Functionalism

• what is functionalism?

  its a key consensus theory by which society is enabled to function. Its also a structural theory which means that societal structures shape individuals. Individuals are the product of social structures & socialisation, can be also called top down theory.
• what is Emile Durkheim say about social solidarity?

  Durkheim believed that having a sense of belonging is very important, as it helps individuals stay together and maintains social stability. Durkheim emphasised the importance of society and social solidarity over the individual. He argued that individuals should be pressurised to participate in society.
• Functionalism

  A sociological perspective that views society as a system with interdependent parts (social institutions) that work together to maintain social order and stability
• Functionalism

  • Emphasizes the importance of shared norms and values that hold society together
  • Sees individuals as products of social structures and socialization
  • Believes social institutions fulfill specific functions to meet the needs of society
• Key functionalist theorists

  • Émile Durkheim
  • Talcott Parsons
  • Robert Merton
• Émile Durkheim's key concepts

  1. Social solidarity

  2. Social consensus

  3. Anomie

  4. Positivism
• Talcott Parsons' key concepts

  1. Organic analogy

  2. The four needs of society (adaptation, goal attainment, integration, pattern maintenance)
• Robert Merton's key concepts

  1. Manifest functions

  2. Latent functions
• Functionalism is a structural, consensus theory that emphasizes the interdependence of social institutions and their role in maintaining social order
• Functionalists believe society is based on shared values and norms, and that social institutions fulfill specific functions to meet the needs of society
• Functionalism has been criticized for being overly deterministic, ignoring conflict and change, and failing to account for unintended consequences of social institutions
• Manifest functions

  The intended functions or outcomes of an institution or activity
• Latent functions

  The unintended functions or outcomes of an institution or activity
• Strain theory

  Crime as a reaction to the lack of opportunities to achieve legitimate goals in society
• The American dream of a meritocratic and equal society is a delusion
• The structural organisation of society prevents everyone from accessing the same opportunities and achieving the same goals due to their race, gender, class, or ethnicity
• Anomie

  Imbalance between an individual's goals and an individual's status (usually related to wealth and material possessions), causing a 'strain' which may lead to crime
• Strengths of functionalism

  • Recognises the shaping influence of each social institution
  • Overall goal is to promote and maintain social solidarity and order
  • The organic analogy helps us understand how different parts of society work together
• Weaknesses of functionalism

  • Ignores social class inequalities
  • Ignores gender inequalities
  • May prevent social change
  • Over-emphasises the impact of social structures in shaping individuals
  • Merton's critique of Durkheim's idea that all parts of society are bound together
• Not all institutions perform positive functions
• Functionalism

  A key consensus theory in sociology that places importance on shared norms and values that enable society to function
• Key functionalist theorists

  • Émile Durkheim
  • Talcott Parsons
  • Robert Merton
• Émile Durkheim


  • Founder of functionalism
  • Interested in how society maintains social order
  • Believed society has objective laws that can be studied using positivist methods
• Social solidarity

  The feeling of being part of a larger social group, which serves as 'social glue'
• Social consensus

  The shared norms and values held by society, maintained through socialisation
• Anomie

  The lack of norms and values, which can lead to confusion and negative outcomes like crime
• Talcott Parsons


  • Expanded on Durkheim's ideas
  • Saw society as a system with four needs: adaptation, goal attainment, integration, and pattern maintenance
• Manifest functions

  The intended functions or outcomes of an institution or activity
• Latent functions

  The unintended functions or outcomes of an institution or activity
• Robert Merton

  • Agreed that institutions perform different functions
  • Introduced the concepts of manifest and latent functions
  • Developed strain theory, which sees crime as a reaction to lack of opportunities to achieve legitimate goals
• Strengths of functionalism

  • Recognises the shaping influence of social institutions
  • Promotes social solidarity and order
  • Organic analogy helps understand how society works
• Weaknesses of functionalism

  • Ignores social class and gender inequalities
  • May prevent social change by encouraging individuals to stick to specified roles
  • Over-emphasises the impact of social structures on individuals
• Functionalism


  A key consensus theory that places importance on our shared norms and values, by which society is enabled to function
• Functionalism


  • It is a structural theory, which means it believes societal structures shape individuals
  • Individuals are the product of social structures and socialisation
  • This is also called a 'top-down' theory
• Émile Durkheim


  The founder of functionalism
• Émile Durkheim


  • He was interested in how society works together to maintain social order
• Social solidarity


  The feeling of being part of a larger social group
• Social consensus


  The shared norms and values held by society
• Anomie


  The lack of norms and values
• Positivism


  The belief that society is a system that can be studied using positivist methods