Functionalism

Question 1

why is our basic understanding of sport in society mostly “uncritical”?

Answer 1

• it tends to focus on the positive aspects of sport
• it tends to ignore social structures and institutions where problems arise
• it tends to unerestimate the societal potential and impact of sport

Question 2

what are the three aspects to develop a good theory?

Answer 2

• testable
• open to critique
• approached with a broad rather than specific application

Question 3

what was the first major sociological theory, and became very influential in society?

Answer 3

Functionalism

Question 4

The roots of fuctionalism lie in the work of who?

Answer 4

Aususte Comte

Question 5

Facts about Auguste Comte and functionalism

Answer 5

• He was a positivist

(thinks that there is one reality, ultimate truth, quantitative methods, etc.)

• believed that society could be studied like a hard science

Question 6

Who was influenced by Comte and what did he believe?

Answer 6

• Emile Durkheim
• Believef in “social facts”:

cultural norms and social structures that influence people’s actions

• Would search for correlations between social facts and prescribe remedies
  ex: suicide rates are lower for Catholcs than Protestants, so everyone should be Catholic

Question 7

what are the two mechanisms that are in place to “redirect” those who engage in “dysfunctional” behaviour?

Answer 7

1) to be reintegrated into functional society, through punishment/ rehabilitation
2) to help others remain within the bounds of functional society, serving as an example of what not to do

Question 8

how is continuity and stability achieved?

Answer 8

• socialization
• socializing

Functionalists call these “functional imperatives”

AKA without them, society would collapse

Question 9

what is socialization?

Answer 9

learning/being taught the basic societal norms, values and rules of behaviour

Question 10

what is socializing?

Answer 10

Sharing ideas and norms of behaviour is an effective, controlling people and creating a cohesive society

Question 11

Who is Norbert Elias?

Answer 11

• not a functionalist
• believed to destroy myths and ideologies

Question 12

what is political rhetoric?

Answer 12

promotes sport in functionalist ways

Question 13

how do corporations promote sport as being positive?

Answer 13

promotes this ideology through advertising

• ex: tv commericals that glorify sport

Question 14

what are some flaws that functionalism suffers from thoretically?

Answer 14

• philiosophical underpinning
• contemporary bias
• consensus bias

Question 15

what is philisophical underpinning?

Answer 15

viewing society through a positivist lens

Question 16

what is contemporary bias?

Answer 16

unhistorical/a-historical “processes” reduced to “states”

Question 17

what is consensus bias?

Answer 17

• over-emphasis on consensus of values and ideals among people
• ignores the importance of conflict to force progress
• over-emphasis on positive functions