The Sociology of Residential Institutions

In sociology, the term “residential institution” is used to refer to social customs, patterns, rules, organizational systems, and rituals (Goldman et al., 2020). Therefore, Chow and Priebe (2013) proposed a comprehensive definition of a residential institution as a place where people live and receive institutional care while studying or working. Unity and cohesion among people is the need of society, which is maintained by the residential institutions. These institutions help identify the social needs of society whereas the decline of these institutions could lead to unrest and inequalities among the people.

Residential institutions have played an important role in the social well-being of American and British societies. Weick (2015) described that the development of residential institutions has shaped the residents and organized residents according to their occupational and economic constraints so that they can be successful. These institutions are appealing to residents and the general public because they provide housing and assistance to the poor, the disabled, the mentally ill, displaced women, and criminals. The social importance of residential institutions is evident in the social well-being of the individuals or groups of people who live together with a common goal which is usually related to their society  (Silva, Loureiro & Cardoso, 2016). On the other hand, Goldman et al. (2020) explained that there are various social bargaining tools that are designed to meet the social needs within the premise of residential institutions such as health care, education, government, economy, religion, and family. According to Chow and Priebe (2013), sociology views residential institutions as social institutions that are known to better serve human needs that exist in an informal or formal social order or organization that reflects human psychology, culture, customs, character, etc.

Major Residential Institutions in Sociology

Some of the major residential institutions that interact and make up a society include the following:

Family:

The family represents the most primary social institution as it creates or shapes people or family members to become adults and make their own families in the future. Families represent well-organized relationships among family members that promote a reliable way to meet basic social needs (Chiu & Hong, 2013).

Religion:

Religious residential institutions represent a place where a set of spiritual beliefs are promoted about authoritative forces that exist in the universe and rituals to express these beliefs are characterized by religion. This allows a person to face social or socioeconomic crises with strength as people follow different religious beliefs with established patterns of behaviour to deal with the situations (Baumeister & Bushman, 2020).

Politics:

The regulatory function of government as a political institution is to manage and maintain law and order in order to ensure social stability. The aim of political institutions is the development of society for the correct and effective project implementation for the decentralization of management  (Goldman et al., 2020).

Economy:

Economic residential institutions provide and maintain the material existence of society by meeting basic human needs such as food, clothing, shelter, etc. Such institutions may include agriculture, credit, markets, banks, etc. (Silva, Loureiro & Cardoso, 2016). However, Parker (2013) explained that economic residential institutions are linked with the things like property, political stability, government, and competitive open markets.

Education:

An educational residential institution is a place where the process of enabling oneself takes place and where the students and teachers socialize informally or formally. These institutions develop knowledge and skills and prepare students for real-world practices to help them broaden their horizons and make them more open to new ideas and ideas  (Goldman et al., 2020).

Purpose of Sociological Institutions

The primary functions of residential institutions include:

Socialisation:

Learning through socialising is a lifelong process that begins at birth and continues until death. People tend to learn by communicating and meeting with people in residential institutions. Socializing at residential institutions is aimed at learning the norms of social life so that people can develop their way of thinking (Silva, Loureiro & Cardoso, 2016). According to Landgarten (2013), a family teaches basic values, morals and norms, while residential institutions teach and introduce life lessons learned through experiences and observations.

Personal development:

Personality development is the result of residential institutions because these institutions are the backbone of society as they shape the individual’s feelings, habits, thoughts, and attitudes as part of their personality, which are later developed in the responsible members of society.

Reproduction:

The institution of a family reproduces other human beings to make them significant members of social life such as human goods, traditions, services, etc. Similarly, an economic institution reflects the reproduction process as it distributes and produces materials, goods, products, and services. While political institutions replicate the reproduction process by reinforcing power and status and academic institution reproduces the lifestyles of different people (Goldman et al., 2020).

Purpose-driven:

The residential institutions are created to meet specific needs or goals and they are focused on constant social needs and individualistic goals of the people. The purpose of an educational institute is to provide quality education, while governmental institutions are purposed for protecting people. Similarly, the purpose of healthcare institutions is to provide sanitation, and healthcare services, and the purpose of a defence institute is to prevent disputes or conflicts from outside (Landgarten, 2013).

Maintaining public order:

Societies tend to maintain and follow law and order through cooperation and connection with other institutions. When institutions are collaborated and come together to take charge and control the law and order in society, law and order can be effectively maintained reflecting social harmony and social stability  (Goldman et al., 2020).

References:

(1) Baumeister, R. F., & Bushman, B. J. (2020). Social psychology and human nature. Cengage Learning.

(2) Chow, W. S., & Priebe, S. (2013). Understanding psychiatric institutionalization: a conceptual review. BMC psychiatry, 13(1), 1-14.

(3) Goldman, P. S., van Ijzendoorn, M. H., Sonuga-Barke, E. J., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Bradford, B., Christopoulos, A., … & Zeanah, C. H. (2020). The implications of COVID-19 for the care of children living in residential institutions. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 4(6), e12.

(4) Landgarten, H. B. (2013). Family art psychotherapy: A clinical guide and casebook. Routledge.

(5) Parker, I., 2013. The Crisis in Modern Social Psychology (Psychology Revivals): and how to end it. Routledge.

(6) Silva, M., Loureiro, A., & Cardoso, G. (2016). Social determinants of mental health: a review of the evidence. The European Journal of Psychiatry, 30(4), 259-292.

(7) Weick, K. E. (2015). The social psychology of organizing. Management, 18(2), 189.