A social system is composed of a plurality of individuals interacting according to shared cultural norms and meanings. It functions as an orderly arrangement of patterned relationships and interactions among its parts. Key elements of a social system include beliefs, sentiments, goals, norms, ranks, statuses, roles, power, sanctions, and facilities. A social system works to solve functional problems like pattern maintenance, tension management, adaptation, goal attainment, and integration. It is influenced by cultural factors and structured interactions that bind its parts into a unified whole.

1. SOCIAL SYSTEM
•System is a concept
•It functions according to order or pattern
•It is an orderly arrangement
•Patterned relationship among parts of structure
•Based on functional relations
•It binds the part into unity
•A system-natural-solar system
•Organised system- social system

2. Social system
•Plurality of individuals interacting with each other
•According to shared cultural norms and meanings
•Made up of interactions
•Cultural factors which structure interaction
•All social organizations are social systems
•Since they consist of interacting individuals

3. definitions
Meciver and Page:
•Social system is an organisation
•As it is an orderly and systematic arrangement of parts
Loomis and Loomis:
•Social system is composed of patterned interaction of
members
Talcott Parsons:
a social system consist of plurality of individuals, actors
interaction in with other in a situation

4. Elements of social system
Belief:
• keeps people together
• they have a common belief
• it gives inner strength to collective functioning
Sentiment:
•Man doesn’t live by reason alone
• he plays his role with sentiments also
• Sentiment linked with culture also
Goal:
•The goal or end determine social system
•It provides pathway of progress
Norms:
• provide guidelines for appropriate conduct
• they also fix functional pattern of society
Rank:

5. • rank-recognition of importance
• role depends on upon the rank of a person
Status and role:
• every individual in society is functional
• status by- sex, birth, caste or age
• one may achieve status by service rendered
Power:
• social system consists of conflicts
• it aims at order
• power to punish the guilty brings order
• reward provides encouragement for conformity
• the authority excising power differ from group to group
Sanction:
• imposition of penalty for non conformity
• acts done or not done bring reward or punishment
Facility:

6. • provide a person to function properly
• individuals use facilities to achieve social objectives
Common features or characteristics of social system:
Features:
1) a)Plurality of individuals
b) Based on interactions of individuals
2) a) so system varies from time to time
b) From one system to another
c) Due to environment, time and place
3) a) social system has aim and purpose
b) It is a functional arrangement
4) a) social system is the order
b) Rendered unity
c) No single group or institution can disturb it
5) The scope of interrelationship, interaction determined by culture

7. 6) Social system works with adjustment of parts with each other in a
balance
Relationship between social system and social structure:
• Social structure and social system related to each other
• Social system relates to functional aspect of social structure.
• Social structure is the means through which social system
functions
• The nature of functions to be carried out influences the form of
structure.
• The form of structure will influence the functions it can perform
• Rigid social structure cannot fulfill the needs of changing society
• Social structure to use creative capacity
Social function:

8. in every society, individuals have specified functions. Functions are
divided as
•social functions and disfunctions
•Manifest and latent function
H.M.Johnson:
Any particular structure-sub group, role, social norm, cultural
value have a function
To fulfil social needs
Any partial structure have a disfunction if it cannot fulfil these
needs
Manifest functions are those that are intended and recognised
Latent functions are unorganised and unintended
the function may be may be manifested for some participants
and latent for others
Latent function have some functions to perform in all
structures
Latent functions to be taken into consideration for reforming
the society

9. functional problems of social system:
- every social system solves four functional problems
-If it does not, the system would cease to exist as an
independent entity
Functional problems:
Pattern maintenance and tension management:
the units of the whole structure must learn the pattern
And invest them with appropriate attitude of respect
Any social system to have mechanisms of socialization
through which
Cultural patterns come to be incorporated in the personalities
of individuals.

10. Tension management:
Units of any social system are subject to emotional disturbances
Which must be managed if the units are to be able to carry on
effectively
Adaptation:
A given social system to adapt or adjust itself to its social and non
social environment
Through division of labor or role differentiation among members
There should be role differentiation among members
Every person could perform diverse takes with knowledge and
skills.
Goal attainment:
Every social system has one or more goals to be attained through
cooperative effort
Adaptation required to attain goals
Human and non human resources to be mobilized according to
specific nature of tasks.

11. Proper allocation of resources necessary for both
adaptation and goal attainment
Integration:
To achieve goals, people are required to work in
cooperative in integration
They are required to have good miracle
Miracle is important for both integration and pattern
maintenance.