1. The Ethics of the Functionalist Perspective
Mary Mullins, PhD, MSW

2. Learning Outcomes Addressed:
EVALUATING:  Students apply critical thinking skills in evaluating information, information sources, and their own search processes.
USING:  Students accumulate, synthesize and/or create information to address questions of interest.
COMMUNICATING:  Students communicate information effectively
East Tennessee State University (n.d.), INtopFORM: QEP - TOP Level Overview. Retrieved from:

3. Activity Objectives Students will:
Apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions concerning the ethics of functionalist theory and how it relates to social work values.
Make ethical decisions by applying standards of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics.
Recognize the difficulty and complexity concerning the ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts.
Communicate conclusions effectively to classmates in a clear and concise manner.

4. General lecture/class discussion on Functionalist Perspective
Theory
Assumptions
Concepts
Functionalist Theories
Emphasize a community’s purpose or function and how that community can continue working to attain that purpose.
Communities must operate well enough to maintain its population
Society is a stable, orderly system composed of a number of interrelated parts, each of which performs a function that contributes to the overall stability of the society.
Functional communities have people who share common interest or function.
Primary functions of the community over time directly impact the actions a community chooses to take.
Each dimension of life serves some function to sustain and individual as a member of a community. Ex. Family ensures care of the child, etc.
Focuses on how the community has grown over time, matured, and behaved.
Manifest Functions: anticipated and recognized consequences of an activity or social process.
Latent Functions: unanticipated or unintended consequences of an activity or social process that are hidden and remain acknowledged by participants
Positive Functions: Purposeful dynamics that serve to sustain people in the community context
Dysfunctions (Negative Functions): the negative/undesirable consequences of an activity or social process that inhibit a society’s ability to adapt or adjust
Social problem: a social condition that is viewed as harmful to members of the community.
Social disorganization: a breakdown of the structure of the community, where various parts of the structure no longer work smoothly.
Kirst-Ashman, K.K. (2011). Communities in the macro social environment: Theories and concepts. In Human behavior in the macro social environment (3rd ed.)Brooks/Cole: United States.

5. Significant Points of Class discussion analyzing homelessness from a Functionalist Perspective
Homelessness is a social problem
Fault of the individual
In general, “society works”
Homelessness serves a function in society
Many jobs created to attend to the needs of homeless individuals & families
Social workers have jobs
Agencies to serve homeless exist
Citizens have volunteer opportunities
Researchers have a population and social problem to study

6. Question Posed to Students
Is it ethical to view homelessness from a functionalist perspective?
Wait! Don’t answer yet!
Group activity 

7. Instructions to the Group
In groups of 3-4 members-
Review the content on functionalist theory and the basic values inherent in the NASW Code of Ethics (the latter of which are portrayed on the next slide).
2. Your discussion should address the following questions:
a. To what extent do you think it is ethical to view the social problem of homelessness from a functionalist perspective that focuses on its positives? Explain.
b. To what extent are social service agencies, religious organizations, and community groups and service workers dependent on the homeless for their existence?
3. Be prepared to share the highlights of your discussion with the class.

8. Social Work Core Values
The six core values in the NASW Code of Ethics include (NASW, 1999): 1.Service: Providing help, resources, and benefits so that people may achieve their maximum potential. 2. Social justice: Upholding the condition that in a perfect world, all citizens would have identical “rights, protection, opportunities, obligations, and social benefits” regardless of their backgrounds and membership in diverse groups. 3. Dignity and worth of the person: Holding in high esteem and appreciating individual value. 4. Importance of human relationships: Valuing the dynamic reciprocal interactions between social workers and clients, including how they communicate, think and feel about each other, and behave toward each other. 5. Integrity: Maintaining trustworthiness and sound adherence to moral ideals. 6. Competence: Having the necessary skills and abilities to perform work with clients effectively. *Students have already covered the NASW Code of Ethics in previous classes, so this is previous knowledge. They have also learned about a variety of ethical decision making models.