Functionalist view on society. Flashcards
(15 cards)
P1: What is Durkheim’s (1893) main argument about society?
Durkheim argues that society functions because of a collective conscience—a shared set of norms and values that ensure social cohesion.
How does Durkheim explain the role of social facts?
Social facts (laws, religion, education) shape individual behaviour, ensuring that society remains stable and functional. Without them, society would fall into anomie (normlessness).
What evidence supports the claim that social facts maintain social order?
The legal system enforces shared values, ensuring individuals act in ways that benefit society.
How does Durkheim’s theory explain social stability?
Functionalists argue that individuals are socialised into collective norms that prevent chaos, making society stable and functional.
What is the Marxist critique of Durkheim’s theory?
Althusser (1971) argues that institutions like education and law are Ideological State Apparatuses, maintaining the power of the ruling class rather than serving all of society equally.
P2: What is Parsons’ (1951) main argument about society?
Parsons argues that society operates through the GAIL model (Adaptation, Goal Attainment, Integration, Latency), ensuring survival and progress.
How does Parsons explain the GAIL model?
Adaptation: Institutions like the economy provide resources (e.g., food, jobs).
Goal Attainment: Governments set laws and priorities to keep society functioning.
Integration: The legal system and education reinforce cooperation.
Latency: Family and religion transmit values to maintain stability.
What evidence supports the claim that institutions evolve to meet societal needs?
Structural differentiation—institutions become more specialised over time (e.g., schools now educate rather than families or churches).
How does Parsons’ theory explain societal evolution?
Functionalists argue that institutions adapt to meet new demands, ensuring society’s survival and progress.
What is the postmodernist critique of Parsons’ theory?
Lyotard (1984) argues that modern society is too fragmented for a single theory like functionalism to explain everything, as people have diverse experiences based on gender, ethnicity, and identity.
P3: What is Merton’s (1968) main argument about functionalism?
Merton criticises traditional functionalism, arguing that not all institutions are beneficial—some have dysfunctions (negative effects).
How does Merton explain manifest and latent functions?
Manifest functions: The intended purpose of an institution (e.g., prisons punish criminals).
Latent functions: Unintended consequences (e.g., prisons reinforce criminal networks).
What evidence supports the claim that institutions can have negative effects?
The education system has a manifest function of preparing students for work, but its latent function is reinforcing class inequality through streaming and labelling.
How does Merton’s theory improve functionalism?
Merton acknowledges that institutions can have dysfunctions, making functionalism more realistic by recognising that not all institutions benefit society.
What is the feminist critique of functionalism?
Oakley (1974) argues that functionalism ignores gender inequalities, as the family socialises girls into traditional gender roles, which functionalists see as ‘natural’ rather than oppressive.
