Maharashtra Board Class 11 Sociology Chapter 4 Social Institutions Solutions

Social Institutions Class 11 Sociology Chapter 4 Questions and Answers

1. (A) Choose the correct alternative and complete the statements.

Question 1. A rule that prescribes marriage within a group is called ........................ (exogamy / endogamy / polygamy)
Answer: endogamy
In simple words: Endogamy refers to the practice of marrying someone from within one's own specific social group, caste, or ethnic community, adhering to prescribed boundaries for marriage partners.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understanding different marriage rules like endogamy and exogamy is crucial for demonstrating knowledge of social institutions in sociology exams.

Question 2. A family that comprises at least three generation is a ........................ family. (nuclear / joint / cohabitation)
Answer: joint
In simple words: A joint family is a multi-generational family unit where members from three or more generations live together under one roof, sharing common resources and responsibilities.

🎯 Exam Tip: Familiarize yourself with different family structures, such as nuclear and joint families, as these are fundamental concepts in sociology.

Question 3. The 10 + 2 + 3 system is part of the ........................ system of education. (informal / formal / universal)
Answer: formal
In simple words: The 10+2+3 system refers to a structured formal education system, indicating 10 years of school, 2 years of junior college, and 3 years for a bachelor's degree.

🎯 Exam Tip: Knowing the types of education systems (formal, informal, non-formal) is important for questions on social institutions like education.

1. (B) Correct the incorrect pair.

Question 1.
(a) School - Distance Education
(b) Peer group - Informal Education
(c) Health care training - Non-formal Education
(d) Family - Informal Education
Answer: (a) School - Formal education
In simple words: The incorrect pair identifies school with distance education; however, school primarily represents formal education due to its structured curriculum and fixed environment.

🎯 Exam Tip: Be precise in distinguishing between formal, informal, and non-formal education types based on their characteristics and settings.

1. (C) Identify the appropriate term from the given options.

Question 1. (Homosexual Marriage, Matrilocal, Heterosexual Marriage)
A married couple is expected to live at the wife's residence.
Answer: Matrilocal
In simple words: Matrilocal residence is a societal custom where a married couple settles in the wife's home or community after marriage.

🎯 Exam Tip: Differentiating between matrilocal and patrilocal residence patterns is key to understanding family and kinship structures.

Question 2. A form of marriage between persons of the same sex.
Answer: Homosexual Marriage
In simple words: Homosexual marriage is a legally or socially recognized union between two individuals of the same sex.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define and distinguish between different forms of marriage, including modern forms like homosexual marriage, in your answers.

1. (D) Correct underlined words and complete the sentence.

Question 1. X married Y. Later she divorced her spouse and married Z. This is an example of poly.gamy..
Answer: X married Y. Later she divorced her spouse and married Z. This is an example of monogamy.
In simple words: Monogamy refers to the practice of being married to only one person at a time, where serial monogamy involves one marriage after another following divorce or widowhood.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly define different marriage types such as polygamy and monogamy, and use precise examples to illustrate them.

Question 2. Mass production and factory system are found in agricultural society.
Answer: Mass production and factory system are found in industrial society.
In simple words: Industrial societies are characterized by mass production and factory systems, driven by mechanization and specialized labor, rather than the agrarian focus of agricultural societies.

🎯 Exam Tip: Link specific economic characteristics like mass production to the correct societal stage (e.g., industrial, agricultural) for accurate sociological analysis.

2. Write Short Notes.

Question 1. Types of family based on authority.
Answer: On the basis of authority within family, two broad forms of family can be identified. Matriarchal Family : In matriarchal family authority rests at the hands of the mother and she is considered the head of the family. In matriarchal family descent is traced through mother's line, known as matrilineal system. Residence of the marriage is matrilocal i.e., the bridegroom lives with the wife's family and the name follows the mother's line. It is matronymic. The Garo and Khasi tribes of North East India and the Nair's of South India follow the matriarchal system.
Patriarchal Family : In patriarchal family all authority rests at the hands of the male head and the eldest male is regarded as the head of the patriarchal family. It is patrilineal i.e., descent is traced through father's line. Residence after marriage is patrilocal. The married couples live with the husband's family, and the name of the father's side continues to the next generation. It is patronymic. Patriarchal family is the most widespread form of family in India and most parts of the world.
In simple words: Families are categorized by authority into matriarchal (mother-headed, matrilineal descent, matrilocal residence) and patriarchal (father-headed, patrilineal descent, patrilocal residence), with patriarchy being more common globally.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly differentiate between matriarchal and patriarchal family types by focusing on authority, descent, and residence patterns, providing relevant examples.

