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Sociology in everyday life
Structural functionalism and its implications
Structural functionalism and its implications
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Sociological Imagination Sociologists analyze human society and interaction using varied ideas and trends. There are three main thought processes used when deciphering social interactions. Structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism are used to understand how society works. There are strengths and weaknesses that are attributed to each of the theories. Structural functionalism is the macro-analysis of society that supports the assumption that society is a stable and orderly system. This approach sees society as a complex structure that works together to function properly. The society shares a common set of beliefs, norms, values, and behavior patterns called a societal consensus. The society will institute social …show more content…
It does not recognize change or progress in society as a positive thing but more of a deviation. Also not recognized are inequalities due to race, gender, and social class. Conflict theories are perspectives that focus on the inequality of classes and the power struggle for scarce resources. This macro-analysis theory focuses on constant conflict and change in society unlike functionalists. It is comprised of multiple theories involving gender, race, and economic inequalities. These theories support the idea of a ruling elite enforces social order on the weak and poor. The constant conflict and competition between classes cause society to keep changing. Karl Marx is considered the father of the conflict theory. Marx focused on the socioeconomic tension between classes and the exploitation of workers. Max Weber came to the conclusion that economic conditions, power, and prestige created inequality and conflict in societies. C. Wright Mills provoked sociologist to get involved in social reform as well as observe inequalities in …show more content…
This theory observes how people interact with each other and consider symbols and details of daily life. Theorists of this perspective support the idea that people associate symbols with a subjective meaning. Different people who see the same symbol will interpret it differently thus peoples perceived realities are different. George Herbert Mead is credited with introducing the symbolic interactionist perspective. Herbert Blumer, a student of Mead, first coined the term symbolic interactionism. He stated that a persons reaction to a symbol was determined by that persons previous social reactions and their environment. Symbolic Interactionist theory is often criticized for having too narrow of an observation field, meaning that this theory often neglects the big picture and larger social problems. It disregards the effects of social forces and institutions The private issue I picked is obesity. I personally do not suffer from obesity but I do have family members and friends who struggle with it so I do understand their situation. Structural functionalists, conflict theorists, and symbolic interactionists will attempt to relate obesity to society each in their unique
Sociology is the study of society and the interactions that occur within society itself. There are numerous methods of analyzing societies and the way the function, nonetheless, most methods fall in micro and macro level theories. Micro level theories allow sociologist to study smaller relationships such as individual or compact groups of people. On the other hand, macro level studies permit for larger scale investigations to take place. With both of these theories there are three theoretical perspectives used in sociology. Micro level theories include symbolic interactionism which focuses in interactions done with language and gestures and the means which allow such interactions to take place. Macro level theories include structural functionalism
However, this change could be political struggles or revolution. The theory lays emphasis on the idea that personal or group’s ability has a role to play in exercising influence and control over others in producing social order. Therefore, conflict theorists are of the belief that there is a continual struggle between all different elements of a particular society. Wallace and Wolf (2006) revealed that conflict theory developed as a major alternative to the functionalist approach to analyzing a society’s general structure. Similarly, Ritzer (2003) also noted that apart from the origination of the theory in reaction to structural functionalism, it also has other roots which include Marxian theory and works of George Simmel on social conflict. However, this was superseded by a variety of neo-Marxian theories after the 60s (Ritzer & Goodman, 2004). Notably, this has become increasingly popular and relevant in modern day sociology (Wallace & Wolf,
The three theorectical perpectives in sociology are symbolic interactionism, conflict theory and functional analysis. Symbolic interactionism are symbols that we use to define our relationships with people in society. It can refer to our parents, friends, siblings, employees, teachers, and so forth. These symbols will help us to determine our behavior towards an individual and how we treat them. For example, the way we communicate with our friends will be different from how we talk to our teachers because we are aware that our relationship with our teacher is professional and our relationship with our friends is personal. We separate those relationships and have acted differently to a certain group within society. Conflict theory is when
The symbolic interactionism, aims at the symbols and details of everyday life, what these symbols mean, and how people interact with each other in their daily basis. People have attached meaning to symbols and they act according to the interpretation of these symbols. Anything can be used as a symbol as long as it has a meaning behind it. Although symbolic interactionism traces its origins to Max Weber's claimed that individuals act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world, the American philosopher George H. Mead introduced this viewpoint to American sociology in the 1920s.
Symbolic interactionism perspective is defined as “the study of how people negotiate the meanings of social life during their interactions with others” (Rohall, Milkie, and Lucas, 2014, p.27). It asserts that “we construct meaning about things that are important in our own lives and in our society” (Rohall, Milkie, and Lucas, 2014, p.28). These meanings derive from social interactions among individuals which
Structural functionalism and conflict theory are two types of macro-theories. Structural functionalism (Perrucci, 1983) has three main ideas: 1) society is a system containing interdependent and interacting parts bound together in time and space, 2) shared values among members of the system are social “glue” that helps hold it together, 3) and systems have a need for stability and therefor attempt the parts working together harmoniously. Conflict theory is the belief that society contains basic inequalities in wealth, power, and prestige (Coser, 1967; Dahrendorf, 1959).
In the field of sociology, sociologists use many different theories to base their ideas and observations on; however, the three major theories that are used are symbolic interactionism, functional analysis, and conflict theory. It is these three theories that will be the focus of this paper. To begin with, we will start with symbolic interactionism.
