Skip to main content

Definition

Social institutions are a system of behavioral and relationship patterns that are densely interwoven and enduring and function across an entire society. They order and structure the behavior of individuals in core areas of society and thus have a strong impact on the quality of life of individuals. Institutions regulate the following: (a) family and relationship networks carry out social reproduction and socialization; (b) institutions in the realm of education and training ensure the transmission and cultivation of knowledge, abilities, and specialized skills; (c) institutions in the labor market and economy provide for the production and distribution of goods and services; (d) institutions in the realm of law, governance, and politics provide for the maintenance of the social order; (e) while cultural, media, and religious institutions further the development of contexts of meaning, value orientations, and symbolic codes.

Description

Social institutions are important...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 6,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 9,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ball, S. (2001). The routledge falmer reader in sociology of education. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giddens, A. (2009). Sociology. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldthorpe, J. H. (2007). On sociology (Vol. I + II). Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Esping-Andersen, G. (1990). The three worlds of welfare capitalism. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joas, H., & Knöbl, W. (2010). Social theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parsons, T. (1952). The social system. London: Tavistock.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaefer, R. T. (2008). Sociology matters. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, J., Treas, J., & Richards, M. (Eds.). (2004). The blackwell companion to the sociology of families. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smelser, N. J., & Swedberg, R. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of economic sociology. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Streeck, W. (2005). The sociology of labor markets and trade unions. In N. J. Smelser & R. Swedberg (Eds.), The handbook of economic sociology (pp. 254–283). Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, M. (1978 [1922]). Economy and society: An outline of interpretive sociology. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roland Verwiebe .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this entry

Cite this entry

Verwiebe, R. (2014). Social Institutions. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_2768

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_2768

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-007-0752-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-0753-5

  • eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law

Publish with us

Policies and ethics