Question 2. Stages of Economy.
Answer: Human society has evolved through various stages, depending upon the way it evolved mechanisms to adapt to changing material needs.
With respect to the changing nature of work and economy three broad stage of economy are as follows: Agriculture Revolution : From hunting-gathering and then pastoral phases, human society entered into a new stage with discovery of agriculture. With development of agriculture, food production increased. Complex division of labour, advanced trade and permanent settlement are the result of economy expansion through agricultural technology.
Industrial Revolution : Industrial revolution which happened around the middle of the 18th century, first in England transformed social and economic life like never before. It brought four notable economic changes.
1. New forms of energy : With the pioneering invention of the steam engine in 1765 by James Watt, the use of animal and human muscle energy was significantly reduced.
2. Centralisation of work in factories : Use of machinery gave rise to a new workplace called factory.
3. Mass production : Industrial economy developed the manufacturing sector very fast and produced goods on a large scale.
4. Division of labour : The factory system reduced the importance of human skills and resulted to specialised division of labour.
5. Industrialization transformed the whole society and also created huge economic gaps in the society.
The Information Revolution : By the middle of the 20th century the nature of production started to change. The use of automated machinery drastically reduced the role of human labour in manufacturing. Three key changes were seen due to the development of computer and information technology.
1. Tangible products to idea : The tertiary or service sector providing services and dealing with production of ideas and symbols is expanding very fast.
2. Mechanical skills to literacy skills : The information revolution demands a new set of skills such as literacy skills – the ability to communicate, to write, to present and use computer technology.
3. Work from anywhere : Computer technology is allowing for decentralisation of work.
In simple words: Human economy evolved through agricultural (hunting-gathering to farming), industrial (mechanization, factories, mass production), and information (technology, service sector, knowledge-based work) revolutions, each profoundly changing societal structures and labor.

🎯 Exam Tip: When describing economic stages, identify key technological advancements, shifts in production, and their corresponding social impacts for each revolution.

Question 3. Importance of Education.
Answer: Education is broad process of learning that broadens an individual's cognitive horizons and develops in them the skills to choose, evaluate and add to existing knowledge. The functions of education can be as follows:
1. Inculcate common values and moral beliefs : Children coming from diverse family and community backgrounds gain an understanding of the common values and moral beliefs in society through school education.
2. Fosters self-discipline : Through education children learn self-discipline. They internalise the social rules that contribute to the smooth function of society.
3. Teaches specialised skills: The education system teaches specialised skills needed for a complex modern economy. For example, technical schools are specially designed to provide technical / vocational training.
4. Instils the value of achievement in children: Schools like wider society, largely operate on a meritocratic basis. Those with ability and talent achieve their just rewards.
In simple words: Education is vital for personal growth, cognitive development, and skill acquisition, serving to transmit cultural values, promote self-discipline, provide specialized skills for the economy, and foster a meritocratic system of achievement in society.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on education's multifaceted roles – socialisation, skill development, and meritocracy – and provide specific examples for each function.

3. Differentiate Between.

Question 1. Matriarchal Family and Patriarchal Family.
Answer:

🎯 Exam Tip: When differentiating, use a clear tabular format to highlight contrasting features like authority, descent, and residence for maximum clarity and scoring.

Question 2. Agriculture Revolution and Industrial Revolution.
Answer:

🎯 Exam Tip: Highlight the defining technological and economic shifts of each revolution, along with their societal consequences, when comparing them.

4. Explain The Following Concept With Suitable Examples.

Question 1. Cohabitation
Answer:
1. Cohabitation is the sharing of a household by an unmarried couple.
2. Live in relations or cohabitation may or may not lead to marriage. Example : Younger generations specially in many parts of Europe and in some urban areas in India are preferring cohabitation as family relation. This is especially true among same sex couples.
In simple words: Cohabitation describes an arrangement where an unmarried couple lives together in a shared household, often as a romantic relationship, which may or may not precede marriage.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define cohabitation clearly and support your explanation with examples that illustrate its prevalence and evolving acceptance in different societies.

Question 2. Formal Education
Answer:
1. Formal education is planned with a specific end in view.
2. It involves direct schooling and instruction. Since it is provided to fulfill specific ends, formal education is limited to a specific period. Formal education has a well-defined and systematic curriculum based on aims designed according to the needs of society. Example : Schooling and education are considered as a formal education based on formal curriculum with specific subject and skills.
In simple words: Formal education is a structured, intentional learning process provided by institutions like schools, characterized by a defined curriculum, specific learning objectives, and a fixed duration.

