sociology (education) Flashcards
what is Functionalism?
it is the school of thought that sees society as one body that operates based on peoples roles and is held together by shared norms and values, each part e.g. education carries out functions to maintain society.
what is the purpose of education for functionalists?
for functionalists the two main functions of education are to create a sense of social solidarity and to teach specialist knowledge and skills.
what does Durkheim believe about education?
he believes the two functions are to create social solidarity and to teach skills for the future, in order to feel a part of the body. the education system does this through transmitting society’s shared beliefs and core values. he also says that society is miniature as 9it prepares for wider society.
what does Parsons say about education?
the main functions are to act as a bridge between family life and wider society which operate on different principals, the bridge ensures that children are used to the world of work and the roles they have to play.
what is the difference between particularistic and universalistic?
- particularistic is where some rules in a family only apply to certain children based on age or gender, they may have different rights and duties.
- universalistic means when we are all judged by the same standards e.g. the law or pass marks on exams.
what do davis and moore say about education?
they say that education sifts and sorts children according to ability, it picks and chooses them to go into certain employment and others for less important roles. this is also through meritocracy, which means that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed and are rewarded by their efforts.
CRITICISM: Durkheim of education
says the problem is that the education system does not teach skills properly. STUDY shows 1/3 of 16-19 year olds are on courses that do not lead to higher education or good jobs.
CRITICISM: Marxism
Marxism counteracts the functionalist belief as although it claims meritocracy that everyone has equal opportunity, marxim says that in modern society education only transmits the ideology of the ruling class which is a minority, = not everyone has an equal chance.
DEFINITION: culture
all things learnt or shared between a group of people through socialisation.
DEFINITION: socialisation
the process by which an individual learns the culture of society
DEFINITION: social control
the way society controls and ensures people behave as expected.
DEFINITION: subculture
a group of people who have shared values and beliefs which oppose mainstream culture
DEFINITION: structural sociology
see individuals as entirely shaped by the way society is structured or organised.
DEFINITION: social action theories
see that individuals have the power to create society through their actions and interactions.
POSITIVISM: August Comte
interested in quantative research and data, wanted to achieve an ‘atheist’ religion, positivism means - only believe the evidence of your senses
Durkheim: division of labour
- focused on the shift in societies from more simple to more complex.
- argued that traditional societies were made up of homogenous people, the same in values, beliefs and backgrounds.
- in contrast, modern society made of a complex division of labour, beliefs and backgrounds.