1. Social Institutions What Are Social Institutions? Characteristics of Social Institutions Purposes of Social Institutions

2. What Are Social Institutions? A social institution is any sort of human group that supports social practices or behaviors that a society has generally agreed to promote or obey. Examples of social institutions include: marriage, criminal justice system, government, peer groups (friends), family, religion, education system, any cultural tradition, clubs (any type), and so on.

3. Characteristics of Social Institutions Entrenched patterns of behavior creating a structure Change occurs slowly because of the entrenched structure Have a specific purpose Members are joined by shared values or beliefs

4. Purposes of Social Institutions Agent of socialization: they directly or indirectly help society learn the values and norms of a culture, and the structure of society. To maintain order and security: all social institutions play a part in maintaining order and security. They also maintain a sense of regularity and normalcy.