What are the five components of society?

Social Psychology (10th Edition)
10th Edition
ISBN:9780134641287
Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Publisher:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Chapter1: Introducing Social Psychology
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What are the five components of society?

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Introduction

Society refers to a group of people living in a specific territory sharing a common culture. Society is a vast term comprising social interactions, social structures, institutions, values, ideologies, belief systems, etc.

Explanation

The five components of the society include the following:

1. Individuals or People

Acting and interacting individuals comprise society. The individual involves themselves in social interactions and socialization, resulting in patterned organizations. The various social institutions and structures cannot be imagined without individuals. For example, family, marriage, or religion takes shape with individuals' patterned interactions and organization.

2. Culture

Culture represents the way of life in a society. The collective consciousness informs the norms, values, ideologies, belief systems, language, behaviors, and attitudes in a shared culture.

3. Polity or System of  Governance

Every society has a polity that represents the nature of governance. Polity represents the political entity in society. For example, democracy is a form of a polity where the people choose their leaders through the election. Polity represents an authority that holds power to control, maintain, or modify the ways of society.

4. Law and order

A system of law and order is another unavoidable aspect of society. Social order and social stability are maintained via law and order. The law represents the rules of conduct individuals need to abide by to maintain social justice and harmony. Law and order could be seen as a body defining the idea of right and wrong in a society and also the punishment for deviant behaviors or crime. Law in modern society is restitutive rather than repressive.

5. Economy

The economy of society represents the nature of labor or trade, distribution and management of resources available among people, and how the need satisfaction is carried out. The economy plays a vital role in deciding the nature of the production of goods and services resonating with the individuals' needs.

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