Functionalism Flashcards

1
Q

How do Functionalists see society?

A

A stable system based upon value consensus - shared values, norms and beliefs.

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2
Q

What does Durkheim believe about crime and deviance?

A

It has a positive effect on society and crime is inevitable and universal and serves a purpose.

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3
Q

What are the 2 reasons for why people commit crime?

A

1) not everyone is effectively socialised
2) diversity of lifestyles

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4
Q

How are the rules presented in modern societies?

A

They are weaker now as individuals will have social and cultural diversity which weakens their collective conscience and shared culture.

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5
Q

What are the 4 factors for why crime is good for society?

A

1) boundary maintenance
2) adaptation and change
3) safety valve
4) warning light

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6
Q

In boundary maintenance what does crime produce?

A

A positive reaction form society as it unites people together - the punishment reaffirms society’s shared values.

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7
Q

What 2 examples is there for boundary maintenance?

A

1) 2011 UK riots as people came together to clean up the streets
2) James Burger killers who are the 2 kids who killed the 5 year old.

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8
Q

What evaluation is there for boundary maintenance?

A

Ignores how crime and deviance will affect individuals.

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9
Q

What does Durkheim say in adaptation and change?

A

That all changes will start with an act of deviance and society needs to adapt to these new ideas and cannot be stifled by social control.

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10
Q

What 3 examples is there for adaptation and change?

A

1) Natasha’s law (2016) - a law protecting allergies so food businesses will have to include the full ingredients on the package.
2) Clare’s law - Domestic Abuse Disclosure Scheme - people could find out if their later had an abusive past.
3) Suffragettes - allowed reforms like the equal pay act.

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11
Q

What evaluation is there for adaptation and change?

A

Society requires a certain amount of deviance to function successfully

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12
Q

What does Davis and Polsky (1967) say in safety valve?

A

Davis says crime can release sexual frustration.
Polsky says pornography safely channels a variety of sexual desires away.

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13
Q

What 1 example is there for safety valve?

A

1) prostitution

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14
Q

What evaluation is there for safety valve?

A

Radical feminists will say prostitution is contributing to the patriarchy and controlling women.

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15
Q

What does Cohen say in warning light?

A

That deviance will indicate when an institution is malfunctioning and a change will need to happen in society.

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16
Q

What 1 example is there for warning light?

A

1) Truancy - high rates of truancy in schools show there is a problem with the education system.

17
Q

What evaluation is there for warning light?

A

Marxist say a powerful group is imposing its values on the rest of society.

18
Q

What is Mertons strain theory?

A

That people will engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals (American dream)

19
Q

Why does crime/deviance happen?

A

Shows the strain between cultural goals (stuff people should achieve) and structural goals (structure of society so achieving it legitimately or illegitimately)

20
Q

What is the American dream?

A

American society is meritocratic and that anyone who makes the effort can get ahead and achieve wealth and status.

21
Q

If people are restricted by social structures what will this lead to?

A

A “strain to anomie”

22
Q

What are the 5 adaptations to strain?

A

1) Conformity - legitimate means to achieve the American dream
2) Innovation - illegitimate means to achieve it
3) Ritualism - giving up on the goal e.g dead end jobs like reception or a cleaner etc
4) Retreatism - rejecting both goals and becoming a dropout
5) Rebellion - reject society’s values and create a new kind of society

23
Q

What is the evaluation to strain theory?

A

1) Marxists say it doesn’t explain why MC commit crimes (white collar crimes)
- crimes of the street (WC crime)
- crimes of the suite (RC crime)
2) doesn’t explain why the commit all types of crime e,g murder, kidnapping and only explains money related crime.