pure theory functionalism

Question 1

organic analogy

Answer 1

-Durkheim
Society works like a human body. This is known as the ‘ORGANIC ANALOGY’ Society needs to be studied as whole

The body has Vital Organs whilst society has VITAL INSTITUTIONS (education, home).
These ‘Organs/ Institutions’ work ‘INTERDEPENDENTLY The organs/Institutions have needs that ensure they don’t die out. For example the socialisation of the young All the small units of the body/ society work as one in order for overall survival & function

Question 2

what does Durkheim believe (the glue that holds society together)

Answer 2

Durkheim believes that society is much more important than any individual and therefore it is everyone’s job to ensure it functions and survives – without it we would cease to develop and eventually die out.

Question 3

It is essential that society (STRUCTURE) is based on a Value CONSENSUS: Parsons

Answer 3

In order to ensure social order people must share the same culture. By sharing the same norms and values, people enter into a value consensus, the glue that holds society together. Parson’s believed that in order for people to conform to shared values and norms 2 things need to happen:

Question 4

2 things need to happen (parsons)

Answer 4

-socialisation
-social control
Socialisation and social control ensures that people are entering into a shared behaviour system that benefits society. People will have relatively predictable behaviour, resulting in cooperation between people.

Question 5

parsons social system model

Answer 5

-The sub systems then make up society as a whole.
-Institutions are then group together into sub systems. Shops, farms and factories all make up the economic sub system. These met societies economic sub-system
-Status roles come in clusters known as institutions made up of related roles. The family Mother, Father and children.
-The actions of individuals that are governed by specific norms and values. These norms come in clusters called status-roles. Teacher/ mother

Question 6

the system needs (AGIL)

Answer 6

Parson’s identifies four basic needs- sometimes known as the ‘AGIL’ schema (formed from the initial letters of each one!)

Question 7

A- adaptation

Answer 7

All social systems need to adapt to their environment in order to survive. In order to survive, social systems must have some degree of control over their environment. At a minimum food and shelter must be provided to meet the material needs of its members.
The economy is the function that is primarily concerned with this.

Question 8

G-goal attainment

Answer 8

Society needs to set goals and allocate resources to achieve them. In modern society goal attainment is fundamentally the responsibility of the political system, which establishes a legal and economic framework: E.G-institutions such as parliament.

Question 9

I- integration

Answer 9

The different parts of the system must be integrated together in order to pursue goals. E.G: The law with its formal norms. This results in reduced conflict as any deviation from the formal norms is settled by the judicial system, thus protecting social order.

Other sub-systems include, the media, religion and education.

Question 10

L- latency

Answer 10

Refers to the processes that maintain society over time. The need to ensure that the members of society maintain the basic values of society E.G: our kinship network.

Question 11

structural differentiation

Answer 11

Social change was a gradual evolutionary process where society moved from simple to more complex ways of living. This process is known as structural differentiation. (Traditional to modern society- social institutions become more specialised!).

Question 12

BASED ON ‘EQUILIBRIUM’?

Answer 12

A criticism often given to Parsons is the idea of how society copes with social change if it is based on an equilibrium. Parson’s response was to say that no society was perfect. In fact all societies were based on a moving equilibrium.

Question 13

BASED ON ‘EQUILIBRIUM’? Parsons believed…

Answer 13

Parson’s believed that a moving equilibrium is achieved as disruption/change in one part of the social system is met with a reaction by another part of the system. Thus, although the system never achieves complete equilibrium they are always working towards it. E.G: move to modern society and the family then becoming nuclear.

Question 14

MERTON’S INTERNAL CRITIQUE OF FUNCTIONALISM:

Answer 14

Indispensibility
Universal functionalism
functional utility

Question 15

Universal functionalism

Answer 15

Some things may be functional for some groups and dysfunctional for others! There may be conflicts of interest where powerful people can use influence to their advantage!

Question 16

functional utility

Answer 16

Complex modern societies have many parts rather than a ‘single unity’ that may only be distantly ‘related’ to one another. Instead of ‘functional unity’, some parts may have ‘functional autonomy’ from others. It would be hard for example to see the link between the structure of banking and the rules of netball!

Question 17

Indispensibility

Answer 17

Merton does not assume that every institution in society is functionally indispensible. He points out the possibility of ‘functional alternatives’.

Question 18

MANIFEST AND LATENT FUNCTIONS

Answer 18

Merton also contributes a useful distinction between ‘manifest’ and ’latent’ functions. E.G: Hopi Indians who, in times of drought, perform a rain dance with the aim of magically producing rain. This is its manifest or intended function. From a scientific viewpoint, of course, this is unlikely to achieve its goal.

However, there may be an unintended or latent function – such as promoting a sense of solidarity in times of hardship. Merton’s distinction is therefore useful in helping to reveal connections between the social phenomena, which the actors themselves may not be aware of.

Question 19

external critiques of functionalism

Answer 19

LOGICAL CRITISMS
CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE CRITICISMS
ACTION PERSPECTIVE CRITICISMS
POSTMODERNIST CRITICISMS

Question 20

LOGICAL CRITISMS

Answer 20

Functionalism is teleological: This is the idea that something exists because of its effect or function. E.G: the functionalist claim that the family exists because children need to be socialised is teleological.
Critics argue that a real explanation of something is one that identifies its cause – and logically, a cause must come before its effect.

Functionalism is also criticised for being unscientific. For many, a theory is only scientific if it is falsifiable by testing. Functionalists see deviance as both dysfunctional and functional. If deviance is both functional and dysfunctional, then the theory cannot be disproved and is unscientific.

Question 21

CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE CRITICISMS

Answer 21

Marxists: Functionalists fail to explain conflict and change. Marxists argue that society is not a harmonious whole. Rather, it is based on exploitation and divided into classes with conflicting interests and unequal power.

‘Shared’ values are merely a cloak concealing the interests of the dominant class.

Conflict theorists see functionalism as a conservative ideology legitimating the status quo.

Critics argue that this approach legitimates the privileged position of powerful groups who would have the most to lose from any fundamental changes in society.

Question 22

ACTION PERSPECTIVE CRITICISMS

Answer 22

Action theories: Do not look at how society shapes us, but how we shape society through our own interactions! (Like interactionists!)

Wrong (1961): Functionalists have an ‘over-socialised’ or deterministic view of the individual as mere ‘puppets’ of society.
Action approaches argue that society is not a thing ‘out there’ with its own independent existence. For them, the only social reality is the one that individuals construct by giving meaning to their worlds.

Question 23

POSTMODERNIST CRITICISMS

Answer 23

Argue that functionalism assumes that society is stable and orderly. As such, it cannot account for the diversity and instability in today’s postmodern society.
Postmodernists argue that the ‘meta narrative’ (big story) that Functionalists tell us about the workings of society no longer exists because we are increasingly fragmented!

Question 24

Value consensus

Answer 24

the need for societies to have a common set of beliefs and principles to work with and towards, a consensus