2 Societal Structure

Societies provide structure for their members to participate in social life. These include roles, statuses, groups, organizations, and institutions. They provide opportunities for people to interact meaningfully with a larger community. Statuses are considered the most concrete building blocks. A status is a socially recognized position that people occupy, including occupations and familial standings. Occupational examples include funeral directors, engineers, dentists, nurses, and managers. Familial examples are being a mother, father, brother, or sister.

Social groups are defined as two or more people who engage in meaningful interaction. Their characteristics define them. A primary social group may be a family or group of friends; a secondary group may aim to accomplish a job, like a workgroup. Organizations are viewed as formal entities that are created to achieve a goal.

The American funerary (a funeral service that can include a visitation, graveside service, celebration of life, and any type of memorial to honor a family’s loved one) is considered an institution. It serves two important goals. To provide a story about the loss of one of its members and to care for the disposition of the deceased. Its members include the funeral director/embalmer, friends, and the deceased’s family. Each member has a role or behaviors that are expected to be displayed in the memorialization process of the deceased. As a funeral care provider understanding statuses and roles is an asset to assist families in relieving tension and managing conflict.

Some examples of statuses and roles include:

A close family friend consoling the family and assisting with the arrangement conference.

Siblings arguing over finances and possessions of their deceased parents.

A child who is inconsolable about their grandparent passing and having a difficult time viewing them at the visitation