Functionalism Flashcards
who was the main functionalist
Durkeim
what are the four main parts of functionalism
- promoting social solidarity
- boundary maintenance
- anomie
- deviancy as a ‘safety valve’
what is ‘promoting social solidarity’
when certain events bring people together and they feel a sense of cohesion in society
what is collective conscience
in society members all share a set of values so a community can control itself
what is boundary maintenance
members of society must learn boundaries of what is acceptable behaviour in that group
how do crime and deviance aid boundary maintenance
show members of society the boundaries of right and wrong through punishing those you stray beyond boundaries
what is anomie
breakdown of social bonds between an individual and their community
how is crime and deviance important
a small amount of crime and deviance prevents anomie as long as punished
why may anomie occur
- a sudden change of government e.g revolution
- a disaster which leads to destruction of order e.g 9/11
- a major economic upheaval e.g a recession
what happens if society allows too much crime and deviance without punishment
result in a breakdown of social order and lead to a state of anomie which threatens the stability of the whole society
how can deviance function as a safety valve
allows individuals to ‘let off steam’ to prevent worse deviance
what is an example of deviance as a safety valve
prostitution provides a safe outlet for sexual urges instead of things such as rape or sexual assault
what are the benefits of functionalism
- explains how crime can bring people together and boundaries in society
- explains why laws are necessary for society to function properly
what are the criticisms of functionalism
-doesn’t consider negative effect of deviance on individuals
doesn’t explain:
-why crime happens
-why some people do it more than others
-why different people are deviant in different ways
