SOCIAL SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION
• The concept of social system and social structure are
closely related. System is an orderly way of arrangement.
All societies have various systems. These systems should
coordinate with each other for the smooth functioning of
the society. The interaction and interrelationship among
the systems are very important for the societal health.
Each system is made up of different parts. The parts
should be arranged in a systematic manner. Each part of a
system has got a function. So all the parts are expected to
perform their roles in a society without any defects. Any
structural or functional defect in a part may leads to a
major problem in the social system.
DEFINITIONS
• Loomis defines, "Social system is constituted of
the interaction of a plurality of individual actor
whose relations to each other are mutually
oriented through definition of and meditation of
a pattern of structured and shared symbols and
expectations".
FEATURES OF SOCIAL
SYSTEM
1) Basement of social system is social
interaction
• Social system is based on the interaction among
the individuals interacting each other and their
interactions leads to form a system called social
system. Social system cannot be formulated or
established by the action of one individual. To
create a social system the interactions between
number of and group of individuals are required.
2. The interaction process should
carry some meaning
• Meaningless and aimless interactions cannot
create a social system. Social system is an
organization of meaningful interactions. The
human interactions help to establish social
relationships. Overall, social system is an orderly
arrangement of various expressions like
customs, mores, laws, procedures, traditions and
institutions etc.
3. The parts of social system are
integrated
• Only one part cannot constitute the whole social
system. Only customs and traditions do not constitute
a social system. In social system various parts are
arranged in an integrated manner. A social system
maintains order among the integrated units of the
system.
4. Functional relationship is
maintained among the parts of
social system
• All the parts of the social system are expected to
perform certain procedures and norms. Various
parts of social system are united on the basis of
functional relationship. It is an arrangement of
interdependent and integrated process.
Functional relationship among the system. parts
is the basic feature of social system.
5. Social system is closely
associated with the cultural
system
• Social system is directed by the cultural system.
Culture is the determining factor of nature and
scope of human interactions and interrelationships.
It also maintains a balance among minimizes the
possibility of conflicts among the various parts.
6. Social system has a definite
environment
• Social system belongs to a particular age. It has a
definite territory. Social system is not same in all
ages, territories and societies. Social system is not
static. It is dynamic. It changes with the change in
times. The rate of change differs from one society to
another. But the change does not affect the
equilibrium of the social system.
 BASIC ELEMENTS
OF SOCIAL SYSTEM
Loomies listed the 9 basic elements
of social system.
• 1) Belief and knowledge- Belief can be
defined as "any preposition about any aspect of
the universe that is accepted as true". A belief
may or not be true but the individuals who hold
it consider it to be true. All the people who are
living in the society hold certain beliefs.
2) Sentiments
• The people in the society have lot of sentiments.
Sentiments represent our perception about the
world. All sentiments are controlled by our
cultural values. Sentiments are acquired and
articulated in the internal pattern of the social
system results from human interactions.
• 3) End, goal or objectives- An individual belongs to
a social system. expect to accomplish a particular goal
through appropriate interaction. Goals and objectives
help the human beings to meet their needs in the society.
The goals and objectives are major determining factors
of social system.
• 4) Norms - Norms are the effective means of social
control. Norms can determine the right, wrong, just or
unjust, appropriate or inappropriate, good or bad in the
social system. Every social system has its own norms.
Norms are general to all. They should not be violated by
anyone of the member in the society.
• 5) Status and role- Each individual has a status in a
society. It is a position of an individual in a society. It
may be an achieved one or ascribed one. In a social
system, the individual is expected to perform his role in
accordance with his status. There is a fixed role for each
status.

• 6) Rank- Rank refers to the position of an individual in

a society. Rank is determined by the evaluation based
upon the individual and his acts based on the norms and
standards of the system.
• 7) Power- Power is the capacity to control others. In
social system individual who are holding power, they are
controlling others. Whenever there is any conflict or
dispute in a social system, the authoritative person makes
decision and solves the problem.

