Question

Although social structure acts as a major control mechanism to preserve order, it has little to do with what we actually do, feel, or think.
a. True
b. False

Answer 1

The answer is b. False.

The social structure is the system of organization between large groups of people. It can include anything from family structures to government organizations and economic systems.  

As a way of organizing society, it is very effective, but it also plays a large role in how people feel and act.

For example, an English nobleman in the 18th-century would have been horrified to think of the possibility of being born a peasant. However, an American student in the 21st century rarely feels sad to not having been born a nobleman. This feelings are a consequence of the class system of a society.

Another example is the fact that an American citizen might feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in having a lot of money, and might feel embarrassed when unemployed. However, an Indigenous person in the Amazon forest will not feel sad to not have any money because they do not share our capitalist system.

These are examples of how social structures can change how humans behave, but also how the feel and think about themselves.