Definition

A social institution is a group of beliefs or norms not of people. Generally a social institution is something that all societies have in common even though the specific beliefs or norms differ under the institutional headings. 

Basic Questions

Another way to think about social institutions is to see them as basic questions that must be answered in order for groups, especially societies, to form and function. If these questions are not answered, then the group will remain unstable and overtime will die out, or perhaps, never truly form at all.

5 Traditional Social Institutions

1. Government
2. Economy
3. Religion
4. Education
5. Families

New Industrialized Society’s Social Institutions

In addition to the five traditional social institutions that sociologists have asserted all societies have in common, a number of sociologists have observed that industrialized societies have a number of other things in common as well, such as Mass Media, Science & Technology, Medicine, Sports, Energy Infrastructure, and Security (including military & police). Calling these things “social institutions” remains controversial among sociologists.

Social Institution versus Social Group

It is easy to confuse the language of social institutions with actual groups of people. A social institution is a characteristic of a society or group, but not the group itself. A social group is about people who have something in common.

Thus, government is a social institution, but Congress is a social group. Economics is a social institution, but oil companies are a social group. The concept of families is a social institution, but the Thomas clan is a social group.