• 8) Sanction- It implies confirmation by the superior in

authority, of the acts done be the subordinate or the
imposition of penalty for the infringement of the
command. The acts done or not done according to norms
may bring reward and punishment.
• 9) Facility- Facility can be defined as a means used
to attain ends within the system. All individuals
should be provided with adequate facilities to
perform their role efficiently in the social system. The
utilization of facilities depends upon an individual in
the society.
Types of social Systems

TYPE-1
• Political
• Educational
• Religious
• Economics
TYPE 2 (Durkheim)
Durkheim described about 2 kinds of social system they
are:
i. Mechanic social system
ii. Organic social system
• Mechanical solidarity is the social integration of
members of a society who have common values and
beliefs. These common values and beliefs constitute a
“collective conscience” that works internally in
individual members to cause them to cooperate.
Contd…
• Organic solidarity is social cohesion based upon the
dependence individuals have on each other in more
advanced societies. It comes from the
interdependence that arises from specialization of
work and the complementarities between people—a
development that occurs in “modern” and “industrial”
societies. modern societies are based on organic social
system.
 TYPE 3 (Sorokin)
Sorokin classified the social system on the basis of cultural
system. The 3 types cultural systems are: of
• i. Sensate
• ii. Ideational
• iii. Idealistic
Sensate cultural system is based on material happiness.
Basement of ideational cultural system (reality is
spiritual and immaterial)
Idealistic cultural system gives more importance for both
material and spiritual happiness. Idealistic cultural
system gives more importance for both material and
spiritual happiness of man in a society.
ROLE AND STATUS AS
STRUCTURAL
ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL
SYSTEM
 ROLE
• Lundberg defines, "Social role is a pattern of behavior
expected of an individual in certain group or situation".
• According to Ogburn and Nimkoff, "a role is a set of
socially expected and approves behavior patterns,
consisting of both duties and privileges associated with
a particular position in a group".
• Each and every individual has a role to perform. They
are expected to perform their roles properly. Not all the
individuals can perform same job. Based on one's
ability and educational qualification the roles are
allotted.
CONTD…
• Roles are very much helpful for an individual to
achieve a status in the society.
• The individuals may play many roles in a society.
Some may play a task oriented, some may play a
relation-oriented role and others may play self-
oriented roles. An individual is expected to play
many roles at the same time in a group. E.g.: a boy is
a son to his parents, teacher to his students, husband
to his wife and father to his children.
CONTD…
• In the process of social organization, both roles and
status are the vital factors. When an individual is not
performing his role properly may lead to change in his
status. These alterations are automatically affects the
equilibrium of the social organization.
• Roles are not static and limited. They are continuously
changing and multiplying in nature.
Different types of roles
• 1) Achievement role- Individuals are fixing their goals
and working towards the achievements of that goal.
• 2) Recruitment role- The recruitment department people
are playing this role to recruit the employees.
• 3) Occupational role- To meet the economic needs all
individuals are performing the occupational role.
• 4) Authority or Leadership role- To direct and control
an organization, the leaders are playing the leadership
role.
CONTD….
• 5) Expressive role- Individuals are communicating
the ideas, sharing their emotional experience by
expressive symbols.
• 6) Distributive role- Individuals are indirectly
interacting and representing the basic fact about all
roles. E.g.: Personality, origin and belief.
• 7) Dependent role- Performing one's role by
depending on others. E.g.: Wife's role in a family.
• 8) Independent role- An individual alone perform
certain roles. without anybody's help. E.g.:
Researcher conducting a research project.
 STATUS
• According to Ogbum and Nimkoff, "Status
represents the position of individual in the group".

• Buckman and Second defines, "The worth of a

person as estimated by a group or a class of persons".
Types of status
• They are of two types. They are
• 1. Ascribed status
• 2. Achieved status
1. ASCRIBED STATUS
• It is not based on one’s own effort, his capabilities
and his abilities.
• It is based on one’s caste, family background etc.

2. ACHIVED STATUS
An individual is achieving his status by his own efforts
and capabilities. Eg.- An individual’s position in an
institution.
Factors determining ascribed
status
• 1. Age- Age is an important factor in determining the
status. In traditional societies, the elders are respected
and the younger generation is under the control of the
elder generation.

• 2. Sex- In most communities, males always acquire a

high status in the family.
• 3. Physical characteristics- Physical characteristics like
well build physique in males and beauty in females are
the important in determinants of status. Deformities,
physical defects, ugly looks and handicaps reduce
individual esteem in the society.

