Malinowski And The Functionalists

Question 1

Malinowski believed

Answer 1

Religion served psychological needs for a community in giving them an illusion of control and explanation for the difficulties they’ll face. Through ritual and belief people actually worship society

Question 2

Malinowski’s 2 psychological needs?

Answer 2

• Provide comfort
• Give the illusion of control

Question 3

Parson’s thoughts on religion

Answer 3

Parsons believes religion maintains social order and assimilates people into the shared value consensus.

Question 4

Berger believes the Church is what?

Answer 4

Religion was once the sacred canopy of ideas, providing a universe of meaning with its ‘theodicy’, what is essentially an ideology with the blessing of a church.

Question 5

Yinger says what

Answer 5

Religion gives people answers and security where there is non.

Question 6

Malinowski says what about the positive function of religion?

Answer 6

That religion serves to embolden people through giving comfort and explanations for things that affect communities.
Questions of life, death, and chance are answered by religion which allows those people to innovate and serve their community. These are psychological needs.
Using the example of Trobriand islanders fishing rituals, motivating a better outcome and giving then the confidence to risk their lives for their community.

Question 7

Criticisms of Malinowski.

Answer 7

• Possibly very eurocentric.
  Coming from a researcher bias
• Religion is not always positive in it’s function, eg: James I demonography espoused the witch hunts as something communities need to ritually do.