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THE FIVE BASIC SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

1. Families

Helps societys members replace themselves

Provide protection for the next generation; socialize/nurture children

Groups within it: relatives

Members roles: daughter, son, father, mother, aunt, uncle, grandparents, cousin

Values and norms upheld:

Ensure sexual fidelity

Develop skills

Provide for family; emotional support; respect parents2. Economic Institutions

Helps societys members meet their physical needs

Range from the basic hunting/gathering groups to multinational corporations

Produce and distribute goods and services

Groups within it: banks, corporations, small businesses, farms

Members roles: employee, worker, manager, owner

Values and norms upheld:

Ensure efficiency and hard work

Provide profit motive3. Political Institutions

Assist members in group decision-making; make major decisions for society

Empower individuals

Require that all members agree to the decisions made

Groups within it: parliament, cabinet, political parties

Members roles: prime minister, MP, cabinet members

Values and norms upheld:

Ensure voting rights, democratic rule

Respect minorities4. Educational Institutions

Organize the way society passes on its culture, knowledge and values from one generation toanother socialize students

Groups within it: schools, colleges, universities

Members roles: student, teacher, principal, professor

Values and norms upheld:

Expect students to do work/assignments, get good grades, and respect the teacher5. Religious Institutions

Help people find an ultimate purpose in their lives

Help meet universal spiritual needs; aid in developing the spiritual side of society

Provide guidelines for personal behaviour and social interaction

Groups within it: churches, temples, synagogues, congregations

Members roles: religious leaders, worshippers

Values and norms upheld:

Read holy scriptures

Attend services

Contribute money

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The Healthcare System

What is a health system?

An institution where all activities have a primary purpose of promoting, restoring or maintaining health

A health system includes:

Professional delivery of medical attention

Traditional healers

Home care

Disease prevention

What do health systems do?

They treat a variety of areas and have recently expanded. These areas include:

o Relief of pain and treatment of physical limitations

o Emotional disorders

o Advice on diet, childs rearing and sexual behaviour

o Prescribe medicine or treatment

What roles exist within this institution?

Within this institution the most basic classification of roles is patient versus healthcare provider. The

patient has a right to expect that the health care system will treat them with individual dignity, their needs

should be promptly attended to without delay in diagnosis. Health care providers must ensure patient

confidentiality and must strive to improve the health of the population

Health, Illness and Disease

Medicine is viewed in society as a science, and doctors are trained medical scientists. The development

of Western medicine has allowed societies to conquer most of the epidemics that previously caused

many deaths like smallpox, cholera, typhoid, polio, and influenza (flu).

Culture-bound Syndromes

Some illnesses are specific to particular cultures and appear to be immune to Western-style treatment.

These illnesses are called culture-bound syndromes

Examples: Susto an illness common among Latin Americans in the southwestern United States and

throughout South America. Those who suffer from this il lness experience lack of sleep, disinterest in

dress and personal hygiene, depression, diarrhea and chills; Yuppie Flu found in North America,

causes severe fatigue, dizziness and muscle weakness