• 4. Kinship and family- In a society there are poor

respected families, ordinary families and high respected
families. Individuals ascribe status according to the
family to which they are born. The status of the person
is judged based on the name of the family.
• 5. Caste- Caste determines the status of an
individual in our Indian society. In India,
Brahmins will be given high status followed
by Vysyas, Kshatrias and Sudras.

• 6. Race- Race is one of the status determining

factors in the western society. In western
countries, White race is considered, superior
compared to blacks and Mongoloids. ysyas,
Kshatrias and Sudras.
Determinants of achieved
status
• 1. Education- The level of education is an
important factor to determine the social status. A
highly educated, qualified and trained person has
greater respect and honor in the society.

• 2. Occupation- Individual's occupation

determines the social status. In our Indian society,
doctors and engineers are more respected in the
society compared with others.
• 3. Wealth- In the modern world, the wealth
plays a vital role. It gives power to an
individual. An individual who is having more
wealth can exert more control on other
individuals.

• 4. Political authority- A political authoritative

man has a very high status in the society. The
governmental ministers, MP's, MLA's and other
political digni e high status in a society.
 INTER
RELATIONSHIP
OF INSTITUTIONS
INTER RELATIONSHIP OF INSTITUTIONS
• All institutions are interacting with each other. They
are adjusting with each other to maintain the balance
among them. The family, religion, education,
business and government all interacting with each
other. Even though they differ in their basic concept,
all of them are adjusting with themselves. E.g.: the
basement of religion is faith. Basement of education
is truth. Though both religion and education are
different in their basics, they are adjusting each other
and maintain the equilibrium in a society.
Contd…
• Institutions are always facing challenges from the
society. challenges can occur in the form of social
change in an institution.
• According to the social changes, an institution also
expected to change. The change occur in one
institution can lead to a change in another societal
institution. Sometimes they may change their role
also. Whenever the interrelationship is not
maintained smoothly in a society, there is a
possibility of social disorganization.
Contd….
• A social institution is an interrelated system of
social roles and social norms, organized around
the satisfaction of an important social need or
social function. Social Institutions are organized
patterns of beliefs and behaviour that are centered on
basic social needs.
• Most societies' five major social institutions are the
family, the state or government, economy,
education, and religion. Each of these institutions
has responsibilities that differ based on society.
Contd….
• Social institutions are a system of behavioral
and relationship patterns that are densely interwoven
and enduring, and function across an entire society.
Without social institutions, modern societies could
not exist. The measure relationship between the
Social institution and society is that the Social
Institutions are run by the people of a Society for the
people of same or other society.
Contd…
• No institution exists in a vacuum. Each is affected by
the rest of the culture.
• Acts within each institution affect the
others. Consider the case of the family. In
most simple societies, the family (or possibly
the clan, which is an extended family) is the
only social institution. Work is organized by
family units, children are trained by family
members, control is exercised by the family, worship
is generally by family groups.
Contd…
• Religious orientation has, therefore, to be reckoned
with as one of the important determinants of the output
and quality of work. The nature of family structure
affects the economic sub-system in a significant way. A
close-knit family structure like the consanguineous or
joint family tends to strengthen kinship ties.
• On the contrary, a nuclear family pattern is likely to
produce universalistic-achievement values because
relationships among kins tend to be relatively
impersonal. In such a context, a greater degree of
rationalisation to likely is pervade the entire society,
including the economy.
Contd…

• Political sub-system affects the economy in various

ways. In the first place, an environment conducive to
hard and honest labour can be created and sustained
only by the political authority.
• In most of the developing societies such political will
is unfortunately missing, with the result that the
economy stagnates. Secondly, the ideology which
informs political institutions also affects the
economy.
Contd…
• The importance of the educational institution vis-a-
vis the economy cannot be overemphasized,
particularly in the modern world. History of industrial
advance since the eighteenth century is marked by use
of various kinds of energy one after the other, vis.,,
steam power, electrical power and electronic power.
• The latest innovation is the use of robots in industrial
production. Obviously, educational system has a very
important role to play in producing skilled man-power
to run industrial establishments on modern line.
Contd…
• There is greater emphasis now-a-days on theoretical
knowledge as opposed to empirical knowledge.
Every modern society has to carry on continuous
research on various experiments and innovation in
the field of production and management.
• It is clear that no institution can be isolated from
other institutions and treated as an exclusive category.
That is why the five great social institutions are
referred to as a ‘cluster’ of institutions.
THANK YOU