Unit 2: Dominant Approaches and Ideas in the Social Sciences

Lesson 2.1
Structural-Functionalism
Contents
Introduction 1

Learning Objectives 2

Explore 2

Discover 4
What Is Structural-Functionalism? 4
Manifest and Latent Functions 7
Emile Durkheim 8
Structuralism 9

Wrap-Up 10

Try This! 11

Challenge Yourself 12

Reflect on This 14

Bibliography 14
Unit 2: Dominant Approaches and Ideas in the Social Sciences

Lesson 2.1

Structural-Functionalism

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly disrupted the usual flow of things in our society.
What was previously our typical everyday routine has undergone drastic changes.
Circumstances such as these give us a chance to take a second look at how our lives have
been for the past few years. More importantly, it opened our minds and made us ask
questions about society. For example, why have we been on lockdown and what is its
purpose? What role does the government play in addressing the pandemic? Why have
classes been pushed through and work has proceeded despite the threat of COVID-19?
What role do school, businesses, and family play during this situation? Why is every aspect
of society affected by the pandemic and lockdown measures? In order to answer these
questions and gain a better grasp of our society, this lesson will help us understand
structural-functionalism.

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DepEd Competencies
Learning Objectives At the end of this lesson, you should be able to do
the following:
In this lesson, you should be able to do the
following:
● Define structuralism (HUMSS_DIS 11 -IIIe-f-1).
● Explain structural-functionalism. ● Determine manifest and latent functions and
dysfunctions of sociocultural phenomena
● Identify Emile Durkheim’s
(HUMSS_DIS 11 -IIIe-f-1).
contribution to
structural-functionalism.
● Distinguish between manifest
and latent functions.

Explore
What’s in This Picture? 10 minutes

Instructions
Look at the following pictures. As you do so, answer the questions that follow.

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Guide Questions
1. What is shown in each of the pictures? What roles are the people in these pictures
known to commonly play in our society?
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2. Do you think they also play roles in society that are not usually mentioned? If so,
what are these?
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
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3. In your opinion, how do these institutions complement each other in order for a
society to function?
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

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Discover

For social scientists, society can be defined as a group

Words to Remember
of people who interact in a defined territory and have
● social structure – patterns
a common culture. Since we are part of society, it is
in society that are
important that we understand how it works. In this
considered relatively stable
lesson, we will discuss one of the sociological
● social institution – a
approaches utilized in understanding this
concept or group that can
process—structural-functionalism.
influence norms in society
● collective conscience –
what an “average citizen”
understands about society
as a whole
● integration – a sense of
belonging with society

How is structural-functionalism relevant in

understanding the current situation of our society?

What Is Structural-Functionalism?
Structural-functionalism is one of the major approaches in sociology. It is an approach
that views society as a complex unit or system composed of many parts that come and work
together to ensure its stability and survival. Structural-functionalism is characterized as a
macro-level approach by sociologist John Macionis; meaning, it analyzes society as a
large-scale unit, or in its totality. According to sociologist Kingsley Davis, the term
structural-functionalism was used to label this approach because of what it focuses on. The
first of these is the relationships among social structures and institutions.
Structural-functionalism also emphasizes structure in society.

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Social functions, according to Macionis, refer to “consequences [of each social structure]
for the operation of society.” These can also be understood as the role of a social structure
or institution in society. These social functions are at the core of achieving the goal of
solidarity and stability. Structural-functionalism can be better understood by looking at the
concept map below.

Fig. 1. Concept map of structural-functionalism

As seen in Fig. 1, interrelatedness and interdependence are observable among social

institutions. These institutions include, but are not limited to, the family, school, the
economy, religion, culture, and the government. Since they are interrelated and
interdependent, social institutions need one another for society to function as a whole. For
example, the family nurtures individuals to be part of society. Oftentimes, school teaches an
individual the needed skills and knowledge to pursue a career in the future. The economy,
particularly companies, may employ individuals who finished schooling to be a productive
member of the workforce. Religion plays a role in imparting moral values on how to
properly act and behave in a society. Other norms, beliefs, and traditions may also affect
one’s behavior and morals. Lastly, the government is expected to ensure the safety and

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Unit 2: Dominant Approaches and Ideas in the Social Sciences

well-being of its citizens and can work with schools and the economy to do so. These are all
examples of the specific social function(s) of these institutions to keep society going.

