Functionalism Flashcards
What does Durkheim suggest about social inequality?
That it can create social solidarity
What were traditional societies like? Durkheim
People were bound together through living and working in the same spaces
What are modern industrial societies like? Durkheim
-more diversity in lifestyle
-divided labour markets
-modern societies have a complex division of labour
-individuals are highly dependent on each other
Evaluation of Durkheim
X-assumes social stratification would improve social solidarity
X-ignores the disparity in pay that causes resentment
What is Parsons view of social stratification?
Social stratification is inevitable and useful in all societies
What is the purpose of social stratification? Parsons
-reinforces the collective goals of a society and establishes order
-creates role models to motivate society to work harder
What roles are women suited for? Parsons
Expressive roles-empathising,caring and emotional
What roles are men suited for? Parsons
Instrumental-competition,aggression and achievement
-suited to paid employment
Why do some economists believe the pay gap between genders is fair? Parsons
-reflects that men have more human capital
-men have a greater orientation to paid work
-women are more likely to take career breaks and opt for part-time work
Evaluations of parsons
X-stratification does not always establish order in society
X-ideas about the roles of men and women are changing in recent years
X-ignores how women are systematically disadvantaged by low paying occupations
What is the premise of Davis and Moores theory?
Some roles in society are more functionally important than others
How are the most talented enticed into the appropriate roles? Davis and Moore
-awarding them high salaries,higher status and more attractive working conditions
Why is social stratification necessary? Davis and Moore
It ensures the most talented fulfil the functionally most important roles in society
Evaluations of Davis and Moore
X-the role of nurses,farmers,teachers undermine this theory…functionally important but don’t have the same status and pay
-Davis and Moore justified this by saying they needed to reward jobs with ‘scarcity of personnel’
What is the host-immigrant model? Patterson
-Britain is a stable,homogeneous and orderly society;high consensus of norms and values
-disrupted by the arrival or immigrants that had different Norns and values
-created a cultural clash
How did Patterson interpret these clashes?
-in terms of understandable fears and anxieties on part of the host family
-the hosts were not racists just unsure to the newcomers
What did Patterson predict about black immigrants?
They would eventually move towards full cultural assimilation by shedding old ethnic values
How does pattersons theory reflect the functionalist view that inequality is inevitable and functional?
The host culture and immigrants eventually have aligning values and compete for jobs
-competition is good for society as everyone works harder
Patterson evaluations
X-host immigration model focuses too much on culture ‘victim blames’ scapegoats ethnic minorities
X-racial hostility has not declined the way Patterson predicted
X-the goal of assimilation has largely been abandoned by policy makers instead ‘cultural pluralism
What do Cummings and Henry suggest about age inequality?
The way society treats the old has positive benefits for society
what are the elderly encouraged to do? cummings and henry
abandon occupational roles
what does the process of social disengagement do? Cummings and Henry
-allows for the young to take the place of the old in the specialised division of labour
what institutions is disengagement useful for? Cummings and Henry
-workplace
-family-supportive role e.g taking care of grandkids
evaluation for cummings and henry
x-retirement from work is often not voluntary,disengagement has negative affects for self-esteem of old ppl
X-disengagement often leads to the neglect of skills and exeperience older people give to society
