Functionalism Flashcards
What type of theory is functionalism
Structural/macro consensus theory
What are the four main points made by functionalists (Parsons)
Organic analogy
System needs
Value consensus
Social change
What is the organic analogy - Parsons
Society works like the human body, where the institutions are the organs that keep the body/ society running
What does Parsons say about the organic analogy and the institutions
Each institutions has a specific role such as the family providing primary socialisation
All institutions are interdependent - where they all rely on each other and when one fails they all fail
What is meant by System Needs
Society has need just like a system that need to be met for it to run smoothly
What are the four System Needs according to Parsons (GAIL)
Goal attainment: set goals and allocate resources to the people
Adaptation: to meet peoples needs
Integration: everyone into shared goals to allow cooperation
Latency: provide coping mechanisms to maintain society over time
Two types - Transition management: releasing stress
- Pattern management: ensure people continue to fulfil
roles
What is meant by Value Consensus - Parsons
2 mechanisms to ensure people are conform to the value consensus
Socialisation: teaching value consensus into personality structure
Social control: conforming to value consensus through CJS and punishment
What is meant by Social Change under functionalism
Structural differentiation from social change:
society has moved from a simple to a complex structure where one institution no longer does all functions - now more specialised where the NHS provides health, Education provides skills, CJS provides punishment, rather than the family doing it all
What is the definition of an internal evaluation
An evaluation that comes from within the same perspective
Who internally evaluation functionalism
Merton
How did Merton criticise the functionalist theory
Three ways:
1) Indispensability - Parson assumes everything in society is for the best and institutions perform functions most suited to them and does not look at alternatives e.g non traditional families still perform socialisation
2) Functional unity - Parson assumes all institutions are interdependent but some are only distantly related e.g society would not collapse without media
3) Universal functionalism - Parson assumes everything in society is beneficial to all, Radical feminists say the nuclear family oppresses women and are not functional
What are 4 external evaluations of the functionalist theory
Action Theories: not institutions that run society but individuals and it is deterministic as we can reject value consensus seen in prison populations
Marxism: functionalists fail to explain social class conflict
Overexaggerates value consensus: riots, strikes
Postmodernism: functionalists wrongly assume society is stable and ignores diversity - it is all a ‘meta-narrative’
How is functionalism useful
Provides alternate view to conflict theories - positive view of institutions
VC is useful explain some patterns of behaviour - some shared norms e.g queueing for a bus
