4. Intro and Consensus Theory: Functionalism Flashcards
consensus vs conflict
how social order is maintained and how people manage to live together with some degree of harmony and stability despite differences
Problem of determinism and choice?
if behaviour is moulded by society not free will and choice, how much freedom do they have and does this mean their identities are moulded by social forces outside social control
What is structuralism
the overall structure of society and the way institutions limit, and control individual behaviours
we are puppets on strings, shaped and controlled by society we live in
What are two structuralist theories
Functionalism and Marxism
Positivism
only evidence that can be scientifically verified of capable of logical or mathematical proof os valid
before the enlightenment?
Catholicism was all powerful
Life Influenced by religion and God
Devine right of kings in power
After enlightenment
newton proved mathematical laws and discovered motion of planets
desire to explain with science grew
humans notions were survival & pleasure not good and bad
Functionalism - a structural theory
sees society as system that shapes individuals
Functionalism - a consensus theory
seeing society as shaped by agreement about values goals and rules
Functionalism main aim?
Society can be improved through the discovery of social functions
Who are key Functionalism theorists
Durkheim
Refined by Parsons 1902-1979
Merton 1910-2004
In the 1950s and 60s, society was…
Society is a stable, harmonious integrated social system with social order and cohesion maintained by fundamental value consensus
How is society seen as a system
The organic analogy - parsons
What is the organic analogy system?
society and body are both self-regulating systems of inter-related, interdependent parts that fit together in a fixed way. All different institutions and organs are the same
What are the organic analogy system needs?
organisms need nutrition. society has basic needs tat must be met, such as being socialised.
If not everyone would argue and fight everyone and then ultimately no one would win
What are the organic analogy functions?
every part contributes to the system to keep it alive and ensure survival
the economy funds society and allows for social mobility to happen
What are the systems in society
Norms are called status roles
e.g. positions that exist in society, how the occupants carry out their duties
Status roles come in clusters
e.g. institutions, families exist with mum, dad, etc.
Related institutions are grouped into sub-systems.
What are societies prerequisites
institutions exist to satisfy basic needs and must work together
malfunction alerts us when something is wrong
What does Parsons suggest about society
If society is healthy, we must solve instrumental and expressive problems thus satisfying the prerequisites met by sub systems
GAIL Model
Instrumental Problems
providing materials needs for survival
Goals Attainment
Adaptation
Expressive Problems
maintaining an efficient cooperation and a sense of social solidarity
Integration
Latency
Goal Attainment
setting collective goals, priorities and allocating resource to solve them
political
Adaptation
Adapting to the environment to provide materials necessary
Economic
Integration
Co-ordinating all parts of the system through socialisation and ensuring everyone has shared goals
Cultural
Latency
process which maintain society overtime
Kinship provides pattern maintenance
-socialises individuals to perform roles required
Tensions management
-place to let off steam after the stress of work
Family
What are the three concepts
- Value consensus and social order
- Sanctions and social order
- Socialisation and social order
Establishment and maintenance of social order
Durkheim 1982
value consensus and social integration
learn common values
What is value and consensus order
institutions generally promote value consensus
an important function of social institutions
commitment to common values is basis for order
belief in work ethic and meritocracy
work ethic- work hard no laziness
meritocracy- hard work should be rewarded
How do we integrate individuals together
value consensus is about making social order possible as peoples needs need to be met
to achieve this we must apply specific rules or norms
and use specific tools to do so
How do we help society be integrated
Sanctions and Social Order
Socialisation and Social Order
What are sanctions and social order
formal sanctions - detentions, in trouble with police
informal sanctions - dirty looks, no second date
understand whether behaviour is correct and accepted within society
What is Socialisation and social order
Family is responsible for passing basic norms and values of society, early levels
Education integrates individuals into wider society, a sense of belonging
Other institutions regulate behaviour through social sanctions- prevent crime and deviance
What is social change
When new functions emerge or society needs to adapt
How does social change happen
a change in one part results in a change elsewhere so the system remains balanced
Parsons calls this structural differentiation
He also uses social evolution from simple hunters to advanced industrial
Structural differentiation
society evolves as new needs arise for both society and individuals means instituions become more specialised
separate, functionally specialised institutions develop, each meeting a different need.
Why is more complex society better
more adaptive, more innovative and able to harness talents of wider ranges of individuals
How can social change happen
social differentiation
moving/dynamic equilibrium
What is moving equilibrium
as change occurs in one part of the system, change happens else where to compensate
rise of industry brings changes to nuclear families
What was Merton’s critique of Functionalism
-internal critique
Indispensability
Functional Unity
Universal Functionalism
What is Indespensability
he assumed everything in society is indispensable in its current form
untested and may have functional alternatives
Why could nuclear families come under the functional alternatives category
Families in England are so different, so many different types of family unit
Not just 2 parents 2 kids nowadays
What is Functional unity
assumes all parts of society are tightly integrated
a change has knock on consequences to all systems
in complex modern society, some parts are only distantly related to each other
instead it should be functional autonomy
What is Universal Functionalism
assumes everything is a positive function for society as a whole
disregards positives for some and negatives for others
dysfunction is neglected by functionalists, it suggest conflict of interests
idea is basis of conflict perspectives
What is Merton’s main criticism of Parsons
we cannot assume society is always a smooth running and integrated system
Dysfunction
Some parts of the social structure dont work as intended with negative consequences and effects
Things do go wrong in society
Dysfunction happens more often than not
New technology helps some but ruins others
All parts of the social system affected
Manifest functions
Merton suggested manifest
-the intended recognised outcome or action of an institution
Latent Functions
Merton then suggested latent functions
-unintended and unrecognised consequences
External evaluation strengths
produce general evaluation on societal workings
importance of social structures
constraints behaviour and links
explains social order and stability
hence conformance
External evaluation logical criticism
real explanation identifies its cause
logic before effect
functionalists see family causes socialisation
unscientific too
deviance is functional and dysfunctional
External Evaluation action perspective criticism
Wrong 1961 sees deterministic
functionalist perspec see people as puppets on strings
theorist state individuals create society due to interaction
reifies society taking notice to society needs not individual
society cannot exist on its own though
External evaluation postmodernist criticism
functionalism assumes society is stable and ordered
cannot account for diversity and instability
met-narrative
society is not whole, but fragmented
External evaluation conflict criticism
inability to explain conflict and change
society is meant to be harmony, conservative ideology
based on exploitation and unequal interest (Marxism)
stability is result of dominant class preventing change through coercion
false consciousness- no shared view
