Unit 1.1 Social Structure and Function

Unit 1.1 Meaning of social structure!
The term structure refers to some sort of orderly arrangement of parts

or components. For example, a building has a structure which includes
various parts such as roof, walls, doors and windows etc. In the same
way, society has a structure.
In every society there is a structural system, the society wishes to

preserve it and is not interested in changing that unless there are
sound reasons for the same. Social structure is one of the key concepts
of sociology. But sociologists are not in complete agreement about its
definitions. Briefly speaking, a good structure is one in which there is a
regularity and a kind of permanency.
Some sociologists use the concept of ‘social structure’ to denote those

kinds of groups by the presence of a particular social bond.
 According to Moris Ginsberg, social structure is concerned with

the principal form of social organization, i.e. types of groups,
associations and institutions and the complex of these which
constitute societies.
 Social structure thus refers to the pattern and
arrangement of institutional agencies and
organizations.
There are others who say that social structure refers to the’ system of
relations within the society as whole, the system are social groups
(collectives) or categories (collections) of individuals.
Raymond Firth says that social structure is “concerned with the
ordered relations of parts to a whole; with the arrangement in which
the elements of social life are linked together.
Radcliffe – Brown calls it an arrangement of persons in relationship

institutionally defined and regulated. It, includes, numerous structural
forms that men constitute in consequence of their associations. These
are so arranged in structural form as to enable the society to function
in a coordinated manner. Radcliffe – Brown defines social structure as
“an arrangement of persons in institutionally controlled and defined
relationships such as the relationship of king and subject, or that of
husband and wife”.
Talcott Parsons applies it “to the particular arrangement of the inter-

related institutions, agencies and social patterns, as well as the
statuses and roles which each person assumes in the group”. The
principal form of social organization such as the “types of groups,
associations and institutions and the complex of these are concern of
social structure”.
According to H. M. Johnson, “The structure of anything consist of the

relatively stable interrelationship among its parts, moreover the term
‘part’ itself implies a certain degree of stability. Since a social system is
composed of interrelated acts of the people, its structure must be
sought in some degree of regularity of recurrence in these acts.
In this system roles are always more stable than the role occupants
themselves. The role occupants divide themselves into subgroups and
some such subgroups live much longer than the individual members
e.g. family will live much longer than any individual member.
Functions of Social Structure

Some of the important functions of Social Structure are as
follows:
The concept of social structure implies that it is made of numerous
parts and these parts are in systematic arrangement. It is the
arrangement that gives distinction to the society.
Social structure, therefore, is an orderly arrangement of social

interactions which are meaningful and functional. Social structure and
social system are interconnected. The functional aspect of structure is
the social system. The social system pre-supposes a social structure
consisting of different parts which are interrelated in such a way as to
perform its functions.
Social structure has to be functional. The parts that constitute it too

have specific functions.
Function may conveniently be defined as any contribution to the

fulfillment of one or more of the social needs. When it hinders such a
contribution it is called Dysfunction.
Sometimes purpose and function are confused with each other. But
sociologically both are different. Sociologically purpose is something
subjective, whereas function and for that purpose even dysfunction is
objective. Function is very relevant to action but action and function is
not one and the same thing.
We have already said that a factor which hinders contribution to the

fulfillment of one or more of the social needs is called dysfunction.
Some of the dysfunctions may be discussed as under:
When a person joins an office he is very active and has vigor but less
responsibilities. As the time passes due to family liabilities, advancing
age, sickness etc. efficiency and vigor is reduced and thus these factors
hinder his contribution to social fulfillment.
Similarly when an officer is posted with the responsibility of providing

social security he is very active in the beginning, but gradually when he
gets roots in the office, the whole security arrangement becomes a
routine with him. In other words security of service has proved a
dysfunction for him.
The functions can also be divided into manifest and latent functions.
In the words of H.M. Johnson,” Manifest function is those that are
intended and recognized: Latent functions are unrecognized and
unintended”
Distinction between manifest and latent functions is very narrow.

Johnson has said that,” A function may be manifest for some
participants in the social system and latent for others”
Important elements of social structure are discussed as
under:
(1) Values:
At the top level are the societal values. These are the most general or
abstract normative conceptions of what the ideal society itself would
be like.
Individuals or groups are found to be emotionally committed to

values. These values help to integrate personality or a system of
interaction.
(2) Groups and Institutions:

Social structure can be viewed in terms of inter relationships of the
component parts. Social structure includes social groups and
institutions. These are called the major groups and institutions. Four
of these – the family, economic institutions, political institutions and
religious institutions – centre upon getting food and other items of
wealth, procreation, worship and ruling.
The community, the total organized life of a locality, is the most

inclusive spontaneous grouping in the social structure. There are also
the enduring phenomena of social classes, the ethnic or racial in group
and the temporary grouping of crowd. These are more or less
spontaneous configurations responsive to various interests that
develop within the community.
(3) Organisations:
In the larger societies of modern time, human beings deliberately
establish certain organizations for the pursuit of their specific ends or
purposes. These organizations, very often called associations, are
group manifestations of life and common interests. To quote Maclver
and Page, “The associations constitute the most conspicuous part of
the social structure and they gain in coherence, definite number and
efficacy as the conditions of the society grow more complex”.
(4) Collectivities:
There are specialized collectivities such as families, firms, schools,
political parties etc. (Differentiated institutional patterns almost
directly imply the existence of collective and role units whose activities
have different kinds of functional significance).
(5) Roles:
Finally, within all such collectivities one can distinguish types of roles.
“Concretely these are the relevant performances of their individual
occupants. Functionally, they are contributions to collective goal
attainment”.
Role occupants are expected to fulfill their obligations to other people

(who are also role occupants). For example, in family the husband has
obligations towards his wife. According to Nodal, the elements of
social structure are roles.
(6) Norms:
According to H.M. Johnson, sub-groups and roles are governed by
:
social norms. Social norms are of two types: (i) obligatory or relational
and (ii) permissive or regulative.
Some norms specify positive obligations. But they are not commonly
applied to all the roles and sub-groups. For example, the positive
obligations of a family are not the same as those of business firm.
Some other norms specify the limit of permissible action. A role

occupant of a sub-group in this case ‘must’ do certain things, ‘may’ do
certain things and ‘must not do certain other things. They are called
regulative norms. They do not differentiate between roles and sub-
groups. For example in our society, regardless of one’s role, one must
not seek to influence others by threat of violence or by violence itself.
The components of social structure are human beings, the structure

being an arrangement of persons in relationship institutionally
defined and regulated.

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Unit 1.1 Meaning of social structure!

The term structure refers to some sort of orderly arrangement of parts

In every society there is a structural system, the society wishes to

Some sociologists use the concept of ‘social structure’ to denote those

 According to Moris Ginsberg, social structure is concerned with

Radcliffe – Brown calls it an arrangement of persons in relationship

Talcott Parsons applies it “to the particular arrangement of the inter-

According to H. M. Johnson, “The structure of anything consist of the

Functions of Social Structure

Social structure, therefore, is an orderly arrangement of social

Social structure has to be functional. The parts that constitute it too

Function may conveniently be defined as any contribution to the

We have already said that a factor which hinders contribution to the

Similarly when an officer is posted with the responsibility of providing

Distinction between manifest and latent functions is very narrow.

Individuals or groups are found to be emotionally committed to

(2) Groups and Institutions:

The community, the total organized life of a locality, is the most

Role occupants are expected to fulfill their obligations to other people

Some other norms specify the limit of permissible action. A role

The components of social structure are human beings, the structure

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