🎯 Exam Tip: Emphasize the structured nature, intentional goals, and institutional setting when explaining formal education, and provide a clear example.

5. State Whether The Following Statements Are True Or False With Reasons.

Question 1. In a modernizing society the role of parents are changing.
Answer: This statement is True.
1. Rapid growth of divorce and changing roles of woman give rise to a new family form and relation which has led to changes in the role of parents.
2. The average age at which people get married is also increasing. There is also an increasing trend of individuals not getting married. There is a changing role of women due to education and employment. All these changes are affecting family as an institution.
3. In our contemporary society, the traditional belief of fathers are the breadwinners and mothers only do household chores is no longer true. With the advent of globalization, their roles are changing which is vastly different from their previous generations.
In simple words: The statement is true because societal changes like rising divorce rates, increased female employment, and shifting gender roles have significantly altered traditional parental responsibilities and family structures.

🎯 Exam Tip: For true/false questions with reasons, always start by stating true or false, and then provide multiple, well-explained sociological factors to justify your stance.

Question 2. India is in the stage of industrial revolution.
Answer: This statement is False.
1. India is in the stage of information revolution. The development of computer and information technology have changed the nature of work in India.
2. The use of automated machinery has reduced the role of human labour in manufacturing. Service industries like public relations, banking and sales, media, advertising have expanded.
3. The introduction of computer and information have changed the character of work in India.
In simple words: The statement is false; India is currently in the information revolution, characterized by the dominance of computer and information technology, growth of service industries, and reduced reliance on manual labor.

🎯 Exam Tip: Distinguish between different economic revolutions (industrial, information) and provide specific evidence like technological shifts and sector growth to support your classification of a country's economic stage.

6. Give Your Personal Response.

Question 1. What are your views about love marriage? Do you support it? Explain.
Answer: The basic concept of love marriage lies in the fact that the girl or boy chooses his or her life partner. The restrictions of caste, religion, physical appearance does not apply when a person falls in love. In India these restrictions are seriously enforced which limit the number of desirable matches for a person. Also, it curbs the practice of dowry as one does not need to prove one's worth. Therefore, I support love marriages.
In simple words: I support love marriages as they allow individuals to choose partners based on personal connection, transcend traditional social barriers like caste and religion, and potentially mitigate issues like dowry, promoting individual autonomy.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked for a personal response, clearly state your position and support it with well-reasoned arguments, referencing sociological concepts where appropriate.

Question 2. How has the information revolution impacted your life?
Answer: Information revolution has made our life easier. Information revolution has made it possible to do many things from the comforts of one's own home. I can take virtual tour of museums, buildings etc. It has exposed one to different cultures. One can do all of shopping online. It has created abundance of data on every possible subject or interest.
In simple words: The information revolution has significantly simplified my life by enabling virtual access to vast knowledge, diverse cultures, and online services, all from the convenience of home.

🎯 Exam Tip: For personal impact questions, provide concrete examples of how technological advancements have directly influenced daily routines, learning, and access to information.

7. Answer The Following In Detail (About 150-200 Words).

Question 1. Show how the role of family has changed in the present times. Illustrate with your own examples.
Answer: Families are the nexus of activities that include parenting, employment and leisure. As society changes, families must adapt to the new structures and processes resulting from this change. One of the most striking features of modern societies has been rapid growth of divorce.
The average age at which people get married is also increasing along with an increasing trend of an individuals not getting married. The changing roles of woman through increased education and employment, has put additional pressures on the family to adapt to dual-earner, households and changing needs of child care. All these changes are affecting family as an institution.
It has given rise to new family relationship:
(i) Single-parent Family : Majority of single parent families are headed by single mothers. This may result from divorce, separation, death or by choice. Sometimes growing up in a single parent family can be a disadvantage for children.
(ii) Cohabitation : Cohabitation is the sharing of a household by an unmarried couple. Younger generations, especially in many parts of Europe and in some urban areas in India are preferring cohabitation as family relation. This is especially true among some same sex couples.
(iii) Step-parenting : As rates of divorce and remarriage is steadily on an increase, it gives rise to a new family form and relation of step-parenting. The extent of children staying in step families is increasing.
In the traditional family living, the wife had no voice in family decision making but in contemporary family she has equal power role to play. The authority has shifted from patriarchal to parents who consult their children an all-important issues before taking any decisions about them. Younger generations now claim more individuality. Change in family does not mean the complete erosion of previous norms and structure.
In simple words: The modern family's role has transformed due to factors like divorce, delayed marriages, and women's changing roles, leading to the rise of diverse structures such as single-parent, cohabiting, and step-families, while family authority has become more egalitarian.

