Project 2: “Do we have Free Will?” The Impact of Social Institutions in Our Daily Lives

In this project, you will reflect on the role that institutions play in everyday life.  

Instructions

1. Select one social institution: either family or education to examine how it shapes human behavior. You can either reflect on your own experiences or behavior, or you can interview a friend or family member.   
2. The worksheet below contains the different features of social structure.  You will reflect on how the different features of social structure shape behavior within the institution you selected.   
3. You will submit the attached worksheet (see below). Each worksheet topic will require a comprehensive answer of one to two paragraphs. 
4. You will use the responses to the worksheet to create an overall analysis that explains how the observed or explained human behavior was impacted by the social institution you selected.   

Requirements

• All information should be:
  • clear and legible
  • 1” margins on all sides
  • double spaced
  • size 12 font
  • submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc/.docx) file format
• Submit your responses in a document and provide comprehensive paragraphs of information (not just bullet points) to fully address each point as instructed.
• Include citations within your document as appropriate for each source (including the textbook) as well as a reference page in proper APA format.
• Your submission should be 1200-1800 words (4-6 pages) in length. 

Worksheet 

1. Roles/Positions: What roles do people have? How are they different? How do different  roles create different expectations for behavior?
2. Social norms/Rules: What are some social norms? What is expected behavior? What behaviors are unacceptable or deviant? How are deviant behaviors determined to be deviant? 
3. Sanctions: How are undesirable behaviors sanctioned? Are there formal  sanctions? Informal sanctions? Who gets to sanction others? 
4. Values: What values are created here? Are there moral beliefs that are important? Also, how are the values expressed?
5. Symbols: What are some important symbols? How do these symbols represent the institutions and the values they share? 
6. Emotions: Based on the roles of the individual, what emotions are expected, accepted and discouraged?  Are different people expected to have different emotions?