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Unlock This CourseFunctionalism is one of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology. It views society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote stability and social order. Think of society like a human body – just as the heart, lungs and brain all have specific functions that keep the body working, different parts of society (like family, education and religion) all perform specific functions to keep society running smoothly.
Key Definitions:
Functionalism is built on several key ideas:
Functionalism emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Key thinkers include:
Functionalists use the analogy of a living organism to explain how society works. Just as the human body has organs that perform specific functions to keep the body alive, society has institutions that perform specific functions to keep society running smoothly.
Herbert Spencer, an early sociologist, compared society to a human body. This organic analogy helps us understand how functionalists see society:
Just as organs in a body depend on each other, social institutions depend on each other. If one part fails, it affects the whole system.
Society naturally seeks equilibrium. When one part changes, other parts adjust to maintain stability and order.
Different parts of society specialise in different functions, just like organs in the body have specialised roles.
Functionalists believe that society works best when most people agree on basic values and norms. This agreement, called value consensus, helps maintain social order.
Emile Durkheim studied how societies maintain cohesion. In his research on suicide rates, he found that people who were more integrated into social groups (through family, religion, etc.) were less likely to commit suicide. This showed how social bonds and shared values create "social solidarity" – the glue that holds society together. Durkheim identified two types of solidarity:
Durkheim is often considered the founder of functionalism. His work established many of the key ideas that define this perspective.
Collective Conscience: The shared beliefs, values and moral attitudes that operate as a unifying force within society.
Social Facts: Features of social life (like laws, morals and customs) that exist independently of individuals but constrain their behaviour.
Anomie: A condition where social norms are unclear or breaking down, leading to a sense of normlessness and potential social disorder.
In his famous study on suicide (1897), Durkheim showed how even seemingly individual acts are influenced by social forces. He found different suicide rates among different social groups, demonstrating that suicide wasn't just a personal decision but was affected by levels of social integration and regulation.
Functionalists analyse how different parts of society contribute to the overall stability and operation of the social system. Each institution serves specific functions that help society run smoothly.
Functions:
Functions:
Functions:
Robert Merton expanded functionalist theory by distinguishing between different types of functions that social elements can perform:
Manifest functions are intended, recognised consequences of an aspect of society. For example, the manifest function of education is to teach knowledge and skills.
Latent functions are unintended, often unrecognised consequences. For example, a latent function of school is creating friendship networks and teaching students to interact with authority figures.
Merton also noted that not all consequences of social structures are positive. Dysfunctions are negative consequences that can disrupt social stability.
For example, while the family generally provides stability, some family structures can create stress or conflict. This concept helps explain why societies change over time – to address dysfunctions.
Like all sociological perspectives, functionalism has both strengths and weaknesses as a way of understanding society.
Let's look at how functionalists might analyse the education system:
Manifest functions: Teaching knowledge and skills, preparing students for future careers, socialising young people into society's norms and values.
Latent functions: Keeping young people occupied during the day, creating social networks, teaching punctuality and respect for authority.
Dysfunctions: Creating stress and anxiety, reinforcing social inequalities if some schools have better resources than others.
A functionalist would argue that despite some problems, education generally serves important functions that help maintain social stability and prepare young people for adult roles in society.