This document discusses social institutions from a sociological perspective. It defines social institutions as structures in society that serve essential social functions and perpetuate the social order. It then examines several key social institutions: law and politics, markets and economics, education and mobility, and religion and belief. For each institution, it outlines relevant structural approaches, social psychological considerations, and examples like court systems, economic models, education structures, and religious organizations and symbols.

1. Sociology
Social Psychology

2. Social Institutions
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Definition
Basic Considerations
The Law and Politics
Markets and Economics
Education and Mobility
Religion and Belief

3. Social Institutions
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Definition:
“Structures in society, manifested as
groups of social positions and associated
social relations, invested with legitimate
authority, that serve to maintain and carry
out essential social functions and
perpetuate the social order. “

4. Social Institutions
Basic Considerations
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All institutions are structures composed of social groups.
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A condition of social groups is the interrelationship of statuses.
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All statuses are reflected in role behavior
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Role behaviors are cognitively mediated by their occupants.
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Hence, institutions are cognitively mediated structures.

5. Social Institutions
The Law and Politics

6. Social Institutions
(Law and Politics)
Approaches to Deviance
– Structural (e.g. Merton’s Structural Strain)
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Innovator desires ends but hasn’t the means
– Cognitive (e.g. Becker’s Labeling)
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Attributions via sanctioned legal process

7. Social Institutions
(Law and Politics: The Judicial Structure)
Court System
Federal:
- The Supreme Court (1 @ 9)
- Court of Appeals (11 @ 3)
- District Courts (94 @ 1)
- Bankruptcy Courts (94 @ 1)
State:
- Superior (58 @ 1)
merged with municipal in 2001

8. Social Institutions
(Law and Politics: The Judicial Structure)
State Court System
– Superior Court (58 @ 1)
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One for each county
– Municipal Court
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Merged with Superior Courts in 2001

9. Social Institutions
(Law and Politics)
The Criminal Process
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Arrest
Preliminary Hearing
Arraignment
Pre-Trial Hearings
Trial
Verdict
Sentencing
Incarceration
Parole

10. Social Institutions
(Law and Politics)
Social Psychological Considerations
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Arrest and Arraignment
– Memory / Cognitive consistency
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Pre-Trail and Trial Judgments
– Attribution of cause / Distributive Justice
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Sentencing Practices
– Labeling / Status Characteristics and Expectation states

11. Social Institutions
Markets and
Economics

12. Social Institutions
(Markets and Economics )
Approaches to Markets
– Structure (Adam Smith - Supply/Demand)
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Production, Distribution & Consumption
– Process (Arrow – Rational Choice)
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Interpersonal Utility. Risk Preference

13. Social Institutions
(Markets and Economics)
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Disintermediation and The Monetary System:
– The Federal Reserve – 13 Districts
– Debt – Banks / Bonds
– Equity – Stocks / VC

14. Social Institutions
(Markets and Economics)
Social Psychological Considerations
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Production, Distribution & Consumption
– Utility / Exchange Equity
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Risk Preference
– Opportunity Costs / Comparison Level
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GNP
– Generalized Exchange

15. Social Institutions
(Markets and Economics)
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Risk Preference
Salience
Reward
Value
CL
Risk

16. Social Institutions
(Markets and Economics)
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Money and Meaning:
Earned Income
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Wages, Salaries
Unearned Income
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Dividends, Interest
Capital Gains
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Real & Personal Property
Taxes
To 40%
To 77%
To 28%

17. Social Institutions
Education and Mobility

18. Social Institutions
(Education and Mobility)
Structure (Status Attainment Model)
– Parents Status, Education & 1st Job status
Family
SES
Ability
Ambition
Education
Grades

19. Social Institutions
(Education and Mobility)
Social Psychological Considerations
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Attribution and achievement
– Status Characteristics and Success Attribution
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Costs, Reward & Delayed Gratification
– Delay as Dissonance Reduction
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Role Modeling
– Role Self Merger

20. Social Institutions
(Education and Mobility)
Process (Soc Psych Model)
Role Modeling
Delayed
Gratification
Family
SES
Ambition
Education
Ability
Self Attribution
Grades

21. Social Institutions
Religion and Belief

22. Social Institutions
(Religion and Belief)
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Structure
– Hierarchically Organized (Bureaucracies)
– Bound by Symbols, Belief and Ritual
Symbols
Organizations
Ritual
Beliefs
However, cognitive mediation => disassociation from task => rise of
denominations and ultimately cults and sects, where the membership
is based more on the beliefs, symbols and ritual than on the
organizational membership.

23. Social Institutions
(Religion and Belief)
Social Psychological Considerations
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Belief
– Dissonance Reduction
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Symbols
– Significant Symbols
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Ritual
– Intermittent Reinforcement / Reward

24. Social Institutions
(Religion and Belief)
• Process (Soc Psych Model)
S-I’s Significance
Intermittent Rewards
Symbols
Beliefs
Ritual
Dissonance Reduction
Organization