The functionalist perspective on education

• Functionalism


  A consensus view that sees society as being essentially harmonious
• Functionalism


  • Society has basic needs, including the need for social order
  • To survive, society needs social solidarity through everyone sharing the same norms and values
• Social institutions (e.g. education)

  Perform positive functions both for society as a whole and for individuals, by socialising new members of society and by helping to create and sustain social solidarity
• Functionalism is a conservative view of society
• Main contributors to the functionalist perspective on the role of education

  Durkheim, Parsons, and Davis and Moore
• Durkheim's view on the functions of education

  • Promotes social solidarity by transmitting society's shared culture (norms and values)
  • Prepares young people for work by equipping them with specialist skills needed to participate in a modern economy
• Parsons' view on the role of education

  • Acts as a 'focal socialising agency' that socialises individuals into the shared values of a meritocratic society
  • Teaches universalistic standards and acts as a bridge between family and wider society
• Meritocracy


  A society based on the values of individual achievement and equal opportunity for everyone to achieve their full potential
• Davis and Moore's view on the function of education

  Role allocation - the selection and allocation of individuals to their future work roles based on talent and skill
• For Davis and Moore, higher rewards are offered for more complex jobs to motivate everyone to strive for them
• A meritocratic education system allows everyone to compete equally and sifts and sorts individuals so that the most talented get the best qualifications and are allocated to the most important jobs
• Human capital theory


  The skills of the workforce are the main economic asset of a technologically advanced society, so a meritocratic education system is the best way to develop a sufficiently skilled workforce and thus create greater economic efficiency and higher living standards
• Criticisms of functionalism


  • Marxists argue that the values transmitted by education are those of the ruling class, not society's shared values
  • Education is not meritocratic as schools discriminate against some groups and don't give them equal opportunity
  • Hargreaves argues schools place more value on competition and developing individuals than on developing social solidarity
  • It is sometimes difficult to see a direct link between school subjects and future work roles
  • Interactionists argue the functionalist view of socialisation is too deterministic as not all pupils passively accept the school's values
  • A person's ascribed characteristics (class, gender, ethnicity) are more important in determining their income than their school achievement