Principles and Techniques of Veterinary and AH Extension

CONCEPTS RELATED TO PRACTICE IN SOCIETY

• Social control is the pattern of influence the society exerts on individuals and groups to maintain order and establish rules in the society.
• Social norms, folkways, mores and laws: Rules based on social values that control and direct interpersonal relationships in society.
• Social Norms: Norms are established behaviour patterns for the members of a social system. It is expected that the members of a society shall follow the norms. A person who deviates from the norm is generally regarded as a deviant by the other members of the system.
• Folkways: Socially acceptable ways of behaviour, the customary norms of society that do not imply moral sanction. e.g: Manners.
• Mores: Socially acceptable ways of behaviour, the customary norms of society, which involve moral standards. Violation may involve severe social action. e.g. Inter caste marriage.
• Laws: Formalized norms with legal and / or political enforcement such as acts, statutes etc. e.g: Laws to prevent cruelty to animals.
• Socialization is the process by which an individual is conducted into his social and cultural world. Society forms and instills the rules and regulations of the society to which he / she belong. It involves the development of
  • Personality
  • Attitudes
  • Habits
  • Expected social roles
• Social role is the expected behaviour of one member of society in relation to others. An individual may play various roles such as a ‘student’ in the class, as a ‘player’ in a cricket club, as a ‘son or daughter’ at home etc.
• Social stratification is the division of society into a series of levels indicating positions of individuals and groups in the value system existing in that society. Position in the stratification level denotes ‘Status’ of the group or individual. Factors influencing social stratification are caste, religion, income, number of family members, land size, herd size etc. The societies could be classified into rich and poor; landless, marginal, small and large farmers and the like.
• Social processes are the interactions of groups and individuals with one another. The four basic forms of social processes are
  • Competition
  • Conflict
  • Co-operation
  • Accommodation
• Leadership: Leading is the process of influencing people so that they will strive willingly and enthusiastically towards the achievement of group goals. Every leader has got his own way of influencing people and a leader exists as long as he has followers to be influenced and goals to be accomplished.
• Association: Associations are functional groups that are brought into existence for various but well defined purpose by collective action and functioning. An association is a group of people expressly organised around a particular interest. When a group of people organise itself for the pursuit of some common interests, an association is born. e.g.: Farmers association for the purpose of sale of grains, vegetables, etc.,.