Functionalist views of the role and function of society

Question 1

role and function 1

Answer 1

teaches solidarity and value consensus

Question 2

teaches solidarity and value consensus

Answer 2

durkheim

Question 3

teaches solidarity and value consensus (Durkheim)

Answer 3

• All societies needed to create social solidarity in their member
• this creates a feeling of unity and belonging based on shared beliefs and values
• it creates a value consensus
• the education system encourages this by studying subjects such as literature, music, religion

Question 4

Role and function 2

Answer 4

Provision of specialist skills for the workplace

Question 5

Provision of specialist skills for the workplace

Answer 5

Durkheim

Question 6

Provision of specialist skills for the workplace (Durkheim)

Answer 6

• schooling is important in supporting the needs of a modern economy
• prepares young children for the work place in industrial societies
• in industrial societes, there is a division of labour where people choose from a wide range of specialised jobs and won’t follow their parents footsteps (like pre-industrialised societies)
• schools provide skills and knowledge for the workplace

Question 7

Role and function 3

Answer 7

Secondary Socialisation (Universalistic Values & a shared British culture are reinforced)

Question 8

Secondary Socialisation (Universalistic Values & a shared British culture are reinforced)

Answer 8

parsons

Question 9

Secondary Socialisation (Universalistic Values & a shared British culture are reinforced)
(parsons)

Answer 9

Education has taken over the main responsibility for secondary socialisation
- school acts as a bridge between the home and the workplace
- universalistic values: everyone has the same values e.g. everyone takes the same exam
- particularistic values: each individual has different values
- parents treat their children in terms of their particularistic values and judge the due to these values
- schools reflect the values of society based on the believes that everyone has an equal chance of success
- due to shared national culture, schools enforce this by having equal opportunity policies where children are all treated equally

Question 10

Role and function 4

Answer 10

It allocates roles ready for the workplace (based on functional importance and meritocracy)

Question 11

It allocates roles ready for the workplace (based on functional importance and meritocracy)

Answer 11

Davis and moore

Question 12

It allocates roles ready for the workplace (based on functional importance and meritocracy)
( davis and Moore)

Answer 12

• role allocation is beneficial for society as all social systems share certain functions that must be met for society to survive
• effect role allocations
• social stratification: all societies need a mechanism to ensure effective role allocation and performance
• stratification matches those most able with the functionally most important jobs and positions
• it does this by attaching high rewards to those positions and the desire for such rewards motivates people to compete for them
• social inequality is inevitable feature for human society
• measuring the importance of a position
• education teaches people certain skills to an extent where they can get a qualification and move up in the social stratification

Question 13

effective role allocation

Answer 13

• davis and Moore
• all roles must be fulfilled
• they must be filled by those best able to perform them
• necessary training for them must be undertaken
• roles must be performed conscientiously

Question 14

how the importance of a position can be measured

Answer 14

1. by a degree to which a position is functionally unique, there being no other positions that can perform the same function
2. degree to which other positions dependent on the one in question