Parsons argued that societies require certain features in order to survive. One of these is pattern maintenance passing on of societies, norms, values and cultures to the next generation. They are passed initially by the family(primary socialisation). Within the family, children are treated as individuals and learned common goals, appropriate values and gender roles.
Functionalists believe that social order is maintained through shared values, norms, and social institutions that create stability and cohesion in society. They view social order as essential for the smooth functioning of society, allowing individuals to work together to meet their needs and achieve common goals. Overall, functionalists see social order as necessary for maintaining social stability and harmony.
Understanding the roles of every individual in a given society.
A Functionalist might view the Prohibition Era as an attempt to promote social order by reducing alcohol-related crime and improving public health. A Conflict Theorist might see it as a tool of social control by powerful groups to restrict the behavior of marginalized communities. An Interactionist might focus on how prohibition influenced social interactions, such as speakeasies providing spaces for people to socialize outside the law.
The functionalist perspective in sociology would likely contend that the role of the mass media is to provide socialization, enforce social norms, and create social stability and cohesion through public events. From this viewpoint, the mass media helps maintain social order by transmitting values and norms to society and promoting social integration and solidarity.
Functionalist perspective tends to have the most optimistic view of society. This perspective sees society as a stable system that functions well when each part of the system is in balance and working together. Functionalist believe that societies can achieve harmony and that social order is possible through cooperation and shared values.
Functionalists view social welfare as a system that provides support for individuals in society, ensuring social stability and cohesion. They see it as a mechanism to address social inequalities and maintain the overall functioning of society by meeting the needs of its members.
Functionalists believe that health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. They emphasize the importance of health in maintaining social order and promoting overall societal functioning. This perspective focuses on the role of individuals in maintaining their own health and the social institutions that support and regulate health behaviors.
Functionalists view poverty as serving a function in society by creating motivation for individuals to work hard and strive for success. They argue that poverty can also help maintain social order by reinforcing the importance of education, individual responsibility, and social mobility. However, critics argue that this perspective overlooks the structural factors that contribute to poverty and ignores the negative impact it has on individuals and communities.
A Functionalist might view the Prohibition Era as an attempt to promote social order by reducing alcohol-related crime and improving public health. A Conflict Theorist might see it as a tool of social control by powerful groups to restrict the behavior of marginalized communities. An Interactionist might focus on how prohibition influenced social interactions, such as speakeasies providing spaces for people to socialize outside the law.
The functionalist perspective in sociology would likely contend that the role of the mass media is to provide socialization, enforce social norms, and create social stability and cohesion through public events. From this viewpoint, the mass media helps maintain social order by transmitting values and norms to society and promoting social integration and solidarity.
The conflict perspective, rooted in the ideas of Karl Marx, would be most likely to argue that the social order is based on coercion and exploitation. This perspective focuses on the struggle for power and resources between different groups in society, with the dominant group maintaining control through coercion and exploitation of subordinate groups.
The symbolic interactionist perspective generalizes about everyday forms of social interaction to understand society as a whole. This perspective emphasizes the importance of symbols, meanings, and interactions in shaping society, focusing on how individuals actively construct their social reality through communication and shared symbols.
A functionalist interpretation of mythology would claim that myths serve a specific purpose in society, such as explaining natural phenomena, teaching moral lessons, or reinforcing cultural norms and values. Mythical stories are seen as integral to maintaining social cohesion and providing individuals with a sense of identity and purpose within their community.
Functionalists believe that health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. They emphasize the importance of health in maintaining social order and promoting overall societal functioning. This perspective focuses on the role of individuals in maintaining their own health and the social institutions that support and regulate health behaviors.
Functionalists view globalization as a natural and beneficial process that promotes economic growth, cultural exchange, and global interconnectedness. They emphasize how globalization can increase efficiency, spread technological advancements, and improve living standards for people around the world. Functionalists believe that globalization ultimately leads to greater social integration and harmony among nations.
From a functionalist perspective, the media can be dysfunctional if it does not fulfill its intended purpose of promoting social stability and cohesion. This can happen if the media spreads divisive or inaccurate information, fails to represent all segments of society equally, or promotes values that are harmful to societal harmony.
Functionalists view social change as a gradual and evolutionary process that helps society adapt to new circumstances. They believe that institutions work together to maintain stability and address societal challenges. Functionalists also emphasize the importance of consensus and integration in promoting social cohesion during times of change.
Both the structural-functionalism and social conflict approaches offer valuable insights into social stratification. Structural-functionalism emphasizes how social systems work together to maintain stability and order, while social conflict theory highlights how power dynamics and inequalities contribute to stratification. The choice between the two approaches depends on the specific context being studied and the level of analysis being considered.
Functionalists argue that same-sex marriage enhances social stability by promoting family unity and providing legal rights and benefits to all individuals. They believe that allowing same-sex couples to marry contributes to social cohesion and reinforces the institution of marriage as a fundamental building block of society.