Role of Traditional Social Institutions for Inculcating Values among Children in the Context of Social Change

There is a popular perception and apprehension that society is changing very fast and children are becoming more independent, outgoing, less respecting their elders, adopting the western cultures and by that way they are losing the Indian values. There is a debate among the social psychologists and sociologists about the nature and pace of social change and about erosion of Indian traditional values. Whether the Indian cultures, society and values are really changing or it is only media hype? However, there is an agreement among the majority of Indian social scientists that though there is a change in the fashion, technology, life styles, markets, education etc but the spirit of the Indian traditional values are still intact but there is a common doubt that whether it will be intact in future or not? Forces of social change such as globalisation, urbanisation, migration, higher education, employment etc. will impact the Indian values. Thus, there is need to protect and preserve the existing social institutions such as family, neighbourhoods, kinships, role of elderly and many institutionalised behavioural patterns such as respect and services to the elderly, parents, widows, disabled, unemployed etc in the society. This paper based on review of research, analyses the role of traditional social institutions for inculcating, preserving and strengthening values among the Indian children from the psychological point of view.