-Social institutions are essential to the survival of a society.
Social institutions: Organizations or events that help a society meet the needs of its population
Functions:
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Satisfy the basic needs of society’s members (e.g., healthcare

Demonstrate dominant values and beliefs (e.g., Charter)

Establish enduring patterns of social behaviour (e.g., caring for children)
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Define roles for individuals to emulate (e.g., husband and wife)
-Social scientists have found that all societies develop at least five basic social institutions:
1). Family
 help society regenerate itself
 provide protection of members
 socialize the young
2). Economic Institutions
 includes farms, banks, businesses….
 help society members meet physical needs
3). Political Institutions
 leadership of communities
 assist members in group decision making, empowers individuals
4). Educational Institutions
 organize the way society passes on its culture, knowledge, and values from one generation to another
5). Religious Institutions
 help people find the ultimate purpose in their lives
 aid in developing spiritual aspect of society
 provide guidelines for personal behaviour and social interaction

Foraging Societies
-Until about 10,000 years ago people lived by foraging, a way of life based on hunting, fishing, and gathering.
-Some tribes today like the African !Kung San still sustain themselves through foraging.
-These groups are intensively studied to give clues about how ancient humans lived and how groups adapt to physical environments.
-These groups also show the beginnings of social institutions i.e political organization.
-For these groups, the family was the main social institution.
Agricultural Societies
-Beginning about 10,000 years ago people began to settle down and adopt agriculture.
-The adoption of agriculture produced a lot more food which in turn supported a much larger population.
-Villages grew into town which grew into cities…
-At this point, other social organizations were developed-rulers, civil servants, military...
Industrial Societies
-As the world became industrialized during the late 1700s, more complex institutions were developed. i.e legal, political, educational, medical, military…
-Although the word institution implies a place/building, social institutions are much more than that. Ex. Religious institutions are more than physical buildings like churches and mosques, set of beliefs, values, norms, symbols…
-For an institution to function effectively, it must insist upon behaviours and/or roles from its members. Ex. Military training, schools…
-The role of an individual depends on that person’s position or status within the institution.
-People’s role or status may change within different social institutions.