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
(Law and Politics: The Judicial
Structure)

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

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

Social Institutions

(Law and Politics: The Judicial Structure)

State Court System

Superior Court (58 @ 1)

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
Rewar
d
Value
CL
Risk

Social Institutions
(Markets and Economics)

Money and Meaning:

Earned Income

Wages, Salaries

Unearned Income

To 40%
To 77%

Dividends, Interest

Capital Gains

Taxes

Real & Personal

Property

To 28%

Social Institutions

Education and Mobility

Social Institutions
(Education and Mobility)

Structure (Status Attainment

Model)
Parents Status, Education & 1st Job status

Family
SES

Ability

Ambitio
n

Grades

Educatio
n

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 Modeling

Role Self Merger

Social Institutions
(Education and Mobility)
Process (Soc Psych Model)
Role
Modeling
Delayed
Gratification
Family
SES

Ability

Self
Attribution

Ambitio
n
Grades

Educatio
n

Social Institutions

Religion and Belief

Social Institutions
(Religion and Belief)

Structure
Hierarchically Organized (Bureaucracies)
Bound by Symbols, Belief and Ritual
Symbol
s
Organization
s

Ritual
Beliefs

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
Symbol
s

Intermittent Rewards

Ritual

Beliefs

Dissonance Reduction

Organizatio
n