Functionalist Approach

Examples of Functionalist Approach in the following topics:

• Explaining Poverty: The Sociological Debate

  • Sociologists take two opposing approaches to explaining economic stratification: structural-functionalism and conflict theory.
  • Two classic sociological approaches to poverty and social stratification are structural-functionalism and conflict theory.
  • The structural-functionalist approach to stratification asks the question: what function or purpose does stratification serve?
  • The conflict-theory approach offers a critique of structural-functionalism.
  • Meanwhile, structural-functionalists rebut that people do not always act solely out of economic self-interest.

• The Functionalist Perspective

  • According to the functionalist perspective, race and ethnicity are two of the various parts of a cohesive society.
  • As noted sociologist Michael Omi observes, "The structural-functionalist framework generally stressed the unifying role of culture, and particularly American values, in regulating and resolving conflicts.
  • This approach was notably in evidence in respect to the sociology of race" (Coulhan 2007, Sociology in America, p.559).
  • Given this emphasis on equilibrium and harmony, the functionalist perspective easily allows for specific macro-analyses of more contentious power imbalances, such as race-related issues.
  • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a functionalist approach to race

• The Functionalist Perspective on Deviance

  • A structural functionalist approach emphasizes social solidarity, divided into organic and mechanical typologies, and stability in social structures.
  • Structural functionalists ask "How does any given social phenomenon contribute to social stability?"
  • For the structural functionalist, deviance serves two primary roles in creating social stability.
  • From a structural functionalist perspective, then, how does society change, particularly in regards to establishing norms and deviant behaviors?

• Evaluating Global Theories of Inequality

  • Occupy Wall Street protesters approach inequality from a social justice perspective that holds that all Americans deserve equal life chances and have been denied them by market-oriented approaches to economic regulation (or lack thereof).
  • Occupy Wall Street protesters approach inequality from a social justice perspective that holds that all Americans deserve equal life chances and have been denied them by market-oriented approaches to economic regulation (or lack thereof).
  • Some theorists who embrace a functionalist approach assert that global inequality is not a problem at all, but rather benefits society as it produces an incentive structure to motivate highly capable individuals to pursue positions of power.
  • Functionalists are likely to embrace market-oriented approaches to inequality, on the basis that a free market will result in prices that benefit the smooth-functioning and growth of economies.
  • Differentiate between the positions on social inequality taken by functionalists, Marxists, modern liberalism, and social justice advocates

• The Functions of Deviance

  • A structural functionalist approach emphasizes social solidarity and stability in social structures.
  • Structural functionalists ask: How does any given social phenomenon contribute to social stability?
  • For the structural functionalist, deviance serves two primary roles in creating social stability.
  • From a structural-functionalist perspective, then, how does society change, particularly in regards to establishing norms and deviant behaviors?

• The Functionalist Perspective

  • The functionalist perspective of gender roles suggests that gender roles exist to maximize social efficiency.
  • The functionalist perspective sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.
  • This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation, which is a broad focus on the social structures that shape society as a whole, and looks at both social structure and social functions.
  • The functionalist perspective of gender inequality was most robustly articulated in the 1940s and 1950s, and largely developed by Talcott Parsons' model of the nuclear family.
  • According to structural functionalists, gender serves to maintain social order by providing and ensuring the stability of such functional prerequisites.

• The Functionalist Perspective

  • In the functionalist model, Parsons argued that illness is a form of deviance that disturbs the social function of a society.
  • This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation, which is a broad focus on the social structures that shape society as a whole.
  • This approach looks at both social structure and social functions.
  • Critics of Parsons and the functionalist perspective point to different flaws they see with his argument.
  • By the 1980s, its place was taken in Europe by more conflict-oriented approaches, and more recently by "structuralism".

• The Functionalist Perspective

  • Functionalists view the family unit as a construct that fulfills important functions and keeps society running smoothly.
  • For functionalists, the family creates well-integrated members of society and teaches culture to the new members of society.
  • This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation, which is a broad focus on the social structures that shape society as a whole.
  • For functionalists, the family creates well-integrated members of society and instills culture into the new members of society.
  • For functionalists, the family creates well-integrated members of society and teaches culture to the new members of society.

• The Functionalist Perspective: Motivating Qualified People

  • From a functionalist point of view, inequality plays a role in holding society together and encouraging efficiency.
  • The structural-functional approach to stratification asks the same question that it does of the other components of society: What function or purpose does it serve?
  • According to structural-functionalists, stratification and inequality are inevitable and beneficial to society.
  • There are several problems with this approach to stratification.
  • Functionalists hold that the high pay and status granted to lawyers acts as incentive to motivate qualified people to accept these drawbacks.

• Functions of Religion

  • The functionalist perspective, which originates from Emile Durkheim's work on religion, highlights the social role of religion.
  • The structural-functional approach to religion has its roots in Emile Durkheim's work on religion.
  • Given this approach, Durkheim proposed that religion has three major functions in society: it provides social cohesion to help maintain social solidarity through shared rituals and beliefs, social control to enforce religious-based morals and norms to help maintain conformity and control in society, and it offers meaning and purpose to answer any existential questions.
  • The primary criticism of the structural-functional approach to religion is that it overlooks religion's dysfunctions.
  • In one sense, this still fits the structural-functional approach as it provides social cohesion among the members of one party in a conflict.