Functionalist Analysis of Youth Cultures Flashcards
Define the term value consensus
Shared agreement in society on norms and values
What is anomie?
Where people have no sense of belonging and lack shared norms and values
What causes anomie?
When society goes through a large amount of social change in a short amount of time
Why does the youth stage pose a threat to social stability?
As we enter youth we seek independence and try to create our own sense of identity
How do youth cultures prevent social instability?
Becoming part of a youth culture gives sense of solidarity which stays until adulthood
Which transition stage of life do youth cultures help with?
Childhood to adulthood
What is meant by the term rite of passage?
The process in which someone leaves childhood and breaks free from their parents
Which sociologist said that youth cultures help young people to transition?
Parsons
How do youth cultures help people to transition according to Parsons?
During the rite of passage stage young people feel like they need to be part of society
Who created the sociological concept of ‘Limbo’?
Eisenstadt
What is ‘Limbo’?
A period of uncertainty where young people can feel stress and anomie
How does youth culture help with the ‘Limbo’ stage according to Einstadt?
It offers a safe outlet for them to express their frustration and make their own opinions
According to Hirschi, why do some people get involved in deviant youth cultures?
No attachment to family members means they’re more likely to be influenced by peers who may be deviant
What does Merton say the American Dream is?
Americans are socialised in to the value consensus of success and material wealth
Why is the American Dream value consensus an issue for some to follow?
There was a strain between the socially encouraged goals of society and the socially acceptable ways of reaching them
What are the 5 classes of peoples actions in society to achieve success?
Conformists Retreatists Rebels Innovators Ritualists
What are the four adaptations?
Ritualists Retreatists Rebels Innovators
What do Conformists do?
Worked toward their employment. Pursue American Dream through socially approved means
What do Ritualists do?
Dont aspire to society’s goals but accept the means of achieving them. They have less ambitious goals
What do Innovators do?
People seen as criminals who support the goals of society. Use criminal means to achieve the goals though
What do Retreatists do?
Reject society’s goals and do their own thing such as drug addicts
What do Rebels do?
Create alternative goals to society and seek a counterculture. Such as terrorists
What are working class boys in Cohen’s study suffering from?
The aspiration of achieving middle class success but failing
How do the working class boys in Cohen’s study solve this problem?
They behave badly and engage in antisocial behaviours
What types of cultures might the working class boys join?
Anti-school subcultures
Anti-school subcultures
They see you can succeed illegally, youths are inspired to do the same
How do retreatists or rebels explain Hippy youth culture?
Lots of hippys dropped out of school which is retreatists, and lots of them took a lot of drugs which is the Rebel adaptation
What did Durkheim say the purpose of evolving norms and values was?
To move society forward
Who created the concept of social cohesion?
Durkheim
What is social cohesion?
The idea that order in society is maintained with similarity
How do acts of terrorism help set boundaries according to Durkheim?
It allows society to re-evaluate the norms and values in their culture
What type of macro theory is Functionalism under?
Structuralism
What are the 4 pre-requisites all agents of socialisation have? Who said this?
Goals, Adaptation, Integration, Latent Functions. Created by Parsons
How would Marxists and Feminists criticise Functionalism in terms of their approach?
They would say they ignore the conflict in society
What is an assumption which can be seen as a criticism of Functionalism with behaviour?
They assume that everyone follows the same behavioural patterns and that these are static
What does Merton say about traditional agents of socialisation?
They can be changed
Give an example of how agents of socialisation can be changed
People can be homeschooled instead of going to a public school
