Functionalism

Question 1

Value consensus & social order - Parsons

Answer 1

• Social order is achieved through the existence of shared culture (central value system).
• Social order is only possible as long as members of society agree on these norms and values (value consensus).

Question 2

Integration of individuals

Answer 2

• Through socailsiation & social control.
• Behaviour is orientated towards pursuing society’s goals and needs.

Question 3

Parts of the social system

Answer 3

• Individual actions - governed by norms and values.
• Norms come into clusters called ‘status roles’ e.g. exists in a given social system such as doctor or teacher etc. - eg. teachers must not show favoritism or share political views.
• Status roles come in clusters, known as institutions - related institutions are known as sub-systems e.g shops, factories, banks make an economic sub-system - make up whole social system.

Question 4

The systems needs

Answer 4

1. Adaptation (instrumental) - social system meets members needs through economic sub-system.
2. Goal Attainment (instrumental) - society needs to set goals to achieve them - political sub-system.
3. Integration (expressive) - diff parts of system must be integrated to pursue shared goals - religion, edu, media subsystem.
4. Latency (expressive) - maintain society over time in 2 ways - pattern maintenance (socialising individuals to reform required roles in social) & tension management (place to ‘let off steam’ after work stress)

Question 5

Types of society

Answer 5

Traditional - expected to put collective interests first, status is ascribed and judged by particularistic standards (diff laws for nobles & commoners)
Modern - pursue individual self interest, achieve status and all judged by same universalistic standards (equality before law)

Question 6

Criticism of integration of individuals

Answer 6

• Action - Wrong (1961) too deterministic of individual
• Describe the functionalist view as: the social system uses socialisation to shape peoples behavior so that they will meet. The systems needs by performing their prescribed roles. Individuals have no free will of choice, and they are may puppet to string a pulled up by the social system.
• Action theorists takes the opposite of you and argues that individuals create society through interactions.

Question 7

Criticism of part of the social system

Answer 7

Merton - universal functionalism -Parsons assumes that everything in society performs a positive function for society as a whole. Yet some things may be functional for some and dysfunctional for others. - introduces a neglected note for functionalism.
- Assumes some groups may have the power to keep arrangements in place that benefit them at the expense of others.

Question 8

Criticism of the system needs

Answer 8

Merton - Fictional Unity -
-Parsons assumes all parts of society are tightly integrated into a single whole or ‘unity’ and each part is functional for the rest - he assumes change in one part will effect others
-Instead of unity some parts may have functional autonomy (independence) from others.

Question 9

Criticism of types of society

Answer 9

Marxists argue society is not harmonious but based on exploitation and divided into classes and unequal power.
Shared values are a cloak concealing interests of dominant class.