CI : Functionalism

Question 1

Functionalism-key area 1:
structural approch

what Durkheim believed individuals are like in the culture of society? (born/death)

Answer 1

Durkheim :

• believed that the culture of society (structure) is more important than the individual. as society exists before the individual is born and continues after individual’s death .
  -therefore, people ‘ fit into a culture’ rather than creating it.

Question 2

Functionalism-key area 1:
social order

which sociologist believes all societies are characterised by ‘social order’

Answer 2

Durkheim:

Notes that all societies are characterised by ‘social order’ rather than a society of chaos or anarchy.
meaning that individual’s behaviour is generally ordered, predictable and patterned.

Question 3

Functionalism-key area 1:
value consensus

which sociologist ? and their theory

Answer 3

Durkheim :
argued that society is united under value consensus. culture, therefore is the framework acting like cement that bonds individuals together in the form of a society and allows people to successfully interact with each other .
for Durkheim, ‘society has to present in the individual ‘
-> society’s morality ,norms and values must be part of the individual’s consciousness.
the value consensus maintains a peaceful , harmonious society without much conflict between people and groups.

Question 4

Functionalism-key area 1:
2 mechanisms of conformity

which sociologist ? and what are 2 mechanisms of conformity? why these exist?

Answer 4

Parson:
-socialisation
-social control

these ensure that individuals conform to the system (value consensus).

Question 5

Functionalism-key area 2 :
organic analogy

which sociologist ? what do they believe society is like?

Answer 5

believed that society is built up and functions like a human body, being made up of interrelated parts which all work together to ensure that they system (body ) works effectively.

Question 6

Functionalism-key area 3:
Role of Family

which sociologist ? and their theory

Answer 6

Parson:
-nuclear family is the most effective structure to to socialise their children most effectively.

-family= personality factory
child is seen as blank slate and the function of the parents is to train and mould the ‘passive’ child into the image of society .(mostly assumed to be the mother’s role -nurturing role)

-believes identification with the SAME SEX adult is crucial as children will like to be like them. so, they could fill similar social roles when they grow up.
=>meaning the son will learn a ‘instrumental role’(breadwinner=가장) from his father
and a daughter will learn expressive role (nurturing role )from her mum.

-parents teaches their child based on their personality which is called ‘particularistic values ‘-specific to their child’s personality.
=>but will change when they interact with other institutions on secondary socialisation. then judged by ‘universalistic values ‘(values which are judged in a more objective way such as exam results
,laws)
=> warm bath theory

Question 7

What are the Functionalist’s (Durkheim) view on the role of education?

Answer 7

Argues that the education system transmits shared cultural values which therefore creates conformityand consensus.

Believes that subjects such as History and religious education, connects the individual to society,past and present.
This is through a sense of pride of historic achievements which then reinforces a sense of belonging and strengths social solidarity.

Question 8

What are the Functionalist’s (Parson) view on the role of education?

Answer 8

Parson: argues that education acts as a bridge between the home and society.

He called education a ‘focal socialising agency -> education helps children to manage the transition between ‘paticularistic values ‘ taught in family and the ‘universalistic values’ where a child will no longer be judged according to who they are, but now according to general social rules /standards (e.g exam grades and laws)

Question 9

What are the two types of solidarity across society ? And which society matches to which? Who is the sociologist?

Answer 9

Durkheim:

Traditional society-mechanical solidarity

Modern society- organic solidarity

Question 10

what is functional prerequisites?

Answer 10

Functionalists believe that society has certain basic needs or requirements
=>therefore, institutions are working together and contributing to the maintenance of the society/ body as a whole.

Question 11

what does Functionalist believe we should do in order to increase stability?

Answer 11

to maintain this stability, Functionalist argue that we are socialised into the norms and values which most people agree to -> this is known as values consensus.

Question 12

what does family do in Functionalist’s view?

Answer 12

family: socialising its children into society’s norms and values.

Question 13

what does education system do in functionalist’s view?

Answer 13

education system: continues this and then also reinforced through other agents of socialisation such as religion, media and legal system.

Question 14

Functionalism believes in ———approch (top-down/macro) to understand society.

Answer 14

structural

Question 15

key area2: organic analogy Evaluation.
what is Marxists’ argument about functionalist’ view about organic analogy ?

Answer 15

whilst agreeing with view that society can be understood through an external structure, fundamentally disagree that the organic analogy is accurate.
instead they argue that the institutions are passing down through ruling class to maintain their dominance.

Question 16

key area2: organic analogy Evaluation.
what is Feminists’ argument about functionalist’ view about organic analogy ?

Answer 16

disagree that we are consenting to a set of values and that they benefit each individual member of society and society as a whole.

Question 17

key area2: organic analogy Evaluation.
what is radical feminist’ argument about functionalist’ view about organic analogy ?

Answer 17

argue that society is structured on a set of patriarchal values that are systematically passed through the agents of socialisation which ultimately benefits men at the expense of women.

Question 18

key area2: organic analogy Evaluation.
what is interactionists’ argument about functionalist’ view about organic analogy ?

