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Flashcards in Functionalism Deck (7)
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1
Q

Key points

A

Consensus theory
Structural theory
Anomie

2
Q

What are durkheims ideas of society

A
  1. Society shapes the individual via institutions
  2. Social solidarity, socialisation and anomie- SS is achieved via socialisation, when somebody does not receive this they feel a sense of anomie
3
Q

Parsons

A

Society acts in a similar way to the human body, similarities include;
• system
• system needs
• functions

4
Q

What are the two means of maintaining value consensus and social order?

A

Formal social control e.g. police

Informal social control e.g. family

5
Q

What are the four basic needs of society (Gail)

A

Goal attainment
Adaption
Integration- specialist institutions develop to reduce conflict
Latency- unstated consequences of actions

6
Q

Merton, what are his 3 criticisms of parsons theory?

A

Indispensability- not all social institutions are functions indispensable e.g. the family is not the only one to perform primary socialisation
Functional unity- not all are tightly linked
Universal functionalism- some are dis functional

7
Q

External criticisms of functionalism

A

How can something be functional and disfunctional?
Unscientific
Wrong 1961 functionalism is deterministic