The Importance Of Social Structure

Introduction

Social structures are constraints that affect the lives of both the wealthy and the poor members of society. Each society has its own set of social arrangements for example; class, gender and ethnicity are all constraints that each society has to deal with in one way or another. One of the most fundamental of the social structures would be class. Class structure is found in all societies and is the key source of economical inequality. Members of different class groups start their lives with unequal opportunities. This means that when someone is born into a poor household they will undoubtedly remain in the same economical situation they began in. Social structure is created by the distribution of wealth, power and prestige.

Other components include, culture, social class, roles, groups and social institutions. Social structure guides people’s behaviors. A person’s location in the social structure (his or her social class, social status, the roles he or she plays, and the culture, groups, and social institutions to which he or she belongs) underlies his or her perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors (O’Connor, 2015). People develop these perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors from their place in the social structure, and they act accordingly. All of these components of social structure work together to maintain social order by limiting, guiding, and organizing human behavior. Social Class and Status; A Faith Perspective The social class or social status of someone should be viewed from a person of faith as if looking though saran wrap. It should be transparent. It is my believe that the social class or social status one has been labeled or desires to fit in should have no bearing on how one should be viewed. God's word is very clear in telling us that all men are created equal and every single person can be a child of God, receiving the full inheritance of heaven. We can look toward the Bible to learn how to love and serve everyone no matter what their age, color, or ethnicity, gender or

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