Sociology 545 Social Psychology

Fall 2005

Social Institutions

Definition Basic Considerations The Law and Politics Markets and Economics Education and Mobility Religion and Belief

Social Institutions

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.

Social Institutions
Basic Considerations

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

Social Institutions

The Law and Politics

Social Institutions
(Law and Politics)

Approaches to Deviance
Structural (e.g. Mertons Structural Strain)

Innovator desires ends but hasnt the means

Cognitive (e.g. Beckers Labeling)

Attributions via sanctioned legal process

Social Institutions
Court System
Federal:
The Supreme Court (1 @ 9) Court of Appeals (11 @ 3) District Courts (94 @ 1) Bankruptcy Courts (94 @ 1)

(Law and Politics: The Judicial Structure)

State:
- Superior (58 @ 1) merged with municipal in 2001

Social Institutions
State Court System
Superior Court (58 @ 1)

(Law and Politics: The Judicial Structure)

One for each county

Municipal Court

Merged with Superior Courts in 2001

Social Institutions
(Law and Politics)
The Criminal Process

Arrest Preliminary Hearing Arraignment Pre-Trial Hearings Trial Verdict Sentencing Incarceration Parole

Social Institutions
(Law and Politics)

Social Psychological Considerations

Arrest and Arraignment

Memory / Cognitive consistency

Pre-Trail and Trial Judgments

Attribution of cause / Distributive Justice

Sentencing Practices
Labeling / Status Characteristics and Expectation states

Social Institutions

Markets and Economics

Social Institutions
(Markets and Economics )

Approaches to Markets
Structure (Adam Smith - Supply/Demand)

Production, Distribution & Consumption

Process (Arrow Rational Choice)

Interpersonal Utility. Risk Preference

Social Institutions
(Markets and Economics)

Disintermediation and The Monetary System:

The Federal Reserve 13 Districts Debt Banks / Bonds Equity Stocks / VC

Social Institutions
(Markets and Economics)

Social Psychological Considerations

Production, Distribution & Consumption

Utility / Exchange Equity

Risk Preference
Opportunity Costs / Comparison Level

GNP
Generalized Exchange

Social Institutions
(Markets and Economics)

Risk Preference
Salience Reward Value

CL
Risk

Social Institutions
(Markets and Economics)

Money and Meaning:

Earned Income

Taxes
To 40% To 77% To 28%

Wages, Salaries
Dividends, Interest Real & Personal Property

Unearned Income

Capital Gains

Social Institutions

Education and Mobility

Social Institutions
(Education and Mobility)

Structure (Status Attainment Model)

Parents Status, Education & 1st Job status

Family SES

Ambition Education

Ability

Grades

Social Institutions
(Education and Mobility)

Social Psychological Considerations

Attribution and achievement

Status Characteristics and Success Attribution

Costs, Reward & Delayed Gratification

Delay as Dissonance Reduction Role Self Merger

Role Modeling

Social Institutions
(Education and Mobility)

Process (Soc Psych Model)

Role Modeling Delayed Gratification Family SES Ambition Education Ability Grades

Self Attribution

Social Institutions

Religion and Belief

Social Institutions
(Religion and Belief)

Structure
Hierarchically Organized (Bureaucracies) Bound by Symbols, Belief and Ritual
Symbols Organizations Beliefs Ritual

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.

Social Institutions
(Religion and Belief)

Social Psychological Considerations

Belief
Dissonance Reduction

Symbols
Significant Symbols

Ritual
Intermittent Reinforcement / Reward

Social Institutions
(Religion and Belief)
Process (Soc Psych Model)
S-Is Significance Intermittent Rewards Symbols Ritual Beliefs Organization

Dissonance Reduction