Answer 18

would argue that society should not be understood in terms of a structural approch whereby agents of socialisation are working collectively. instead they argue that individual agents of socialisation are the construction of the individuals that make it up.
therefore, overall features of family may be similar, but the values and behaviours within are different according to the family you live in .

Question 19

key are 3 : the role of family
what is interactionist’s argument with this view?

Answer 19

argue that functionalist view on primary socialisation imply that it’s a ‘passive’ process whereby the individual’s socialisation is governed by the structure of society. however they argue that this process is much more negotiated and more ‘active’ process .(Giddens)

Question 20

key are 3 : the role of family
what is Marxist’s argument with this view?

Answer 20

argue that the role of primary socialisation is not to learn common values to create social solidarity.

Zaretsky : argues that the family contains a capitalist ideology whereby the working class are socialised into accepting the values of the ruling class.

Question 21

key are 3 : the role of family
what is Radical Feminist’s argument with this view?

Answer 21

do not share Functionalism’s ‘positive function’ of the family. they argue that primary socialisation is the starting point whereby practical gender identities are taught and reinforced.

Question 22

key are 3 : the role of family

what is Brannen& Heptinstall’s research that challenges the functionalist’s view of roles of family?

Answer 22

Research of 1000 questionnaires to 10-12 year old children and 63 in -depth interviews in London found that children saw parental unconditional love as far more important than the family structure that they lived in. they also believed that socialisation is a two-way process- children are active in this process .

Question 23

key are 3 : the role of family
what is liberal feminist’s argument with this view? Name the sociologist

Answer 23

Ann Oakley: Disagrees with the views of parsons as she does not accept any natural or inevitable division of labour or allocation of social role based on sex.

Question 24

the role of religion: in Functionalist’s view?

Answer 24

Functionalists argue that religion benefits the whole of society by providing it with a set of moral values , which becomes part of the collective conscience . these are particularly powerful because they are invested with a sacred moral code. e.g. the 10 commandments , this makes society more stable.

the rituals of religion acts as a social glue , reminding people of their common bonds and values

functionalists see religion’s role as socialising individuals into a value consensus by investing in certain values that have a sacred quality, such as a cross. there become ‘moral codes’ and guide behaviour and are taught to their children.

Question 25

the role of religion: in Functionalist’s view?
-Marxist’s evaluation

Answer 25

argue that rather than religion socialising individuals into a set of values or moral codes, religion’s role is actually to pass down 3 false ideas

Question 26

the role of religion: in Functionalist’s view?
-feminist’s evaluation

Answer 26

don’t believe that the moral codes benefit all members of society and argue that religion contains patriarchal values which are found in the hierarchical structure of religions and also in their scriptures.

Question 27

Key area3: cultural across different

Answer 27

Durkheim:
argued that the role of the social institutions in society is to socialise individuals into shared cultural values and also to meet functional prerequisites .

in traditional pre-industrial societies =>religion were really powerful cultural influences on values and behaviour. During this period ,’cultural conformity’ was more important than ‘individual identity’.

-> as a result , conformity to values was very high and conflicts were very rare. meaning that everybody feeling similar to each other . social order was a natural outcome

=> this type of society was characterised by ‘mechanical solidarity’ as many people were similar in terms of status and societies were very similar.
NO specialised division , just workers and owners. => Homogeneous society(characterised by similar than differences).

Question 28

what is Durkheim’s view on culture in modern societies ?

Answer 28

despite this changes in industrial societies, he believed that social order is still maintained through the socialisation of cultural values and goals ,
such as placing a high values on competition, working hard and achievement individuals become to understand where in the specialised division of labour they fit into.
=> this reinforced social order

we all rely on services from others .=> called ‘organic solidarity’
this is weaker than the ‘mechanical solidarity’.

in modern societies , solidarity is weaker than in a pre-industrial society. this increases diversity which can affect values consensus in society. -> rise in subculture groups, crime and oppositional groups .

Question 29

what was the different of modern societies from traditional societies?
what are the challenges due to that

Answer 29

=> we are becoming less like each others. rather than feeling similar to each others like in traditional societies

=>However, the confusion about the values cause conflicts which creates a state of normlessness or anomie.

Question 30

culture in modern societies : interactionist’s evaluation

Answer 30

Garfinkel :
disagrees with the structural approch of functionalism. he does not see individuals as passively accepting the cultural norms and values like ‘puppets on a string’ as Garfinkel called them. His disagreed that socialisation is a one-way process with little input from the individual. He argued that individuals have choice, free will, they can challenge the rules , disobey social rules and they themselves have an important role in carving out their own identities.

Question 31

culture in modern societies : feminist’s evaluation

Answer 31

argue that society is not based on values consensus, but actually on a patriarchal set of values that systematically benefit men at the expenses of women, such as gender roles.

Question 32

culture in modern societies : Marxist’s evaluation

Answer 32

argue that society is not based on a value consensus, and are much more critical of the role of cultural in society . they actually believe that society is organised based on a conflict between the ruling class and the working class , not a values consensus. we are brainwashed to accept theses social inequalities.