The basic functions of institutions are following:
Reproduction
The institutions basically the family reproduce human race, goods, services, traditions and an family, material goods and services are reproduced and distributed by economic institutions. Power and authority are fixed and produced by political institutions. Values, beliefs, rituals and ceremonies are the products of religious institutions. The education institutions producevarious techniques and ways of living for the people.
Transmission of Culture
All the institutions help in the transmission of culture in formal and informal way which is part of socialization process.
Sense of Purpose
Every institution is established for the fulfillment of a special purpose. All the institutions fulfill certain fixed needs of the people and continue their respective aims. Family gives protection and care to the family members. The educational institutions give gives power and status to its members. The religious institution gives the conformity to its ethical values being practiced by the people.
Personality Development
The institution helps in making the personality of a person through socialization process. A person develops ideas, habits, feelings and emotions through various institutions in which they live.
Socialization Function
All the institutions preserve social norms by transmitting to the people participating in them. The process of socialization function starts from birth and continues till death. Man is always learning in his life and this learning process goes on through the institution because man live in them. He learns norms of social life in the institutions. Family teaches the elementary norms or the folkways. The neighborhood teaches the mores and educational institutions guides in legal courses of social life. The shopping centers guide us in economic dealing. The mosque and the church help us in the normative social life of religion.
Preservation of Order
The main object of human societies is to maintain control and order. This aim can be achieved by creating organization among these institutions. An institution cannot function alone. They had to depend on each other. This dependency is called organization and the mutual relationship among the social institutions is called social structure. The organizational structure of these institutions creates the conditions of control and order among the societies and the organized social structure creates social solidarity and stability in the society.