🎯 Exam Tip: When discussing changes in family roles, analyze key societal trends like divorce, women's empowerment, and economic shifts, and illustrate their impact on family structures with relevant examples.

11th Sociology Digest Chapter 4 Social Institutions Intext Questions and Answers

ACTIVITY (Textbook Page No. 41)

Question 1. Discuss why hypogamous marriages are resisted in society. Take help of newspapers, magazines and cinema.
Answer: Reasons for resisting hypogamous marriage. Hypergamy is a term used for the practice of a person marrying a spouse of higher caste or social status than themselves. Young women generally marry older men of higher status, with general rule that older men have more time to create wealth and status than younger men. Today such marriages are on decline, as most people marry their approximate social equals and in some parts of the world hypergamy has decreased. Also, it is becoming less common for women to marry older men though hypergamy does not require the man to be older but only of higher status.
In simple words: Hypogamous marriages, where one marries a person of lower social status, are resisted due to evolving societal norms favoring equal status partners, reducing the preference for older, wealthier men, and impacting traditional expectations of social mobility through marriage.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain the concept of hypogamy clearly and support your analysis of its resistance by referencing changing social values, gender roles, and economic factors, drawing on real-world observations.

Question 2. Look at the matrimonial advertisements in newspapers, magazines and internet and discuss the findings. Do you think endogamy is still the prevalent norm in India? (Textbook Page No. 42)
Answer: Religion and Caste endogamy still dominates while choosing a life partner. Women have the freedom to select a spouse in urban areas, yet, the choice can be restricted. So, in general, marriage is often seen as socially determined institutions.
In simple words: Matrimonial advertisements reveal that endogamy, particularly based on religion and caste, remains a dominant norm in India, even with increased urban female autonomy, indicating that social factors heavily influence marriage choices.

🎯 Exam Tip: When analyzing social norms like endogamy, use empirical evidence from contemporary sources like matrimonial ads to substantiate your arguments about its continued prevalence or decline.

Question 3. Watch the classic movie 'Modern Times' made by Charlie Chaplin and have a discussion on the effects of mechanisation on human labour. (Textbook Page No. 44)
Answer: The film 'Modern Times' is a comment on the desperate employment and financial conditions that people faced during the great depression conditions created, by the modern industrialization in the view of Chaplin. 'Modern Times' portray Chaplin as a factory worker where he is subjected to such indignities as being forced fed by a malfunctioning 'feeding machine'. In the movie, industry is portrayed as something bigger and more valuable than the people who work within it. Chaplin tries to point out the fact at the industrialized world functions in a way that suppresses human agency and creativity.
In simple words: Charlie Chaplin's 'Modern Times' critiques mechanization's dehumanizing effects, showing how industrialization can reduce human workers to mere cogs in a machine, suppressing individual agency and creativity amidst the Great Depression's economic hardships.

🎯 Exam Tip: When discussing the impact of mechanization, use specific examples from the film (e.g., the feeding machine, repetitive factory work) to illustrate the sociological concepts of alienation and dehumanization of labor.

Question 4. Eminent personalities having achieved social prestige and position on the basis of their educational qualification. (Textbook Page No. 48)
Answer:
(i) Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar : Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar was born on 14th April 1891. During his childhood he was subjected to socio-economic discrimination and faced severe humiliation. Dr. Ambedkar earned his doctorates in Economics from both Columbia University and the London School of Economics. He gained reputation as a scholar for his research in Law, economics and political science. In his initial career, he worked as an economist, professor and lawyer. He was posthumous awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 1990.
(ii) A. P. J. Abdul Kalam : A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was born on 15th October 1931. His father was an owner of a boat, an imam of local mosque. Due to destruction in business and loss of the family fortune, Kalam's family suffered poverty. To help his family, he started selling newspapers at an early age. Abdul Kalam completed his graduation from the Madras Institute of Technology and joined the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as a scientist after becoming a member of Defence Research and Development Service (DRDS). He came to be known as the Missile Man of India'. He was the 11th President of India.
In simple words: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam are examples of individuals who achieved immense social prestige and high positions, overcoming significant challenges, primarily through their exceptional educational qualifications and intellectual prowess.

🎯 Exam Tip: When citing examples of influential personalities, highlight their educational background and how it directly contributed to their professional achievements and social recognition, showcasing education as a means of social mobility.