functionalism

durkheim

durkheim noted that modern societies achieve and maintain social order through social facts, such as religion, morality, law, culture, and identity, which influence individual behaviour through socialisation.

social facts

social facts exist because they serve a useful function for society; if they don't, they disappear.

homo duplex

humans have two sides: one selfish and instinctive, the other able to follow a moral code, which ensures collective conscience and conformity to shared norms.

collective conscience

collective conformity to shared norms creates social solidarity, ensuring effective functioning of society.

parsons

parsons argued that social order is achieved through a value consensus, internalised through socialisation and maintained by social control, leading to social equilibrium.

social equilibrium

a balanced and stable society, maintained by integration of individuals into the value consensus.

functional prerequisites

parsons identified four functional prerequisites: goal attainment, adaptation, integration, and latency.

goal attainment

political leadership sets goals like production, distribution, and crime reduction.

adaptation

society adapts to its environment, creating an economic system to produce material needs.

integration

laws, regulations, and religious codes maintain order and prevent conflict.

latency

norms and values are maintained by sub-systems like family, education, and religion.

structural differentiation

as societies modernise, specialised institutions emerge for healthcare, education, and mass production.

fluid system of stratification

modernisation leads to a fluid system of stratification, with values like meritocracy replacing fixed structures.

merton (criticism of parsons)

merton critiqued parsons' view of complete functional unity, arguing that sub-systems can change independently without affecting the entire system.

functional autonomy

a sub-system may change independently without affecting the system as a whole.

dysfunction

not all institutions are essential; some may be dysfunctional or non-functional, like religion in certain cases.

functional equivalent

something else may replace the function of institutions, like football clubs replacing religion's role in fostering identity.

manifest function

institutions may not always perform their intended function.

latent function

institutions may also perform unintended functions, such as a place of worship fostering social interaction and marriage.