Functionalism

• Key points of functionalist theory:

  • Biological analogy
  • Institutions and the social system
  • Socialisation
  • Social order and value consensus
  • Adapt
• Davis and Moore: Education shifts and sorts people into appropriate jobs depending on how they perform in school. This is called role allocation.
• Functionalism beliefs:

  • Education teaches skills needed in work and by the economy.
  • Education plays a part in secondary socialisation passing on core values.
• Durkheim: Education transmits norms and values to help integrate and regulate the individual into society. This in turn creates collective conscience and solidarity.
• Parsons:

  • Describes school as a focal socialisation agency
  • It is the bridge between the family and adult roles of society.
  • Education passes on a universalist if value of achievement.
  • Education is meritocratic- It selects children into the correct roles.
  • It creates value consensus.
• David and Moore:

  • Every society must distribute it’s members into different positions.
  • There must be a system of unequal rewards to motivate people to train for top positions.
  • Inequality is fair if you have the talent and put in effort.
• Meritocracy: Functionalists believe the education system is meritocratic. This means that talent + motivation + Equal opportunity= Qualifications.
• Functionalist perspective evaluation-

  • There is evidence that achievement is still associated with social class rather than ability.
  • Ascription is still important.
  • Marxists argue that education transmits ruling class ideology not shared values.
  • They assume people are puppets and accept everything they are taught.
• The new right: Similar to functionalis, Believe some people are more talented and they favour an education system that runs on meritocratic principles. Believe education should socialise pupils into shared values such as competition.
• Chubb and Moe (1990): Propose a voucher system which would introduce the same market forces which exist in the private sector. This will in turn raise standards in schools.
• Parsons- Evaluation

  • Marxists would say that the bridge is to create an obedient work force for the bourgeoise.
  • Not everyone has equal opportunities- Not meritocrati.
• David and Moore- Evaluation

  • Deterministic : Not everyone will stay in those positions.
  • Some may find exams harder
  • Only benefits bourgeoise.
• Particularistic values: Values used by parents towards children. Believe they are most important.
• Universalistic values: Values used by education for all students, everyone is equal.