Functionalism

• What did Parsons say about integration of individuals into society?

  Society is based on a value consensus = needs to be social order

  We need to be socialised into the cultures particular norms and values which can be done through social control (positive sanctions reward conformity’s , while negative ones punish deviance.This keeps social order maintained
• What are the synoptic links for integration of individuals in society?

  Education

  -Secondary socialisation

  -Reward with positive and negative sanctions

  -Meritocracy

  Families

  -Primary socialisation

  -Stabilisation of adult personality’s
• What did Parsons say about society as a social system?

  The functionalist idea is that if all the systems (organs) in society are functioning in harmony it will remain healthy.

  • But if one or the other institutions starts to malfunction then society becomes dysfunctional.
  • Just like the human body society has functioning prerequisites (basic needs and requirements that must be met if society is too survive)
  • Institutions exist to satisfy these basic needs, and work together to meet these needs to benefit society
• Parsons argued that societies have to satisfy 4 functional prerequisites which are meant by 4 sub systems what was this called?

  GAIL MODEL
• What does the G stand for in GAIL model?

  Goal attainment-Society needs to set goals to attain them as well as the ability to make decisions.Political parties we vote in do this for us-The political sub system

  =Without political parties no one would govern us.
• What does the A stand for in GAIL?

  Adaptation- The environment to meet people needs and achieve valued social goals (food and shelter).Met by the economic subsystem (factories, shops, for economic production)
• What does the I stand for in GAIL?

  Integration-Different parts of the system must integrate ,to pursue shared goals.Socialisation and social control key to this.The religion,education,media subsystems

  = Secondary socialisation
• What does the L stand for in GAIL?

  Latency- society needs to be maintained overtime.Social tensions and interpersonal conflicts need to be prevented to ensure individuals feel motivated to continue their roles.The family subsystem provides 'pattern maintenance' (socialisation into roles in society)

  and tension management (a place to let off steam after stress of work)
• What did parsons say about social change and social evolution?

  Functionalists regard social change as occurring when new functions emerge or society needs to adapt

  When society evolves so will the institutions but society will remain balanced and stable. Gradual change will occur through a moving equilibrium
• What did Parsons say structural differentiation is?


  As societies evolve and new needs arise for society and individuals, institutions, gradual change occurring through moving equilibrium.
• Synoptic links for social change and social evolution

  Family

  -Pre industrial society to post industrial society.When society changed the families they lost their role to institutions

  = The functional fit theory moves society from an extended family to a nuclear family.
• A03 of the organic analogy

  Strength= provides structure and organisation allowing people to live together harmoniously.

  Weaknesses= Potential for inequality and injustice within the system.Marxists would argue that institutions benefit only capitalism and not the whole of society so everyone is living for the benefit of capitalism.
• AO3 for social change and social evolution (parsons)

  Strength= Allows societies to adapt and respond to new challenges and opportunities.

  Weakness=Disruptive and unsetting and some people may still agree with the extended family- typically grandparents.

  Weakness=It can perpetuate inequalities and injustices.As societies evolve certain groups may benefit more than others leading to social stratification and marginalisation.
• Social facts (Durkheim)


  • Society exists as a separate entity over and above its members.A system of external 'social facts' shaping their behaviour to serve societies needs
  • Moral regulation= the level of regulation refers to the level of control society has over its members
  • Social integration=Feeling of belonging to a group, people are bound together by social norms and values.More integrated a person was in society less likley it was for them to commit suicide
• Social change (Durkheim)


  • He argued that rapid social change that he was seeing during the industrial revolution from a simple society to one with a complex division of labour
  • In a simple society there was a high collective consciousness.Institutiosns such as religion reinforced this.
  • The social change weakens the bonds between individuals and weakens solidarity.This means there is a risk of anomie (normlessness)
• The maintenance and establishment of social order-value consensus ans social integration (Durkheim)

  • He said people become more selfish, society would fall into chaos and disorder unless we all shared the same values
  • Therefore he placed a great importance on the role of institutions in socialising people into what he called a value consensus or a collective consciousness
  • This can build social solidarity and social cohesion and regulates individual behaviour
• Synoptic link - Durkheim


  Education

  -The education system insists social solidarity, teaches social rules and how to abide them, teaches specialist skills
• Robert merton- the internal critique of Parsons

  • he criticises parsons' concept of universal functionalism (the idea that everything in society performs a positive function)
  • In complex modern societies this is doubtful
  • He argues many things are actually dysfunctional eg various faiths and religions may divide society rather than unite
• Merton's manifest and latent functions


  Merton suggested there were manifest functions of an institution but also latent functions alongside them

  • Manifest functions= the positive functions 'intended snd recognised by participants in the system’
  • Latent functions= neither 'intended or recognised'
• Merton's indispensability

  • this idea states that certain institutions or social arrangements are indispensable to society= that society cannot operate without them
  • Example = Davis and Moore claim that religion 'plays a unique and indispensable part in human society'
  • Merton questions this assumption = he argued that functional prerequisite may be met by a range of alternative institutions the replace the idea of indispensability
  • Merton suggests the concept of functional alternatives/equivalent
• A03 on Robert merton

  • Parsons states that certain institutions or social arrangements are indispensable to society= society cannot operate without them
  • Parsons assumes that primary socialisation is best performed by the NF