In the broader sociological concept, it is important to integrate all the concepts designed to define human interactions. In a broader picture, all sociological theories aim at defining a certain concept important to society. Henceforth, the concept of studying human actions and interactions should be done in the natural course of life. It is a general fact that human interactions are categorized into small groups in society some of which remain unrealized even to members of the group.
That being said, success is the ultimate goal of the human being and it should be the goal of the sociologist to attain it. Symbolic interactionism is sort of like an intensive version of functionalism. If functionalism is neuropathy, then symbolic interactionism is biochemistry, and conflict theory is a histamine blocker. There isn’t much good that comes from conflict theory. According to the text, by definition, conflict theory “stresses that society is composed of groups that compete with one another for scarce resources” (Henslin, 2015) (notice the use of the word “resources”); and “The central idea of symbolic interactionism is that symbols— things to which we attach meaning— are the key to understanding how we view the world and communicate with one another” (Henslin, 2015). My theory is that conflict theory is impractical, and that without these “symbols” we would never know how to function as a “social framework.” Just as a tree cannot reproduce unless it produces seeds, in this same manner, social framework cannot continue unless it produces symbols. It’s a
A more modern conflict theorist is Lewis Cosner. Lewis Coser defined conflict as “the struggle over values and claims to scarce status, power and resource in which the aims of the opponents are to neutralize, injure, or eliminate their rivals” (culturalapparatus.com, 2013). According to him, the intensity of social conflict is related to the existence of safety-valve institutions, the tolerance of conflicting parties, levels of social mobility, and the solidarity of the conflicting groups. In his research he focuses a lot on the themes of social order and social conflict together. He showed that they can work together to either increase or diminish conflict.
Conflict theory is a theory that claims society is in a state of everlasting conflict due to competition for limited resources. Conflict theory holds that social order is preserved by domination and authority, rather than harmony and conformity. According to conflict theory, those with fortune and power try to hold on to it by any means possible, primarily by suppressing the underprivileged and powerless. Conflict theory also credits most of the fundamental developments in human history, such as democracy and civil rights, to attempt to control the common people rather than to a desire for social order. Conflict theory proposes that each individual or group struggles to attain the maximum benefit. This causes society to change constantly in response to social inequality and social conflict.
Functionalists take the position that the patterns of behavior that characterize a society exist because they are functional for that society. Social inequality is universal, so inequality must help societies survive. (Henslin, 2016, p.204) Conflict theory provides a third perspective on social life. Functionalists view society as a harmonious whole with its parts working together, where conflict theorists stress that society is composed of groups that compete with one another for scarce resources. (Henslin, 2016, p.18) Social stratification refers to the division of large numbers of people into layers according to their relative property, power, and prestige. It does not refer to individuals; it is a way of ranking large groups of people into
Sociologists employ three major theoretical perspectives in sociology today. They are the structural-functionalist perspective, the conflict perspective, and the symbolic interactionism. The structural-functionalist perspective is done at a macro level and its focus is on the relationships between the parts of society. The Conflict perspective is done at a macro level and its main focus is on how the wealthy controls the poor and weak. Symbolic Interactionism is done at a micro and it focuses on the use of symbols and face to face interactions.
There are three main theories of sociology; functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism. This paper will focus on two of those theories, functionalism and conflict theory. The objective is to delineate the assumptions of two out of the three theoretical perspectives and apply these assumptions to an analysis of social stratification. How this will be accomplished will be by comparing and contrasting their assumptions and by analyzing the two theories affect on social stratification. Then I will state my opinion on which of the two better fits my personal sociological views. Functionalism is many people's way to view the world sociologically. It states clearly that the objectivity of the researcher is necessary and can be accomplished. There are three main points, which make up a functionalist theory on sociological expression. The first point is that culture is made up of interacting, interdependent parts. Each of these parts has a function in maintaining the society as a system on the whole. The second point states that shared values and expectations(or beliefs) among the members of the society help hold the society together. The third point states that these systems have a need for stability and a need to try to keep all the parts working together congruously in a sort of system. Social change in this system is uncommon, and when it does happen, it is a very gradual change. Conflict theory is centered on the tension, or struggle that goes on in everyday life. There are many different parts, which make up the conflict theorist's view on the sociological perspective. The first main part is that society promotes general differences in wealth, power, and prestige. Wealth...
To Quote Anthony Giddens: "Sociology is the study of human social life, groups and societies. It is a dazzling and compelling enterprise, having as its subject matter our own behaviour as social beings. The scope of sociology is extremely wide, ranging from the analysis of passing encounters between individuals in the street up to the investigation of world-wide social processes“(1989). Gidden’s statement describes sociology as a study that helps us understand our own behaviour as human beings in a social word. Sociologist study everything from the interaction between people in the street to the interaction between different countries. Sociologists aim to study how societies have changed over, how societies are structured and organized, the norms of society. It’s also important to understand that not all sociologists agree with each other, Sociologists often debate with one another to prove/disprove certain theories and concepts. By studying Sociology is it helps us analyze social conflicts on a micro and macro scope. Through a macro level, we can study large-scale social organization and large social categories it also examinees social processes and patterns society as a whole. We can analyze individuals much deeper on a micro level. This way we study a human by face-to face interactions. Its important as humans to understand the way our society came together and the reasons to how elements work and function together. Sociology gives us a deeper