Marites C.

Trajeco
Reporter

Three Major Perspectives in Sociology

Sociologists analyze social phenomena at different levels and from different perspectives. From concrete interpretations to sweeping generalizations of society and social behavior, sociologists study everything from specific events (the micro level of analysis of small social patterns) to the big picture (the macro level of analysis of large social patterns).

Sociologists today employ three primary theoretical perspectives: The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

The Functionalist Perspective The Conflict Perspective.

The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

Symbolic interactionism looks at individual and group meaning-making, focusing on human action instead of large- scale social structures.

 Symbolic interactionism has roots in phenomenology, which emphasizes the subjective meaning of reality Symbolic interactionism proposes a social theory of the self, or a looking glass self. Symbolic interactionists study meaning and communication; they tend to use qualitative methods. Symbolic interactionism has been criticized for failing to take into account large-scale macro social structures and forces.

 Phenomenology A philosophy based on the intuitive experience of phenomena, and on the premise that reality consists of objects and events as consciously perceived by conscious beings. Role theory assumes that people are primarily conformists who try to achieve the norms that accompany their roles; group members check each individuals performance to determine whether it conforms with that individuals assigned norms, and apply sanctions for misbehavior in an attempt to ensure role performance. Behaviorism an approach to psychology focusing on behavior, denying any independent significance for mind, and assuming that behavior is determined by the environment

The main principles of symbolic interactionism are:

Human beings act toward things on the basis of the meanings that things have for them These meanings arise out of social interaction Social action results from a fitting together of individual lines of action

The Looking Glass Self

There are three main components of the looking glass self: We imagine how we must appear to others We imagine the judgment of that appearance We develop our self through the judgments of others

The Functionalist Perspective

the functionalist perspective, societies are thought to function like organisms, with various social institutions working together like organs to maintain and reproduce societies. According to functionalist theories, institutions come about and persist because they play a function in society, promoting stability and integration. Functionalism has been criticized for its failure to account for social change and individual agency; some consider it conservatively biased. Functionalism has been criticized for attributing human-like needs to society.
Emile Durkheim's work is considered the foundation of functionalist theory in sociology.

social institutions In the social sciences, institutions are the structures and mechanisms of social order and cooperation governing the behavior of a set of individuals within a given human collectivity. Institutions include the family, religion, peer group, economic systems, legal systems, penal systems, language, and the media.

functionalism
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.

manifest function
the element of a behavior that is conscious and deliberate latent function

the element of a behavior that is not explicitly stated, recognized, or intended, and is thereby hidden

Functionalism The functionalist perspective attempts to explain social institutions as collective means to meet individual and social needs. It is sometimes called structural-functionalism the mechanical solidarity of primitive societies the organic solidarity organic solidarity of complex modern societies

Social Institutions Functionalists analyze social institutions in terms of the function they play. "What is the function of education for society?" A complete answer would be quite complex and require a detailed analysis of the history of education, but one obvious answer is that education prepares individuals to enter the workforce and, therefore, maintains a functioning economy. By delineating the functions of elements of society, of the social structure, we can better understand social life.

Criticism of Functionalism Functionalism has been criticized for downplaying the role of individual action, and for being unable to account for social change. Some critics also take issue with functionalism's tendency to attribute needs to society. Critics also argue that functionalism is unable to explain social change because it focuses so intently on social order and equilibrium in society.

The Conflict Perspective

Conflict theory sees society as a dynamic entity constantly undergoing change as a result of competition over scarce resources. Karl Marx Conflict theory derives from the ideas of Karl Marx. Conflict theory sees social life as a competition, and focuses on the distribution of resources, power and inequality. Unlike functionalist theory, conflict theory is better at explaining social change, and weaker at explaining social stability.

conflict theory

A social science perspective that holds that stratification is dysfunctional and harmful in society, with inequality perpetuated because it benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor.
functionalism

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 Conflict Perspective conflict perspective views social life as competition. conflict perspective, society is made up of individuals competing for limited resources. Sociologists who work from the conflict perspective study the distribution of resources, power, and inequality.

Conflict Theory and Change conflict perspective, society is constantly in conflict over resources, and that conflict drives social change.
Conflict theory, therefore, gives sociologists a framework for explaining social change, thereby addressing one of the problems with the functionalist perspective.

 Criticism of Conflict Theory conflict theory has been criticized for its focus on change and neglect of social stability. Some critics acknowledge that societies are in a constant state of change, but point out that much of the change is minor or incremental, not revolutionary.
According to the conflict perspective, inequalities in power and reward are built into all social structures. Individuals and groups who benefit from any particular structure strive to see it maintained.