Abstract
Erving Goff man's essay the Characteristics of Total Institu tions1 is an attempt to construct a model of a total institution based on his study of mental hospitals and prisons. Upon reading his article, there seems to be a considerable difference in at least one type of total institution from the scheme which Goff man presents as characteristic of all total institutions. This inconsistency is found in the type of total institution known as a religious order. Questioning the reason for this discrepancy, in search of an intervening variable which would account for the anticipated difference of the religious order from Goffman's model, it was noted that mental hospitals and prisons employ coercive power and religious orders employ normative power. On this basis it was decided that the type of power employed by the institution may be a variable which would account for this discrepancy and, by pro viding the basis for establishing a typology, modify the concept of total institution. This paper will, first of all, present the most salient features of total institutions which appeared inadequate to describe a religious institution. Then, treating power as the intervening variable, the power-involvement theory of Amitai Etzioni will be introduced. In light of these two conceptual frameworks the general hypothesis and corollaries will be developed. From this hypothesis the research design, findings, and conclusions will follow. Goff man treats in great detail the nature of total institutions: A total institution may be defined as a place of residence and work where a large number of like-situated individuals, cut off from the wider society for an appreciable period of time, together lead an enclosed, formally administered round of life.2 One of the five types of total institutions is the class including those establishments designed as retreats from the world even while serving also as training stations for the religious; examples are abbeys, monasteries, convents, and other cloisters.3 18
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