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Types of Social Institution

Informal Formal

E.g- Family , E.g- Law,
Marriage, Kinship Education,
Religion etc

Family :

 According to Burgess and Locke, “A group of persons united by ties of marriage, blood
or adoption constituting a single household, interacting and inter-communicating with
each other in their respective social rites of husband and wife, mother and father, son and
daughter, brother and sister, creating a common culture.”

 Family is the most natural social entity that appears to be universal and unchanging. It is
important in all societies yet different in characteristics in different societies.

 The private sphere of family is also linked to economic, political, cultural and educational
entity in the public sphere.

 According to the functionalists “the family performs important tasks, which contribute to
society‟s basic needs and helps perpetuate social order”.
 The functionalist perspective argues that modern industrial societies function best if
women look after the family and men earn the family livelihood.

 According to the functionalist perspective, the nuclear family is seen as the unit best
equipped to handle the demands of industrial society. They believe that in such families
one adult can work outside home while the second adult cares for the home and children.