974:127)Families consume. In the modern era, most families are not units of
production and consumption, mainly just consumption. They do not accumulate wealth, but simply take the wage and spend it on commodities that
satisfy their needs. As Karl Marx put

Social Structure Theory Essay
Social Structure Theory Holly Barnes CJS/231 August 30, 2015 Professor Chris Rosbough There are several theories created by many thinkers of
our time that believes that societal, financial, and social arrangements and/or structures as the main cause of criminal behavior. In society, depending
on where you are, there are usually some unwritten norms that are expected to be followed. It can be in a business corporation, out in the streets, at
home. Usually there will be two sets of norms that is expected to be followed that causes an individual to feel torn. However, the feeling of being torn
is the inner battle of doing the right thing, conscience or keeping yourself alive. The video, "Tent City, Arizona" was chosen to be watched
...show more
content...
Although the theories were not clearly spelled out in the video, it could be clearly portrayed by the cluster of races as well as how they ran each
cluster internally. The first social structure theory that could be identified is the social disorganization where the prisoners would come from
their world outside the prison where they had freedom of choices as well as freedom to have whatever they wanted. They knew people in their
lives and had the bonds with their families. Once they came into the prison, it was clear that they wouldn't know anybody with exception of a few
people and only interacted with each other due to their races. Although they knew the rules of the prison, they had a separate unwritten rule made
up for their races which was basically to keep an eye out for each other or face consequences such as bashings, stabbings, or get killed. As Professor
John Fuller (2011), states in his lecture, "society is not organized and so people don't know what is right, they don't know exactly what the rules are
and so they are free to kind of make up things as they go along. They don't have, they are not bonded to each other as neighbors, and so they look at
each other, particularly in an emerging capitalist society, they look at each other as targets of opportunity for financial gain, rather than necessarily
people to care about and to connect with." As a result, prisoners are expected to continue breaking

Social Construct Essay
I highly agree that us as human beings have the capability to wonder about our origins, as well as the responsibility that comes with it. We are
responsible for knowing our origins because it's apart of our history and how we came into existence. If we never knew where we came from or how
we came into being then what is our purpose in life? Without knowing the past we can't ever have a successful future; we learn from our past so that
we don't continue to make the same decisions in the future. For example religion wouldn't be practiced today had there not been scriptures and text
handed down from generation to generation. Religion is a huge part of our history because regardless of the religion there's always a passage at the
beginning which...show more content...
Science is most definitely a social contsruct because it is very well accomplished at cancelling out any type of religion because everything is meant
to be factual. It mainly states that we came from apes in the sense of evolution and that everything came to be from the Big Bang Theory; where
everything is existence just happened out of no where within space and time from an all powerful source of energy. This mindset is nothing more than
a social construct because scientist and science books teach us this which in turn will construct our minds to believe that is what really took place in
our history. However, I don't believe that at all because if anything science proves that in my opinion that God is the source of entertainment that
science talks about. At the end of the day scientists can't prove what the source of energy was or where it came from, but only that it can't be created
or destroyed and it created everything in existence including the planets, the sun, the galaxies etc. God is neither a person or deity but a source of
powerful energy who can't ever be created or destroyed. Other that my obvious opinion I believe that science is a social construct because it tries to
shape our minds to think that things came or come about in a certain way, place, and

Social Structure And Its Effect On Society
Society as a whole has established its own set of norms, group membership, and status' that individuals have to adapt to in order to fit in. Throughout
the years, these norms have changed thus causing individuals to conform so they can be accepted and not labeled deviant. The quote "The
individual...is not born a member of society" (Berger & Luckman, 1996:18) means that society is constantly shifting causing individuals to relearn
what is normative and deviant so they can be accepted by society. Individuals learn what is socially acceptable so they can be viewed normative and
not deviant. These norms are learned through parental guidance and exposure to what society views as acceptable thus shaping the individuals
mindset. According to Berger and Luckman (1966) "Every individual is born into an objective social structure within which he encounters the
significant others who are in charge of his socialization" (p. 18). This socialization is known as primary socialization since it is the first exposure an
individual has to what is viewed as acceptable behavior. Outside of primary socialization, and individual goes through secondary socialization when
away from their family and significant others.. Secondary socialization is defined by Berger and Lucian (1966) as "the internalization of institutional or
institution–based 'subworlds'... 'subworlds' internalized in secondary socialization are generally partial realities in contrast to the 'base–world' acquired
in primary

Social Structure and Its Effect on Our Lives

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Social Structure and Its Effect on Our Lives