functionalism Flashcards
what is a value of consensus?
sees members of society as a sharing common culture, values and norms
name two key mechanisms that functionalists argue achieves solidarity
socialisation - instils shared culture into members
social control - mechanisms include rewards for conformity and punishments for wrong doings, ensuring individuals behave in ways society expects
what does durkheim identify about crime
crime is inevitable
positive aspects helped society change and remain dynamic
negative aspects saw too much crime leading to social disruption
what are two reasons why crime is found in all societies?
not everyone is equally socialised into shared norms and values
there is diversity of lifestyles and values meaning different groups develop own subcultures with distinctive norms and values which may be seen as deviant by some
what is boundary maintenance?
crimes produce reactions from society, uniting members and reinforcing commitment to shared norms and values
what is adaptation and change?
all change starts with an act of deviance
some changes can be positive, making society move forwards
give a historical event as an example of adaptation and change
suffragettes, BLM, sarah everard, rights for women, black people and homosexual people
what is davies’ safety valve theory?
a safety value allows people to release frustrations without threatening society
argues prostitution acts as a safety valve for realise of mens sexual frustrations without threatening the nuclear family
what is cohen’s warning device theory?
cohen identifies deviance as a warning society isn’t functioning properly
what are four criticisms of functionalism?
society requires a certain amount of deviance
crime doesn’t always promote solidarity, maybe making some isolated
no explanation as to why crime happens
looks at society as a while, ignoring how it affects groups or individuals
what are merton’s five ways people might respond to the strain of anomie?
conformity
innovation
ritualism
retreatism
rebellion
what is conformity?
a most common response where they strive for success through hard work
what is innovation?
people from lower classes
ah have less qualifications and time to crime to achieve
what is ritualism?
some may abandon the ultimate goal of wealth but continue to do form to middle class respectability
what is retreatism?
“drop outs” who have rejected shared values of success and means provided to achieve it
what is rebellion?
reject both goals and means and replace them with different ones, creating an entirely new kind of society
what is merton’s strain theory?
social inequality can create tension between classes as ruling class has more opportunities; therefore pressuring lower classes into committing crimes to achieve
what is anomie?
for durkheim this is a state of normlessness
how does merton’s theories link to the american dream?
people expect to achieve through hard work but this may exclude people working classes who were denied opportunities and may turn to crime to be successful
what does cohen argue?
merton’s strain theory is limited and doesn’t explain non-utilitarian crimes
what is cohen’s status frustration theory?
education socialises all its members with achieving exam success but inequalities in the legitimate opportunity structure in education system only lets a minority achieve this (middle class)
what does cohen argue?
boys who were branded as failures at school reacted by forming a subculture with a distinct set of values
boys who suffered status deprivation would win status on eyes of their peers (petty theft/ vandalism)
what did cohen’s theory do?
offered an explanation for crimes which had no economic motivation (petty crimes)
what are cloward and ohlin’s three types of deviant subcultures?
criminal
conflict
retreatist
what is criminal subculture?
occurs in areas where an established underworld already exists
eg. mafia or kray twins
there becomes opportunities for employment in crime
what is conflict subculture?
loosely organised gangs that form using violence providing a release for young men’s frustration
what is retreatist subculture?
aspire to criminal or conflict subculture but don’t succeed
“double failures”
resort to drug/alcohol use and petty crime
what do cloward and ohlin argue?
agrees with merton and cohen that working class males are denied legitimate opportunities to achieve money success and therefore turn to crime
what does miller argue?
crime arises through values of working class subcultures as they are seen as tough, violent which may lead to crime
what are miller’s six focal concerns?
trouble
toughness
smartness
excitement
fate
autonomy
why does matza criticise miller?
memberships to subculture are often short lived as not everyone in working class are criminals
do cloward and ohlin overpredict working class from?
yes
they ignore wider power subculture
what is hirschi’s bond theory?
looks at why people don’t commit crime and what forces them to hold peoples behaviour in check
why does criminal behaviour occur?
this occurs when peoples attachment to society is weak which depends on four social bonds
what are the four social bonds?
attachment - what extent a person cares about another’s wishes, stopping people commit crimes
commitment - personal investments we make in our lives onto communities (if we have nothing to lose, more likely to be criminal)
involvement - referring to how busy we are (more involved in society then less likely to commit crimes)
belief - meaning strength of a persons sense that they should obey rules in society
what are some criticisms of hirschi’s theory?
doesn’t explain why some people have weaker or stronger bonds
there are criminals who appear to have strong bonds to society yet still commit crime
doesn’t explain specific crimes
suggest by nature that humans are bad and society stops crimes
what does matza argue?
claimed delinquents are similar to everyone else
what does matza suggest about male delinquents?
that they are committed to same values as others in society but society has a strong hold on them to prevent them from being criminal, noting they often express remorse and regret at what they’ve done
what are matza’s two levels of values?
conventional values (roles and occupation)
subterranean values (sexuality, greed and aggression, which can be controller)
