1 Society

2 Introduction
Humans express their nature not by any instinctive responses to social or physical stimuli
They create an organization that guides and controls their behavior in many ways
Entire human life is lived in this organisation
All the relationships are established based on the standards set by it
McIver calls this “A web of social relationships”
3 Definitions
McIver and Page: "Society is a system of usages and procedures, authority and mutual aid, of many groupings and
divisions, of controls of human behavior and of liberties”
It is a system of interrelationships that connects individuals in a common culture
It is a group of people interacting with each other in a shared culture
4 Nature of Society
Functional: A society is a complex of groups interacting with each other and fulfilling the needs of every individual
Structural: A society is a sum total of all institutions, customs, laws, habits, beliefs and ideals (the entire culture) guiding
and controlling behavior of men in numerous ways
Processual: A society is a process of stimulus-response relationships where interaction, cooperation, competition and
consensus are the core of its working.
5 Characteristics
Society involves likeness
A consciousness of kind
Belonging together
Society involves differences
Results in reciprocity
Social division of labor
Differences are subordinate to likeness
Cooperation before division
Primary likeness and secondary difference leads to social organization
6 Elements of Society
Usages: Concerning marriage, religion etc., which are different from society to society
Procedures: Modes of action to maintain its unity
Authority: To maintain order
 Authority: To maintain order
Mutual Aid: A prerequisite for its stability
Groups: Like family, village, associations etc.
Controls: Maintain the organization
Liberty: For development of personality
7 Functional Pre-Requisites
of a Society
Provision of mechanisms to fulfil basic needs
Coordination of human activities & Division of Labor
Replacement of members through procreation
Socialization
Meaningfulness of social goals
8 Status & Role
Social Organisation
Every society has a definite structure and all the components of a society have specific functions
This implies that every society has an organisation in which people have specific positions that they occupy and function
according to their positions in an institutionalised setup
In this analysis of social organisation, the concept of status and role are important
9 Status and Role
Every society has to have some form of division of labor
The most rudimentary form of division of labor is the classification of status and role
If social status is a defined position in the social organization, social role is the expected and approved behaviour
associated with a social status
10 Social Status
11 Social Status
It is a defined position in the society - is distinguished from and the same time related to other positions (relative to each
other)
Social status also implies comparative amount of prestige or respect accorded to persons who have been assigned
different roles in the society
It is not a sum-total of all the statuses occupied by an individual - it is not the total standing in the society
12 Determinants of Status
Status in a society depends on social evaluations where a community regards certain attributes as more or less valuable
12 Determinants of Status
Status in a society depends on social evaluations where a community regards certain attributes as more or less valuable
than the others
These values may be shared by a small group or the whole society
These values may also change from one group to another, from time to time in a same society and from society to society
13 Determinants of Status
Secord and Buckman - three bases of social status
The capacity of a person to reward those with whom he interacts
The extent to which he is receiving awards
The type of costs he incurs, and his investments he makes
14 Ascription and Achievement of Status
These are two processes through which status is accorded to an individual
Every society - confronted with making choice between the two
To what extent certain statuses should be determined by ascription and achievement
15 Ascribed Status
The status which a child receives at the time he is ushered into the process of socialisation based on its own rules
Status is ascribed to a child as the society is least aware of its potentialities
Normally - four factors
Sex, Age, Kinship, Caste etc.
16 Achieved Status
If ascription of a status is important so that a child’s socialisation starts early, the determination of a status cannot be left
entirely to ascription
No society can afford to depend entirely on ascription
It should provide orderly and legitimate change of status according to individual’s talent and effort
O/w it will drive persons with exception talent into illicit channels
17 Achieved Status
In order to make use of capacities of people for societal ends, achievement of status must be institutionalised
This will prevent incompetents from filling up important positions in the society
In primitive societies greater emphasis on ascription and in civilised societies it is on achievement
18 Achieved Status
Three factors led to greater emphasis on achieved statuses
18 Achieved Status
Three factors led to greater emphasis on achieved statuses
Industrial / urban conditions of life
Rapid social change
Extreme division of labor
19 Achieved Status
The following statuses are more prone to be thrown open to achievement:
The ones requiring the possession of unusual talent.
The ones depending on the informal and spontaneous approval of the populace
The ones requiring long and expensive education
20 Limitations to Achievement
Age
Sex
Limited fields of competition
Lundberg, "the ascription of a particular status… is a guarantee that the role will be performed even if the performance is
mediocre… it sacrifices the possibility of having certain roles performed brilliantly…”
21 Social Role
22 Social Role
A set of socially expected and approved behavior patterns, consisting of both duties and privileges, associated with a
particular position in a group
If status is a position in a society, a role is the manner in which that position is supposed to be fulfilled.
23 Nature of Role
Since a role is a set of expectations, it therefore implies that one role cannot be defined without referring to another.
There cannot be a parent without a child. There cannot be an employer without an employee etc.
In this sense, roles represent reciprocal relations among the members of the society.
24 Status and Role in
Modern Society
We are rapidly reorganising social structures to meet demands of new technologies, spatial mobilities etc.
In this, process our systems of statuses and roles is breaking down
Resulting in situations of role conflicts
Frustration, anxiety and insecurity result
 Frustration, anxiety and insecurity result
25 Role Conflict
Multiple Roles
Disagreement as to what behavior is expected
Heterogeneous societies – group tensions
Two people entrusted with same role
Status and Roles in
Modern Society
Roles in modern society are innumerable, conflicting, complex, diversified
In periods of rapid social change, demands on performance in every role are high leading to severe nervous strain
Stress also because of lack of clarity on what others’ expectations are
This is leading to a number of social challenges which individuals have to cope with leading to increased morbidity and
mortality, suicides, crime etc.