Social institutions are enduring and established patterns of relationships. They are the structure that holds society together. In lesson 7, we looked at three universal institutions. Universal institutions are institutions that appear in some form in all societies. These institutions are influenced by culture and society and take different forms in different societies. Regardless, they serve the same basic functions for most societies.
Structural Functionalist theorists focus on how institutions serve the smooth functioning of society. Sometimes, however, an institution can have dysfunctional elements or ways in which the institution does not serve society or even harms individuals or society.
Choose one of the social institutions from this lesson and discuss a few ways the institution might be dysfunctional. What if the institution fails its function as intended? What aspect of the institution might even be harmful to individuals, groups, or society?
