Institutionalisation

Institutionalisation Definition

Institutionalisation refers to the process by which social practices or activities become sufficiently popular and continuous that they are recognised and described as established social institutions. When applied to individuals, such as long-stay hospital patients or prisoners who reside within these settings for extended periods, it denotes a state of dependency where the individual loses their capacity for self-management and becomes reliant upon the institutional structure.

Applications

The term is employed in two primary contexts: the study of social structures and the study of human experience within those structures. In the former context, it describes the emergence of established societal frameworks from shared practices. In the latter context, it addresses the psychological and social effects experienced by individuals who are embedded within formal institutions.