What is example of functionalist perspective?
Do you believe that society is based on shared values and is held up by social institutions fulfilling a set function in it? Show
Then you belong to the sociological perspective known as functionalism. Many famous sociologists believed in the functionalist theory, including Émile Durkheim and Talcott Parsons. We will discuss the theory in more details and provide a sociological evaluation of functionalism.
Definition of functionalism in sociologyFunctionalism is a key consensus theory. It places importance on our shared norms and values, by which society is enabled to function. It is a structural theory, which means it believes societal structures shape individuals. Individuals are the product of social structures and socialisation. This is also called a 'top-down' theory. Functionalism was 'founded' by French sociologist, Émile Durkheim. Further key theorists of this sociological perspective were Talcott Parsons and Robert Merton. They established functionalist arguments in several areas of sociological research, including education, family formation and social inequality. Examples of functionalismWe will discuss theories and key researchers of functionalism. We will mention the further sociologists and concepts: Émile DurkheimTalcott Parsons
Robert Merton
The functionalist view of societyThere are various concepts in functionalism that further explain the theory and its impact on society and individuals. We will explore these concepts as well as key functionalist theorists below. Functionalism: Émile DurkheimÉmile Durkheim, often referred to as the founder of functionalism, was interested in how society works together to maintain social order. Fig. 1 - Émile Durkheim is often reffered to as the founder of functionalism.Social solidaritySocial solidarity is the feeling of being part of a larger social group. Durkheim stated that society should provide individuals with this sense of social solidarity through all the institutions in a given society. This social solidarity would serve as a 'social glue'. Durkheim believed that having a sense of belonging is very important, as it helps individuals stay together and maintains social stability. Individuals who are not integrated into society are not socialised into its norms and values; therefore, they pose a risk to society as a whole. Durkheim emphasised the importance of society and social solidarity over the individual. He argued that individuals should be pressurised to participate in society. Social consensusSocial consensus refers to the shared norms and values held by society. These are shared practices, traditions, customs and beliefs that maintain and reinforce social solidarity. Shared practices are the basis of social order. Durkheim said that the main way to achieve social consensus is through socialisation. It occurs through societal institutions, all of which uphold the social consensus. A specific social value is that we should be law-abiding citizens. To reinforce and maintain this shared value, institutions such as the education system socialise children into adopting this outlook. Children are taught to follow rules and are punished when they misbehave. AnomieAll individuals and institutions in society should cooperate and carry out social roles. This way, society will remain functional and prevent 'anomie', or chaos. Anomie refers to the lack of norms and values. Durkheim stated that too much individual freedom is bad for society, as it leads to anomie. This can happen when individuals don't 'play their part' in keeping society functioning. Anomie can cause confusion about an individual's place in society. In some cases, this confusion can lead to negative outcomes such as crime. However, Durkheim believed that some anomie is necessary for the proper functioning of society, as it reinforces social solidarity. When there is too much anomie, social solidarity is disturbed. Durkheim expanded on the microtheory of anomie in his famous 1897 book Suicide, which was the first methodological study of a social issue. He found that social problems can be causes of suicide as well, apart from personal or emotional problems. He suggested that the more integrated an individual is in society, the less likely they are to take their own life. PositivismDurkheim believed that society is a system that can be studied using positivist methods. According to Durkheim, society has objective laws, much like the natural sciences. He believed these could be studied using observation, testing, data collection, and analysis. He did not believe in using interpretivist approaches to society. In his view, approaches in that vein, like Weber's Social Action Theory, placed too much emphasis on individual interpretation. Durkheim's positivist approach is evident in Suicide, where he compares, contrasts, and draws correlations between suicide rates in different sections of the population. Fig. 2 - Positivists use quantitative research methods and numerical data.Functionalist Theory in SociologyWe will mention two further sociologists, who worked within functionalism. They were both followers of Durkheim and built their theories on his research. However, their evaluation of Durkheim's arguments is not always positive, there are also differences between their views and Durkheim's. Let us consider Talcott Parsons and Robert Merton. Functionalism: Talcott ParsonsParsons expanded upon Durkheim's approach and further developed the idea that society is a functioning structure. Organic analogyParsons argued that society is like the human body; both have working parts that achieve an overarching goal. He called this the organic analogy. In this analogy, each part is necessary to maintain social solidarity. Each social institution is an 'organ' that performs a specific function. All institutions work together to maintain healthy functioning, in the same way our organs work together to keep us alive. The four needs of societyParsons saw society as a system with certain needs that must be met if the 'body' is to function properly. These are: 1. Adaptation Society cannot survive without members. It must have some control over its environment in order to meet its members' basic needs. These include food, water, and shelter. The economy is an institution that helps do this. 2. Goal attainment This refers to the goals that society strives to achieve. All societal activity is carried out to achieve these goals using resource allocation and social policy. The government is the main institution responsible for this. If the government decides the country needs a stronger defence system, it will increase its defence budget and allocate more funding and resources to it. 3. Integration Integration is the 'adjustment of conflict'. This refers to the cooperation between different parts of society and the individuals who are part of it. To ensure cooperation, norms and values are embedded in law. The judicial system is the main institution responsible for resolving legal disputes and conflicts. In turn, this maintains integration and social solidarity. 4. Pattern maintenance This refers to the maintenance of basic values that are institutionalised in society. Several institutions help to maintain a pattern of basic values, such as religion, education, the judicial system, and the family. Functionalism: Robert MertonMerton agreed with the idea that all institutions in society perform different functions that help keep society running smoothly. However, he added a distinction between different functions, saying that some are manifest (obvious) and others are latent (not obvious). Manifest functionsManifest functions are the intended functions or outcomes of an institution or activity. For example, the manifest function of going to school every day is to get an education, which will help children get good exam results and let them move on to higher education or work. Similarly, the function of attending religious gatherings in a place of worship is that it helps people practice their faith. Latent functionsThese are the unintended functions or outcomes of an institution or activity. The latent functions of attending school every day include preparing children for the world by giving them the knowledge and skills to excel in either university or a job. Another latent function of school may be to help children develop social and communication skills by encouraging them to make friends. The latent functions of attending religious gatherings can include helping individuals feel a sense of community and solidarity, or to meditate. The example of the Hopi IndiansMerton used the example of the Hopi tribe, who would perform rain dances to make it rain when it was particularly dry. Performing rain dances is a manifest function, as the intended goal is to produce rain. However, the latent function of such an activity could be to promote hope and solidarity in difficult times. Strain theoryMerton's strain theory saw crime as a reaction to the lack of opportunities to achieve legitimate goals in society. Merton argued that the American dream of a meritocratic and equal society is a delusion; the structural organisation of society prevents everyone from accessing the same opportunities and achieving the same goals due to their race, gender, class, or ethnicity. According to Merton, anomie occurs due to an imbalance between an individual's goals and an individual's status (usually related to wealth and material possessions), causing a 'strain'. This strain may lead to crime. The strain theory is a key strand in the sociological topic of Crime and Deviance. Evaluation of functionalismThe sociological evaluation of functionalism discusses the theory's strengths and weaknesses. Strengths of functionalism
Weaknesses of functionalism
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