Institutions

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Institutions comprise the norms, regulations and laws that establish the 'rules of the game’ – that is, that they condition and modify the behaviour of individuals and groups so that their actions become more predictable to others. They do so through both formal rules that include laws and contracts and, as well as through informal means such as social norms and conventions that evolve over time. This use of ‘institution’ is quite different to that where it is taken as synonymous with ‘organization’.

Institutions are both formal and informal.

Formal Institutions include the written constitution, laws, policies, rights and regulations enforced by official authorities.

Informal Institutions - are socially shared rules, usually unwritten, that are created, communicated, and enforced outside of officially sanctioned channels. They are equally known but not laid down in writing and they intend to be more persistant than formal rules.

Formal Institutions
Educational – schools (preschool, primary/elementary, secondary, and post-secondary/higher)
Economic - including Financial Institutions
Family & Marriage - Family - The family is the center of the child's life. Marriage recognizes the union of two people.
Government
Health Care
Industry
Religion
Legal – laws, criminal justice, jurisprudence
Media - or mass media
Military
NGOs - Non-Governmental Organizations - International
Political
Religion
Research – academia and universities; research institutes

Informal Institutions
Customs
Moral values
Religious Beliefs
Social Capital
Social Norms - normal behavior
Traditions

Institutions are realities that can impact people and other realities.