This document provides an overview of key concepts in social sciences from a social work perspective. It defines social groups, primary groups, secondary groups, marriage, family, religion, social conformity, and social deviance. For each topic, it lists relevant definitions, characteristics, functions, types, causes, and factors. The document appears to be teaching slides for a social work course, as it contains instructions that the material needs to be interpreted in the context of the instructor's classes.

1. Social Sciences perspective
for Social Work III
JFM Lohith Shetty
PGDPM, MSW(HRD), MBA(Hosp Mgt), NET
Chief Facilitator – Vinetra Training Institute
Trainer – Junior Chamber International
President - 2014, JCI Mangalore
Lohith Shetty

2. Statutory Instructions:
• This is not a study material & only a
teaching aid.
• There is constant changes made to
this teaching material & those
changes are not updated in Slide
Share.
• This slide is prepared as teaching aid
only, so it can be understood &
interpreted rightly only after
attending my classes.
Lohith Shetty

3. SOCIAL GROUPS:
1. Harry M. Johnson: “A group is a system
of social interaction”.
2. Marshal Jones: “Group is two or more
people between whom there is an
established pattern of interaction”.
3. MacIver and Page: “Group is any
collection of human beings who are brought
into human relationships with one another”.
Lohith Shetty

4. Characteristics:
a) Collection of Interaction
b) Interaction among members
c) Mutual awareness
d) We feeling
e) Unity and solidarity
f) Common interests
g) Similar behaviour
h) Group norms
i) Size of the group
j) Groups are dynamic
k) Stability
l) Influence on personality
Lohith Shetty

5. The Primary Group:
Cooley “It means those characterized by intimate face to face
association and co-operation. They are primary in several senses, but
chiefly in that they are fundamental in forming the social nature and
ideals of individual”.
Characteristics:
1. Identity of ends
2. The relationship is end itself
3. Relationship is personal
4. The relationship is inclusive
5. The relationship is spontaneous
6. Small size
7. Physical proximity or nearness
8. Stability of group
9. Similarity of background
10.Limited self interest
11. Intensity of shared interests
12.Communication face to face
13.Unspecified character of Primary Group
14.Direct co-operation
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6. Importance:
• It is a great humanizing agent
• Development of personality
• Satisfaction of psychological needs
• Provides stimulation
• United in process
• Strengthens the democratic spirit
• Acts as an agent of social control.
Lohith Shetty

7. The Secondary Groups:
Frank D Watson “The Secondary Groups is larger and more
formal, is specialized and direct in its contacts and relies
more for unity and continuance upon the stability of its
social organization than does the primary group”.
Characteristics:
1. Dominance of secondary relations
2. Largeness of the size
3. Membership
4. No physical basis
5. Specific ends of interests
6. Indirect communication
7. Nature of group control
8. Group structure
9. Limited influence of personality
10. Difference between physical and social groups
11. Difference between physical and social discuss
Lohith Shetty

8. Marriage:
Malinowski “Marriage is a contract for production and
maintenance of children”.
Robert H Lowie “Marriage is a relatively permanent
bond between permissible mates”.
Alfred Mc Clung Lee “Marriage is the public joining
together, under socially specified regulations of a
man and woman as husband and wife”.
Characteristics:
1. Universality
2. Relationship between man and woman
3. Marriage bond is enduring
4. Marriage need social approved
5. Marriage is associated with some civil or religious
ceremony
6. Marriage creates mutual obligations
Lohith Shetty

9. Functions and Importance of Marriage:
I. Regulation of sex life – regulates sex
relationships also
II. Marriage leads to establishment of family
III.Provides for economic co-operation
IV. Marriage contributes to emotional and
intellectual interstimulation of partners.
V. Marriage aims at social solidarity
Lohith Shetty

10. Types of Marriage:
I Monogamy
II Polygamy a) Sororal polygamy b) Non
Sororal polygamy
III Polyandry – Todas, Ladakh, Few Tibetians
to keep joint property intact.
IV Group Marriage – very rear now.
Recent Trends: Discuss
V Endogamy VI Exogamy
Lohith Shetty

11. Family:
• Eliot and Merill: “Family is the
biological social unit composed of
husband, wife and children”.
• M F Nimkoff: “Family is a more or less
durable association of husband and wife
with or without child or of a man and
woman alone with children”.
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12. General Characteristics:
• A mating relationship
• Selection of mates
• A form of marriage
• A system of nomenclature
• A way of tracing the descent
• A common residence
• An economic provision
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13. Distinctive Features:
• Universality
• Emotional basis
• Limited size
• Formative influence
• Nuclear position in the social structure
• Responsibility of members
• Social regulations
• The permanent and temporary nature of family
Lohith Shetty

