Sociological Perspectives Flashcards
Describe the Functionalist Perspective
- theorists belive that no one partof society works alone, instead they must all work together
- often analogy of human body is used as no noe organ can work alone, instead to keep our body ( society) working, al must work together
Who are the main theorists of the Functionalist Perspective?
Durkheim, Comte, Parsons, Merton
Fucntionalist theoriests also emphasise the importance of moran consensus. What is this?
This is about everyone in society sharing the same values. This helps to maintain order, stability, balance and equilibrium
Who was the major theorist involved with Marzism or the Conflict Perspective?
Karl Marx
What does Marxism focus on?
Divisions of society such as power, struggle and inequality and how these occur between disadvantaged and advantaged groups of society.
Why do Marxists believ power has such significance?
Power enables individuals or members of a group to achieve their own aims, to make their own interests count. People in power further their own interests to the detriment of others.
In the veiw of Marxism, how is society formed and maintained?
Society is formed and maintained by those who have power.
Shared ideas and beliefs in society benefit the dominant group of people or those in power.
Systems in place in society legitimise the power that the dominant groups hold such as voting.
Name the therist who introduced the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
George Herbert Mead
What do Symbolic Interactionists study?
Language as it is the biggest symbol and can be analysed in order to undersatnd the social world we live in
Why are symbols and language important in the eyes of Symbolic Interactionists?
Symbols allow us to gain clues as to what type of beaviour is acceptable in the istuation we are in and we can interpret what others say and do
How do Symbolic Interactionists think society is formed and maintained?
Thorugh the exchange of symbols in interactions we have with eachother
Give some examples of symbols in society?
Rings - love, marriage
Swastika - War, violence
