ABSTRACT
HUMAN BEINGS LOOK TO THE INSTIT U T I O N S of society for direction on how to behave individually and what to expect from others. Marriage, the family, and even the academic tenure process are a few of the institutions that generate guideposts for conduct and provide certainty and stability in a complex and changing world. Political institutions help people identify the common characteristics of power and control that have emerged out of tradition and practice, and people lean on these distinctions as they try to figure out what is going on. In addition, by looking at an institution and considering its history, people are able to discern patterns of repetition and consistency.
