The structure of society is a term used to describe the organization of various inter-connected parts of society, which include institutions, social groups, statuses, and roles (Mooney, Know & Schacht, 2014). Institutions are comprised of different types of social groups, each social group defines a hierarchy of statuses, and each status defines the roles of an individual occupying it.
Institutions are long-term, established patterns of social relationships. Traditional institutions include family, economics, education, politics, and religion, but other social institutions (e.g., mass media, military, medicine, sports) also define contemporary societies (Mooney et al., 2014). Each type of institution consists of multiple social groups. A social group is defined as a relationship of two or more individuals who share identities, interact, and develop relationships (Mooney et al., 2014). Primary groups are those in which individuals form close and intimate relationships. Secondary groups are characterized by formal, task-oriented relationships and are common in business and other formal settings.
Each social group consists of statuses, which are defined as positions that individuals can occupy within a group, and those positions can be ascribed or achieved (Mooney et al., 2014). Ascribed statuses are those imposed on individuals by society, such as demographic factors or the statuses dependent on age (e.g., child, adolescent, adult, or senior citizen). Achieved statuses are those that individuals obtain based on factors they can control, such as their characteristics or behaviors. Each status is associated with roles, which are defined as a set of rights, expectations, and obligations that inform the behaviors of individuals (Mooney et al., 2014).
The structure of society has an important influence on culture, which is defined by the collective beliefs, values, norms and sanctions, and symbols. For example, the development of social norms is affected by the ascribed status of an individual, so a different set of norms are developed for children and adults. Hewlett (1992, as cited in Mooney et al., 2014) also points out how wrong interpretations of positive values, such as freedom and individualism, can lead to social disorganization and the weakening of traditional institutions rather than personal fulfillment.
According to Mooney et al. (2014) the structure and culture of society are two dependent sides of society, and it is important to understand them both to define social problems and propose solutions to those problems. The social policy aims to improve the well-being of individuals and help them meet basic human needs. However, the perception of social problems and desirable social policies depends on the theoretical perspective used to look for problems in society.
Structural functionalism considers weak institutions, inadequate socialization, and disorganization as some of the main causes of social problems (Mooney et al., 2014). Therefore, the social policy should strengthen weak institutions and clearly define rights and wrongs (Mooney et al., 2014). Conflict theory argues that inequality and competition among social groups are the main cause of social problems, so social policy should minimize competition by developing systems that ensure equal distribution of resources (Mooney et al., 2014).
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed in 2010, and it can be used to illustrate how various problems in the structure of society can inform the development of social policies. Among other goals, the ACA aims to expand Medicaid so that healthcare becomes accessible to individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds (Mooney et al., 2014). Socioeconomic status is an ascribed status because individuals cannot control in what type of household they are born, but social policy aims to resolve the problem of inaccessible health care to those individuals.
References
Mooney, L. A., Know, D., & Schacht, C. (2014). Understanding social problems (9th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
