Functionalist Theory - society as a system
- Created by: Amy
- Created on: 20-03-14 09:56
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- Functionalist Theory - society as a system
- Organic Analogy
- Society is like a biological organism
- PARSONS (1970) 3 similarities between body and society
- SYSTEM: both self-regulating systems of inter-related, interdependent parts (body-organs, cells) (society-institutions, education etc)
- SYSTEM NEEDS: if vital needs are not met, organisms will die - society has certain basic needs to survive (members must be socialised)
- FUNCTIONS: the function of any part of a system is the contribution it makes to meeting the systems needs - ensuring it's survival. eg. body = circulatory system for carrying oxygen and economy helps maintain social system by meeting the needs of food/shelter
- PARSONS (1970) 3 similarities between body and society
- Society is like a biological organism
- Value Consensus and Social Order
- PARSONS: key Q "how is social order possible?"
- Social order achieved through existence of shared culture
- Provides a framework that allows indiv. to cooperate by laying down rules of how they should behave - defining goals they should pursue etc.
- Social order is only pos. as long as members of society agree on these n+v. Calling this VALUE CONSENSUS
- Provides a framework that allows indiv. to cooperate by laying down rules of how they should behave - defining goals they should pursue etc.
- Integration of Individ's
- basic function of V/C is to make social order pos. - does this by integrating indiv. into the social system - directing them to meet systems needs
- eg. making sure that peoples material needs are met - may include general ideas about having to work
- There needs to be specific set of rules of conducts or norms - eg. punctuality to maintain jobs
- eg. making sure that peoples material needs are met - may include general ideas about having to work
- PARSONS: 2 mechanisms for ensuring that indiv. conform to norms and meet systems needs
- SOCIALISATION: ensure needs met by teaching indiv. to want to do what it requires. Through the soc. process systems n+vs are internalised to become apart of your personality. Dif agencies (ed./family/media)
- SOCIAL CONTROL: +ve sanctions reward conformity while -ve punishes deviance (eg. education reward = As)
- basic function of V/C is to make social order pos. - does this by integrating indiv. into the social system - directing them to meet systems needs
- The Parts of the Social System
- 'building block' approach to describing social system
- Bottom: indiv. actions - each action is governed by specific norms which come in clusters called status-roles (eg. teacher tells us the occupant of the role)
- status roles also come in clusters known as institutions - eg. family. additionally related institutions group together to make sub-systems whose function is to meet societies needs (eg. shops/factories.farms = economy for material needs)
- Bottom: indiv. actions - each action is governed by specific norms which come in clusters called status-roles (eg. teacher tells us the occupant of the role)
- 'building block' approach to describing social system
- The System's Needs
- ADAPTATION: social system meets members material needs - met by economic sub system
- Instrumental
- GOAL ATTAINMENT: society needs to set goals and allocate resources to achieve them - function of the political sub system through parliament
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- INTEGRATION: different parts of the system must be integrated together in order to pursue shared goals. Perfromed by media, religion, eduaction sub system
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- LATENCY: processes that maintain society over time. kinship sub system provides pattern maintenance (socialising people to perform societies roles) and tension management (place to 'let off steam')
- Expressive
- ADAPTATION: social system meets members material needs - met by economic sub system
- Types of Society
- PARSONS: 2 types of society - traditional and modern
- Each type has own pattern of norms - called pattern variables A+B
- They are all judged by the same universal standards - but trad. society based on ascribed status
- Modern society (pattern variables B) students are expected to pursue their own indiv. self interest, achieving their status through their efforts in educ., attained through deferred grat
- Each type has own pattern of norms - called pattern variables A+B
- PARSONS: 2 types of society - traditional and modern
- Social Change
- How do the 2 types change? The change is gradual, with increasing complexity and structural differentiation
- Organic Analogy
- status roles also come in clusters known as institutions - eg. family. additionally related institutions group together to make sub-systems whose function is to meet societies needs (eg. shops/factories.farms = economy for material needs)
- GOAL ATTAINMENT: society needs to set goals and allocate resources to achieve them - function of the political sub system through parliament
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