Early proponents of structural-functionalism, such as English

philosopher and sociologist Herbert Spencer (1820–1903), compared
society to a human body. Every part of our body should be present
and work together for us to fully function as a human being. For
example, the heart pumps out blood and the lungs are needed in
absorbing oxygen. Meanwhile, the veins and arteries are connected
to both organs, carrying blood and oxygen throughout our system.
If one part is missing, there will be disruptions in the overall
functioning of the body. Similar to the human body, society needs
each of its parts to work together in order to survive. For example,
the government enacts laws to ensure the well-being of citizens.
However, it can only do so effectively by working with other sectors
such as the economy and health. If it fails to do so, solidarity and
stability cannot be attained and social disruptions will occur. Thus, it
is vital that all interrelated and interdependent social structures and
social institutions are present, performing their assigned functions
and working together.

Check Your Progress

What function does social media play in your life? Would you
consider social media as a social institution? Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

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Manifest and Latent Functions

According to Macionis, sociologists under
structural-functionalism identify and
investigate the various social structures
and institutions and their specific functions
in a society. American sociologist Robert K.
Merton elaborated the concept of social
function, which is fundamental to
structural-functionalism.

In his book Social Theory and Social Structure,

Merton explained that social structures and
social institutions have a variety of social
functions attributed to them. He coined the term manifest function, which refers to the
“recognized and intended consequences” of an aspect of society. These are social functions
that are readily attributed and openly stated with regard to a particular social structure or
social institution. For example, it is believed that the function of a university is to produce
educated graduates and future productive members of the workforce. The other type of
function, latent function, refers to the “unrecognized and unintended consequences” of an
aspect of society. In other words, these are the hidden purposes of a particular social
structure or social institution. Going back to the previous example, a university becomes an
avenue for young people from various walks of life to come together and interact with one
another. In universities, people from a specific age group develop relationships, intimate or
otherwise, and it is considered part of the norm.

While both manifest and latent functions maintain stability and solidarity, Merton explained
that there are also functions that can be disruptive in nature. Social dysfunction, as he
called it, is an element or process of or within a society that may disrupt solidarity and
stability. According to sociologists Ruth Wallace and Alison Wolf, Merton’s social dysfunction
can be analyzed in two ways. On one hand, it can be seen generally as indeed detrimental to
society. For example, heavy traffic is generally believed to lessen the overall economic
productivity of a country. On the other hand, Wallace and Wolf also explain that for some,
what is considered a social dysfunction can vary from one person to another. For example,

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an individual can view religion as making people numb to inequalities and injustices that
they are experiencing, while others may view it as a source of guidance and purpose in life.

Check Your Progress

What other aspects of society (either social structure or social
institution) exhibit both manifest and latent functions? Explain your
answer.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Emile Durkheim
According to Ruth Wallace and Alison Wolf, one of
the most prominent figures under
structural-functionalism is Emile Durkheim
(1858–1917). He was born to a family of rabbis and
was briefly studying to follow their footsteps. He
decided not to proceed with this profession and
pursued a career in academe to which he viewed
teaching as a “sacred duty.”

Some of his contributions include his ideas on

collective conscience and integration. In his work
The Rules of Sociological Method, he discussed social
facts. He defined these as behaviors determined by
external forces, according to author Robert Alun
Jones. In The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, he
explained how religion is a phenomenon created
by people/society. Another important work by
Durkheim is The Division of Labor in Society where
he examined the function of division of labor.

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Unit 2: Dominant Approaches and Ideas in the Social Sciences

In Suicide, he described suicide as a social problem. All of these are pivotal in the
understanding of social structures and their functions in a society.

In addition, Durkheim paved the way in the establishment of sociology as a discipline and
field of study in universities in France. His influence also became crucial in the progress of
sociology as a whole. He became influential to other well-known sociologists such as Talcott
Parsons (1902–1979) and Robert K. Merton (1910–2003), as well as anthropologists
Bronislaw Malinowski (1884–1942) and Alfred Reginald Radcliffe-Brown (1881–1955).

Structuralism
According to sociologist George Ritzer, the late 20th century saw a “linguistic turn” among
social scientists. This led to the conception of structuralism which looks into the underlying
patterns in human behavior, in turn leading to observable social phenomena. French
anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss derived this approach from linguistic structuralism.
According to linguistic structuralists, language is structured in a way that it follows certain
rules and principles that even the speaker is not aware of. Lévi-Strauss believed that social
phenomena could be reconceptualized as though they were linguistic structures. He
claimed that unconscious regularities or unobservable structures are found not only in
grammar or language, but also in social phenomena and human expressions. According to
Lévi-Strauss, these reflect the way we think.

While structuralists and structural-functionalists presented different approaches and claims,

both remained focused on discovering and understanding general patterns or principles
and their function(s) in society.

