The Sociological Perspectives

Perspective Definition: a way of seeing and interpreting things Three Sociological Perspectives: Each is based on general ideas about how social life is organized. Functionalist Conflict Interactionist

Functionalist Perspective Based on the assumption that society is a stable, orderly system Society is composed of parts, each serving a function that contributes to the overall stability of society. The inter-relation of parts leads to the development of social structures that play a role in helping society survive Social structures include family, education, government, religion, and economy If anything adverse happens to one institution, all other parts are affected and the system becomes dysfunctional The breakdown of traditional structures may result in social problems

Functionalism Cont. When parts function properly, a condition of stability or equilibrium is achieved When parts fail to function properly, dysfunction occurs Social structures inherently resist change. If dysfunction occurs, internal mechanisms activate to restore equilibrium (like the thermostat in the human body)

Criticisms of Functionalism Implies that order is more basic than change Overemphasizes the extent to which harmony and stability actually exist in society Implies that the status quo is desirable Overlooks the positive consequences of change

Conflict Perspective Groups in society are engaged in a continuous power struggle to obtain scarce and valuable resources This perspective does not deny that certain types of social arrangements are functional, but asks FOR WHOM are they functional? Change, not stability, is normal

Criticisms of the Conflict Perspective Overemphasizes the significance of power and struggle in social life The belief that all actions are coerced ignores areas of social life in which people act freely

Interactionist Perspective Focuses on specific cases of how individuals behave in particular social settings Larger social structures are nothing more than the creations of interacting people Sociologists should spend time simply observing and listening to people with the objective of gaining an understanding of how they perceive the world

Criticisms of the Interactionist Perspective Overemphasizes the importance of and ignores the variation in the way people react to situations Mood Idiosyncracies motives