Structural Functionalism Fe Pacada

St.
Paul University Philippines

TUGUEGARAO CITY, CAGAYAN 3500
GRADUATE SCHOOL
Fe Banad PACADA
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN TEACHING

( SOCIAL SCIENCE )
Readings in the
Behavioral Sciences
THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVES IN
THE STUDY OF
SOCIETY
STRUCTURAL-FUNCTIONALISM
OBJECTIVES:
•define Structural- Functionalism; and

• determine manifest and latent
functions and dysfunctions of
sociocultural phenomena
Definition of Structural Functionalism
•Structural Functionalism is a sociological
theory that tries to explain why society
functions the way it does. It focuses on
the relationships between the various
social institutions that make up society
like government, law, education,
religion, etc
according to WIKIPEDIA:
• Structural functionalism,or
simply functionalism, is "a
framework for building theory that
sees society as a complex system
whose parts work together to
promote solidarity and stability".
The key ideas of Structural
Functionalism
1. Systems have a set of order and independent parts.
2. Systems move towards equilibrium to maintain itself.
3. The system may have little change (static) or has an
ordered process of change.
4. The nature of one part of the system has an impact
on the other parts.
5. Systems maintain boundaries within their
environments.
6. Allocation and integration are two processes
necessary for a given state of equilibrium within
a system.
7. Systems gain equilibrium through control of
boundaries and relationships of parts to the
whole, control of the environment and control of
tendencies to change the system from within.
Key assumptions about the
Theory:
•Societies and social units have order and interdependent
parts like a biological organism held together by
cooperation and orderliness.
•Societies and social units work toward the natural or
smooth working of the system, that is, towards
equilibrium.
• Societies and social units, just as natural environments,
are separate or distinct but adapt to each other. If one or
more parts conflict with others, others must adapt.
Criticisms on the theory includes the
following:
•In the 1960s, functionalism was criticized
for being unable to account for social
change, or for structural contradictions
and conflict.
• It ignores inequalities including race,
gender, class, which causes tension and
conflict.
Proponents Responsible
• Claude Levi-Strauss (1908 to 2009) is regarded as the
father of structural anthropology.
• Bronislaw Malinowski and A.R. Radcliffe-Brown had the
greatest influence on the development of functionalism
from their posts in Great Britain.
• Radcliffe
Brown argued that explanations of social
phenomena had to be constructed within the social level.
• Malinowski suggested that individuals have
psychological needs like reproduction, food, and shelter
and that social institutions exist to meet these needs.
Social Function
• On the macro scale, social structure is the
system of socioeconomic stratification or
the class structure, social institutions, or
other patterned relations between large
social groups.
• On the meso scale, it is the structure of
social network ties between individuals or
organizations.
Identified Two Types of Functions:
(Bronislaw Malinowski, 1922)
•Manifest Function are

conscious, deliberate and
beneficial.
•Latent Functions are
unconscious, unintended and
Dysfunctions
• Social Dysfunction is a term used to describe a
variety of emotional problems largely experienced
in social situations.
• Manifest dysfunctions are anticipated disruptions
of social life.
• Dysfunctions within a social system, particularly
latent dysfunctions with their unforeseen negative
consequences, place pressure on the system to
change.
Latent Dysfunction
•Latent dysfunction allows people to
disrupt the existing order by bypassing
the news media, government censors,
and others who try to control or suppress
the flow of information.
Social Equilibrium
•Insociology, a system is said to be in
social equilibrium when there is balance
among its interdependent parts. Each
part or subsystem will adjust to any
change in the other subsystems and will
continue to do so until an equilibrium is
retained.

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St.

Paul University Philippines

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN TEACHING

•define Structural- Functionalism; and

•Manifest Function are

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