Social structure is a pattern of relations between different entities in a society or other organized group, interacting in a system of rules, roles, norms, values, and statuses. This structure both shapes and is shaped by the individuals and groups who inhabit it, often forming from shared customs, values, and beliefs held by members of a particular community. Social structure determines how resources are distributed, how authority is organized and exercised, how people communicate with each other, and how individuals define their identities, among other elements. As a form of organization, social structure is a fundamental feature of all human societies.

See also: social system, collective action, conflict theory, collective intelligence, systems thinking