Journal entry

SOC 1301, Introduction to Sociology 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VIII Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Recognize key sociological concepts. 1.1 Recognize different types of social mobility in American society. 1.2 Recognize sociological concepts relating to the relationship between the environment and

society.

2. Relate sociological theories to social issues. 2.1 Relate conflict, interactionist, feminist, and functionalist theory to social issues.

3. Explain how society shapes an individual’s life chances.

3.1 Recognize how a parent’s social position impacts a child’s life chances.

4. Describe how sociological concepts apply to one’s life. 4.1 Describe how theory applies to your educational journey.

5. Discuss inequality in society.

5.1 Identify a legal strategy regarding environmental hazards and disproportionate impacts.

Required Unit Resources Chapter 7: Families Chapter 8: Education and Religion

Unit Lesson

Social Institution In previous units, we have looked at the economic, gender, and racial inequality that occurs in society. We also investigated inequality in health care. While studying inequality in past units, we discussed how social structures impact life chances and beliefs. In this unit, we will study how social institutions that are a part of social structures impact a person’s opportunities. What is a social institution? A social institution is a group or structure that society uses as an organized entity to meet basic needs. The creation and maintenance of social structures occur in every society because there would be chaos and a breakdown in society without them. Some of the major institutions in society include family, education, economy, media, medicine (health care), politics, military, law, and science. Our readings for this unit cover family, religion, education, and health care. We are going to specifically focus on the social institutions of family, religion, and education in this lesson.

Family One of the most important social institutions is family. Family can be defined in various ways in society. The concept of family is socially constructed. You can create family through blood relations, friends, marriage, adoption, and other means. Family as a social institution addresses basic needs, such as socialization, youth protection, companionship, care for older family members, and regulation of population in a society. When looking at the structure of the family, we look at kinship patterns, types of families, and types of marriages. Kinship groups are simply groups of people who are related. This could include aunts, uncles, and cousins. You do not have to be related by blood to be a part of a kinship group. You can be adopted or related through

UNIT VIII STUDY GUIDE

Social Institutions

SOC 1301, Introduction to Sociology 2

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marriage. Two types of families are the extended family and the nuclear family. The extended family contains members of the kinship group. The nuclear family is often defined as a married couple and their children. However, the definition of a nuclear family can also be expanded. A nuclear family could contain a cohabitating couple and youth, a couple without children, or maybe grandparents raising a grandchild in their home. The nuclear family is simply a group of people living under one roof working as a unit to meet those basic needs described earlier. When discussing family, the topic of marriage is very central. Marriage plays an important part in the creation and maintenance of family. There have been shifting views of family and marriage over time. In addition, the views and traditions regarding marriage and family vary from culture to culture. Our textbook discusses some current trends in marriage in the United States. One very interesting point is that even though the United States has a high rate of divorce, marriage is still highly sought after by many Americans. Marriage can be viewed as a status symbol. It can also be viewed as an important part of religious faith or cultural values. Chapter 7 provides statistics on divorce in the United States. Witt (2020) discusses how first marriages that end in divorce typically last 8 years. Of course, there are many marriages that last a lot longer than 8 years. The divorce statistics are affected by divorces occurring after second or third marriages. Witt noted that roughly 20% of adults have been divorced.

Religion Religion is an important social institution in society because it is weaved so heavily into the cultural values and norms in a society. Religion as a social institution offers people a place to share with others a belief system that addresses the afterlife and provides values to create a foundation for life on Earth. Sociologists look at the function that religion plays in society and the components that make up the social institution of religion. In the Chapter 8 reading, Witt (2020) lists the components of religion as beliefs, rituals, experience, and community. Regardless of the type of religion, the members are following a belief system, engaging in rituals to honor that faith, actively seeking experiences to deepen their connection to that faith, and seeking community with others to share the faith. Watch the following video segment "Perspectives on Religion" for a discussion about how sociological perspectives apply to religion. The transcript for this video can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films on Demand database.

Education Witt (2020) provides information on the history of education and discusses how the sociological perspectives apply to education as a social institution. The video segment "Education From a U.S. Perspective" explains the history of the role of education as an institution in the United States. The video segment "Problems in Education" examines some of the problems and inequality in the education system. These videos provide additional information on the history and role of education in society and some of the social problems being studied by sociologists in the educational system. The transcripts for these videos can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films on Demand database. Additional resources on how the sociological perspectives apply to education can be found under the Suggested Unit Resources section in this unit.

Reference Witt, J. (2020). SOC 2020 (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Suggested Unit Resources In order to access the following resources, click the links below. Review the following presentations to learn more about concepts learned in this unit.

• Chapter 7 PowerPoint presentation (PDF version of the Chapter 7 PowerPoint presentation)

• Chapter 8 PowerPoint presentation (PDF version of the Chapter 8 PowerPoint presentation)

SOC 1301, Introduction to Sociology 3

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The following video segment explains how to apply the sociological perspectives to education. Discovery Education (Producer). (2012). Education from a theoretical perspective (Segment 3 of 6) [Video]. In

Introduction to sociology: Social institutions—Education and religion. Films on Demand. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPl aylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=117902&loid=430213

The transcript for this video can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films on Demand database. The following video segment discusses religion as a social institution in the United States. Discovery Education (Producer). (2012). Religion in the U.S. (Segment 5 of 6) [Video]. In Introduction to

sociology: Social institutions—Education and religion. Films on Demand. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPl aylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=117902&loid=430215

The transcript for this video can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films on Demand database.

Learning Activities (Nongraded) Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information.

Activity 1: SOCThink Review the SOCThink pop-out boxes found throughout Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 in your textbook. After reflection of each question, note your thoughts in a personal journal.

Activity 2: Self-Check Quiz You are encouraged to take the nongraded self-check quiz to assess your understanding of this unit’s concepts. The nongraded self-check quiz is located in Blackboard, underneath the Study Guide.