sociology theory and methods - functionalism.

AQA

What are the basic beliefs of functionalists?

They’re a structuralist theory that take a macro approach to society and the way institutions shape and control individuals. e.g individuals are shaped by forces such as socialisation and sanctions. Sees society as based on the value consensus. The role of institutions is to keep society functional and maintain social order.

Individuals have little choice over how they behave and lack free will (society is determanistic)

Positivism is the main methodological approach, using quantative research to study the macro scale and find representative re

What does Durkheim believe the glue of society is?

• Shared culture (norms and values) creates a values consensus. This holds society together creating a collective conscience.

How does society act as a system?

Functionalism sees society as a system of interconnected parts and institutions.

They are focused on analysing society as a whole and view institutions as existing to maintain the system of society overall. Each part's function contributes to social stability and order.

What is the organic analogy?

Parsons

1. Society is like a human body

2. Each institution represents an organ.

3. Each preforms a vital function

4. All work together and this prevents society from getting ill.

5. If one of these institutions start to malfunction then society becomes dysfunctional.

What are functional prerequisites?

As part of the organic analogy functionalists argue society has functional prerequisites, basic needs that must be met in order for society to survive.

Institutions must exist (family, crime, media, education) to fill these needs and benefit the whole of society.

How can a part of the organic analogy let us know something is wrong in society?

All parts of society, like the human body, have a function even if they’re unpleasant.

Parts of society can go wrong like the body, e.g divorce rates, crime rates, and this can act as a warning that something in society is going wrong.

What are the four main functional prerequisites?

Parsons suggested healthy societies need to meet four main functional prerequisites through various institutions.

Gail scale.

1. Goal attainment - progression

2. Adaptation - social change

3. Integration - socialisation and social control

4. Latency. - tension management.

Explain each of Parsons four functional prerequisites.

1. Goal attainment - societies must invent ways of achieving goals and preventing stagnation. Political systems must provide us with goals to achieve and provide means of achieving them. e.g social policy like compulsory education.

2. Adaptation - every society must provide an adequate standard of living for the survival of its members, economic systems must change to meet the needs of its members.

3. Integration - trying to integrate us into the collective conscience deal with the stress and strains of society. Institutions socialise us into these. e.g the media and education bring us together and make us feel part of society.

4. Latency - institutions like the family exist to help us operate in society and deal with the stress and strain of it. It protects us like a shelter. If society is going to continue to exist it needs to motivate people to be apart of it and not leave or oppose it.

   —> the needs of society progress as society changes, change must be slow to avoid any harm to the stability of society, functions must change to meet the needs of the members at the time. Functional fit theory - Parsons.

What is structural differentiation?

—> each institution will change and adapt in its own way to meet a different need of the society.

• Slow process of gradual social evolution, institutions become more specialised and functions they once preformed can be taken over by other institutions.

• e.g the family used to be responsible for education and work training however, the education system took over that role and it teaches specialist skills.

How does Merton criticise Parsons?

• Criticises Parsons by saying some institutions can become dysfunctional over time and this can have a negative impact on society as a whole. e.g warm bath theory is positive for men not for women.

• Less rose tinted then other functionalists.

What are manifest and latent functions?

• Manifest functions are functions intend to do and have recognised consequences.

• Latent functions are functions unintended or unrecognised functions of institutions.

• Latent functions can be dysfunctional, for example, a hospital spreading an antibiotic resistant superbug like MRSA

  • Or the manifest function of a hospital could be to provide healthcare but its latent function may be to help people who work there find partners to have children with.

What is the difference between indispensability and functional alternatives?

• Indispensability - Parsons, each institution has a function that no other can preform.

  • Functional alternatives - Merton, other institutions can perform these functions just as well and they do not have to be inter-related.

What are some evaluations of functionalism?

• Provides an explanation for social order and stability and why most people generally conform to the rules of social life.

• Recognises importance of social structure in constraining individual behaviour and choice.

• Action theorists see it a too determanistic as functionalists ignore the impact of individual choice and free will.

• Too rose tinted and focuses on the positive functions of society.

• Is there really a value consensus or is it the views of the dominant class? Post modernists would argue there is a wide diversity of views today making value consensus impossible, marxists may argue that society is shaped primarily by class conflict rather than shared values.