14. Functions of Family:
A Primary Functions:
• Stable satisfaction of sexual needs
• Reproduction or procreation
• Rearing of child
• Provision of home
• Agent of socialization
• Cultural transmission
• Status ascribing function
• Affectionate function
B Secondary Functions:
• Economic Functions
• Educational Functions
• Religious Functions
• Recreational Functions
Lohith Shetty

15. Types of Family:
I. Matriarchal Family:
a) Descent, inheritance and succession
b) Matri local residence
c) Exercise of power
d) Structure - female descents
II. Patriarchal Family:
a) Descent, inheritance and succession
b) Patri local residence
c) Exercise of power
d) Structure - male descents
Lohith Shetty

16. Forms of family: A) Joint Family:
Iravati Karve “Joint family is a group of people who live under
one roof, who eat food cooked at one hearth, who hold
property in common and who participate in common family
worship and are related to each other as some particular type
of kindred”.
Types of joint family: Patriarchal / Matriarchal
Characteristics:
a. Depth of generation
b. Common roof
c. Common kitchen
d. Common worship
e. Common property
f. Exercise of authority
g. Arranged marriages
h. Procreation: more births in couples
i. Identification with obligations towards the family
Merits and Demerits:
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17. Causes for changes in Joint Family system:
I. Influence of education
II. Impact of industrialization
III.Influence of urbanization
IV.Change in marriage system
V. Legislative measures
VI.Influence of Western values
VII.Women’s awareness
VIII.Generation gap
IX.Less dependence on agriculture
Lohith Shetty

18. B) Nuclear Family:
Duncan Mitchell “A small group composed of husband and wife and
immediate children which constitutes a unit apart from the rest of
the committee”.
Recent trends in modern Nuclear Family:
1) Industrialization
2) Urbanization
3) Democratic Ideals
4) Decline of the influence of mores and religious beliefs.
5) Spread of secular attitude
6) Individualism and Romantic love
7) Economic independence of women
8) Emancipation of women
9) Decline in birth rate
10) High divorce rate
11) Parent youth conflict
12) Extra marital affairs
13) Broken families
Lohith Shetty

19. Recent Trends in Family &
Marriage
Group
Discussions
Lohith Shetty

20. Religion:
Durkheim: “Unified system of beliefs and practices
relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart
and for bidden”.
James G. Frazer: “A belief in powers superior to man
which are believed to direct and control the course of
nature and human life”.
Features:
a. Belief in supernatural forces
b. Man’s adjustment with supernatural forces
c. Acts-Righteous and sinful / sacred and profane
d. Some methods of salvation
e. System of rituals
f. Animism – ancient religious (Mana)
g. Associated with magic
h. Superstitious belief
i. Existence of a priest – preaching
Lohith Shetty

21. Functions of Religion:
1) Religion provides religious experience
2) Religion provides peace of mind
3) Religion promotes social solidarity, unity and identity
4) Religion conserves the value of life
5) Religion is an agent of social control
6) Priestly functions – maintains stability
7) Religion promotes welfare
8) Religion provides recreation
9) Religion explains individual suffering and helps to
integrate personality
10) Religion enhances self-importance
11) Religion promotes morality
12) Recent trends, changes, satons, science opposing and
supporting religion, secular riots, fundamentalism,
terrorism, politics, newly formed religion, cults and
revival of religion.
Lohith Shetty

22. Social Conformity:
C.N. Shanker Rao “Conformity is action that is
oriented to a social norm or norms and falls within the
range of behaviour permitted by the norm.
Causes of Conformity: Harry M. Johnson
Socialization
Insulation
Hierarchy of norms
Social control
Ideology
Vested interest
Robert Bierstedi
Indoctrination
Habituation
Utility
Group Identity
Lohith Shetty

23. Social Deviance:
Orville G. Brim: “Deviance can be defined as failure to
conform to the expectations of other persons”.
Louise Weston: “Deviance can be defined as behaviour
that is contrary to the standards of conduct or social
expectations of a given group or society”.
C. N. Shanker Rao: “The act of going against the group
shared expectations and norms.
Nature of Social Deviance:
a) Deviance is unacceptable by society
b) Deviance is against the social conformity
c) Deviance can be scientific and logical approach
d) Deviance may develop innovation
e) Deviance may resist or discard ritualism
f) Deviance may retreat and refresh society
g) Deviance may be rebellious
h) Deviance may lead to social disorganization
Lohith Shetty

24. Factors facilitating Deviance:
• Faulty socialization
• Weak sanctions
• Poor enforcement
• Ease of rationalization
• Unjust or corrupt enforcement
• Ambivalence of the agents of social control
• Sub cultural support of Deviance
• Sentiments of loyalty to deviant groups
• Indefinite range of norms
• Secrecy of violations
Lohith Shetty