What are the roles and functions of education? » Functionalist view - strengths and limitations

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

The functionalist perspective on education
Key roles and functions of education according to functionalists
Major theorists: Durkheim, Parsons and Davis & Moore
Strengths of the functionalist view of education
Limitations and criticisms of the functionalist approach
How to evaluate functionalist theories in exam answers

Introduction to Functionalist Views on Education

Functionalism is one of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology that views society as a complex system of interconnected parts working together to maintain stability. When functionalists look at education, they focus on how schools help society work smoothly and efficiently.

Key Definitions:

Functionalism: A theoretical approach that sees society as a system of interconnected parts, each serving a function to maintain social order and stability.
Social consensus: Agreement on basic values and norms that hold society together.
Meritocracy: A system where people achieve positions based on their abilities and efforts rather than wealth or social background.
Social solidarity: The bonds that unite members of a society or group.

📖 Emile Durkheim

French sociologist who saw education as crucial for creating social solidarity. He believed schools teach children society's shared norms and values, creating a sense of belonging to something larger than themselves.

📖 Talcott Parsons

American sociologist who viewed schools as a 'bridge' between family and wider society. He argued schools prepare children for adult roles by teaching universal values and specific skills needed for future jobs.

Key Functions of Education According to Functionalists

1. Socialisation: Creating Social Solidarity

Functionalists argue that one of education's most important roles is teaching children the shared values, beliefs and norms of society. This creates social solidarity - the glue that holds society together.

According to Durkheim, schools teach:

History and literature: To develop a sense of shared heritage and national identity
Rules and discipline: To prepare children for the rules of adult society
Cooperation: Through group activities and teamwork

By learning these shared values, children develop a collective conscience - an understanding of right and wrong that binds society together.

2. Skills Provision: Preparing for Work

Schools teach the knowledge and skills needed for future work roles. Functionalists argue this benefits both individuals and society:

Individuals learn skills to earn a living
Society gets workers with the right skills for different jobs
The economy functions efficiently with properly trained workers

Davis and Moore (1945) argued that education sorts people into appropriate jobs based on their abilities, ensuring the most talented people fill the most important positions in society.

3. Role Allocation: Creating a Meritocracy

Functionalists believe education helps allocate people to the most appropriate jobs based on their abilities and qualifications. This creates what they call a meritocracy - where your position in society is based on merit rather than who your parents are.

Through exams and assessments, schools:

Identify students' different talents and abilities
Sort students into appropriate career paths
Ensure the most capable people get the most important jobs

4. Secondary Socialisation and Value Consensus

Parsons saw education as providing 'secondary socialisation' - taking over from the family to prepare children for adult life. While families treat children as special and unique, schools treat them based on universal standards and achievements.

Schools teach universally shared values like:

Achievement - working hard to succeed
Individualism - taking responsibility for yourself
Competition - striving to do better than others
Equality of opportunity - everyone having a fair chance

Case Study Focus: Japan's Education System

Japan's education system strongly reflects functionalist principles. Schools emphasise group harmony, respect for authority and national identity. Students clean their own classrooms, serve each other lunch and participate in daily rituals that reinforce collective values. The system produces high academic achievement while also creating strong social solidarity - exactly what functionalists would predict. However, critics note high stress levels among students and limited room for individuality.

Strengths of the Functionalist View

👍 Explains Social Cohesion

Functionalism helps explain how education creates shared values that bind society together, preventing conflict and disorder.

👍 Highlights Economic Role

Shows how education serves economic needs by training workers and allocating them to appropriate jobs.

👍 Explains Universal Education

Provides reasons why all modern societies have developed mass education systems with similar features.

Limitations of the Functionalist View

1. Ignores Inequality and Conflict

Critics argue functionalism paints too rosy a picture of education, ignoring how schools can reproduce inequality rather than create meritocracy:

Middle-class children often perform better because the education system reflects middle-class values
Schools may label working-class children as less able, limiting their opportunities
Private schools give advantages to wealthy families, contradicting meritocracy

Marxists argue that rather than creating equal opportunities, education reproduces class inequality by preparing working-class children for working-class jobs.

2. Overemphasises Consensus

Not everyone agrees on what values schools should teach. In diverse societies, there can be significant disagreement about:

Religious education and whose beliefs should be taught
Sex education and what's appropriate for different age groups
History curriculum and whose perspective is presented

These conflicts challenge the functionalist idea of a simple value consensus that education transmits.

3. Outdated View of Society

Functionalism developed in the early-mid 20th century when society was more stable and homogeneous. Modern critics argue it doesn't account for:

Rapid social change and technological disruption
Cultural diversity and globalisation
The growing importance of informal learning outside schools

Exam Tip: Evaluating Functionalist Theories

For top marks, you need to both explain AND evaluate functionalist theories. A good approach is to:

Explain the functionalist view clearly (e.g., Durkheim on social solidarity)
Support with evidence where functionalism seems accurate
Contrast with alternative perspectives (e.g., Marxist or feminist views)
Use specific examples from real education systems
Reach a balanced conclusion about the strengths and limitations

Conclusion: Balanced Assessment

The functionalist perspective provides valuable insights into how education contributes to social stability and economic efficiency. It helps explain why all modern societies invest heavily in education systems and why certain features (like teaching shared values and skills) are universal.

However, its emphasis on consensus and harmony overlooks important issues of inequality, conflict and change. A complete understanding of education's role in society requires considering other perspectives, including Marxist views on how education reproduces inequality and interactionist approaches that examine what happens inside classrooms.

The most useful approach is to see functionalism as one important lens for understanding education rather than a complete explanation. By combining insights from different sociological perspectives, we can develop a more comprehensive understanding of education's complex roles in society.

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