Theory structures the chaotic nature of social life so that it becomes understandable to the sociologist. However, as you are now aware these 'theories' of society (Social Theories) vary considerably from those that see society as a unifed system which can be 'easily' e!lained by conce!ts such as socialisation, ideology, etc. To those that argue it is so com!le that no theory can fully e!lain it and that to try and do so destroys the dynamics of the world you are trying to study ( some !ostmodernist sociologists claim that the biggest obstacle to understanding society is the sociologists themselves). So when trying to e!lain sociological theory we have an immediate !roblem" there is no such thing# There are a diversity of con$icting social theories# However, this is what sociology is all about " being critical and evaluating the usefulness of these theories in light of evidence collected from the social life you are studying. Structuralist Theory Consensus Theory %e learn from an early age to see our status as wra!!ed u! with our home, and to see a ha!!y family and home as im!ortant goals. &n other words, there eists a great deal of agreement in society about how we ought to organise our daily lives. Sociologists refer to this agreement amongst members of society as consensus. This consensus means that we have a good idea of how we should behave in most situations. &t also means that we can antici!ate !retty accurately how other !eo!le are going to behave, 'ust as we can guess the layout of their house or $at. Some sociologists see this order and !redictability as the key to understanding society. &f this order did not eist " if we were always confused and uncertain about our own and others' values and behaviour " then, they believe, chaos and anarchy would be the result. These sociologists are known as functionalists. Functionalism (unctionalism is a structuralist theory. This means that it sees the individual as less im!ortant than the social structure or organisation of society. &t is a 'to!" down' theory that looks at society rather than the individuals within it. Society is more im!ortant because the individual is !roduced by society. )eo!le are the !roduct of all social in$uences on them* their family, friends, educational and religious background, their e!eriences at work, in leisure, and their e!osure to the media. +ll these in$uences make them what they are. They are born into society, !lay their role in it and then die. ,ut their deaths do not mean the end of society. Society continues long after they are gone. Social Order (unctionalists study the role of di-erent !arts of society "social institutions - in bringing about the !atterns of shared and stable behaviour that they refer to as social order. They might study, for eam!le, how families teach children the di-erence between right and wrong, or how education !rovides !eo!le with the skills and .ualifcations needed in the world of work. (or functionilists, society is a com!le system made u! of !arts that all work together to kee! the whole system going. The economic system (work), the !olitical system, family and kinshi!, and the cultural system (education, mass media, religion and youth culture) all have their !art to !lay in maintaining a stable society from generation to generation. + ma'or function of social institutions is to socialise every individual into a system of norms and values that will guide their future behaviour and thinking. )eo!le need to be taught the core values of their society and to internalise them so that they become 'taken for granted'. /nce this is achieved everyone will be clear about his or her !lace in society and social order will be the result.