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Unit 2: Dominant Approaches and Ideas in the Social Sciences

Wrap-Up
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
● Structural-functionalism is an approach that views society as a complex unit or
system composed of many parts that come and work together to ensure its stability
and survival.
● Social functions, according to sociologist John Macionis, refer to “consequences [of
each social structure] for the operation of society.”
● Manifest function refers to the recognized and intended consequences of an
aspect of society. Latent function refers to the unrecognized and unintended
consequences of an aspect of society.
● Social dysfunction refers to an element or process of or within a society that may
actually disrupt solidarity and stability. It can be analyzed as generally detrimental
to society. However, some people can also have varying notions of what is
considered a social dysfunction.
● Structuralism is the study of the underlying patterns in human behavior, in turn
leading to observable social phenomena.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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Try This!
Short-Answer Response. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

1. Structural-functionalism is a major sociological approach that looks into the different

roles of social institutions and how they interact in society to ensure its
____________________ and survival.

2. A ____________________ -level sociological approach looks at society as a whole.

3. ____________________ are how social patterns affect the large-scale workings of society.

4. Sociologist Herbert Spencer compared society to the ____________________.

5. Emile Durkheim analyzed the concepts of integration and ____________________.

6. ____________________ are the roles that are readily attributed or more obviously
associated with a process in society.

7. The unintended roles of a process or element in society are also known as

____________________.

8. A ____________________ is an element in society that can negatively affect its stability.

9. ____________________ is the study of unobservable regularities in human expression

and how they are manifested in observable social phenomena.

10. According to Claude Lévi-Strauss, social phenomena can be reconceptualized in

terms of ____________________.

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Challenge Yourself
Short-Response Paragraph. Answer the following questions.

1. Explain how the social functions of family, school, religion, government, culture, and
the economy are interrelated and interdependent with one another. Use your own
examples.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

2. Social media has become an important part of people’s lives. What do you think are
the manifest function and the latent function of social media? How can it create
social dysfunction? Explain your answer.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 2: Dominant Approaches and Ideas in the Social Sciences

Suggested Rubric for Grading

The rubric below is a suggested one. Your teacher may modify it based on your needs.
Consult your teacher for the final rubric.

Performance Levels

Suggested
Criteria 1 2 3 Score
Weight
Beginning Proficient Advanced Proficiency
Proficiency

There were key All key points were put All key points were put in the
Content ×3
points missing in the response. response. Also, relevant
from the However, relevant personal examples were
response. More personal examples added and explained
needs to be need to be added and thoroughly, thus showing
added to it. explained thoroughly mastery of the content.
as well.

Demonstration The example(s) The example(s) The example(s) depicted in

×2
depicted in the depicted in the essay the essay successfully
of relevance
essay barely showed some showed its relevance to
related to what relevance to what was what was required by the
was required by required by the question.
the question. question.

Coherence of The ideas were The ideas were The ideas were coherent
×1
incoherent and coherent, but the and contributed to
ideas
the overall overall concept was formulating a whole
concept was not quite clear. concept.
clear.

Total Possible Score 18

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Unit 2: Dominant Approaches and Ideas in the Social Sciences

Reflect on This
Based on your current situation, how is structural-functionalism relevant to you as a
student?
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Bibliography
Farganis, James. Readings in Social Theory: The Classic Tradition to Post-Modernism,
7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2014.

Ferrante, Joan. Sociology: A Global Perspective, 7th ed. Belmont: Thomson Higher Education,
2008.

Form, W. and Nico Wilterdink. "Social structure." Encyclopedia Britannica, November 19,
2020. https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-structure.

Macionis, John J. Sociology, 16th ed. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, 2017.

Macionis, John J., and Linda M. Gerber. Sociology, 5th Canadian ed. Toronto: Pearson
Education Canada, 2003.

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Unit 2: Dominant Approaches and Ideas in the Social Sciences

Pillemer, Karl, and Nina Glasgow. “Social Integration and Aging: Background and Trends,” in
Social Integration in the Second Half of Life, edited by Karl Pillemer, 19-47. Baltimore:
The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Ritzer, George, and Jeffrey Stepnisky. Sociological Theory. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2017.

Robert Alun Jones, “The Rules of Sociological Method (1895),” in Emile Durkheim: An
Introduction to Four Major Works, 60-81. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1986.
https://durkheim.uchicago.edu/Summaries/rules.html.

Wallace, Ruth, and Alison Wolf. Contemporary Sociological Theory, 4th ed. Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1995. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-76522-8.

2.1. Structural-Functionalism 15