Preview

, Asses the Contribution of Functionalism to Our Understanding of the Role of Education.’

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
667 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
, Asses the Contribution of Functionalism to Our Understanding of the Role of Education.’
Functionalist views are based on that society is a system of interdependent parts held together by a shared culture or consensus. They believe that every part of society performs functions that help keep society running effectively. They use the example of a body to explain the way society runs as each part of our body has to work together in order for us to stay alive this is the same as society according to a functionalist. Education according to Emilie Durkheim (1903) consists of two main functions, creating social solidarity and teaching specialist skills. Social solidarity is the sense of being part of a group or society. Functionalists believe this is key to making education run accordingly as without social solidarity people would only self indulge in their own desires. Education helps to create social solidarity as it helps transmit societies culture, beliefs and values from ‘generation to generation‘keeping society running correspondingly. Schools also act in preparing children for society in real life by teaching the concepts of working together with people you do not always no. this links with working as in work you have to work coherently with people who you will not know. Specialist skills are having the necessary skills to perform their role in education to the ‘bride way’ towards working life. Education helps children prepare for this through teaching children in different a range of subjects which they will then come to specialise in the subjects they are good in which will in turn help them earn money in society in later life. Education also according to functionalists gives all children an equal opportunity to develop on their own individual talents also known as meritocracy which is achieving through your own effort. Davis and Moore (1945) argue that education sorts children into their future educational roles by sorting their ‘aptitudes’ and ‘abilities’ which also links to social solidarity as to do certain jobs you need the necessary
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Assess the contribution of functionalism to our understanding of the family
    • 607 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Assess the contribution of functionalism to our understanding of the family

    Functionalists see the family as providing many important values to society. They believe behaviour is constructed by social forces, the government and the individual is made and controlled by society therefore according to this approach every individual is a product of society. Society essentially makes the person, but not solely. Family and other contributing factors heavily shape a personality along with their actions. Also they believe society is like the human body, that if one aspect is removed such as the family, it will not function properly or at all.…

    • 607 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Assess the Claim That the Main Function of Education Is to Maintain a Value Consensus
    • 942 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Assess the Claim That the Main Function of Education Is to Maintain a Value Consensus

    Functionalists believe that education is a value consensus, which means that the majority of a society agree with this statement. For example, inadvertently, people in the UK agree that wearing clothes is a norm as is education. Education has many purposes such as secondary socialisation of children and allocation of roles, because of the meritocracy which education is also seen as.…

    • 942 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Outline and Assess the View That Vocational Education Simply Trains Workers for Exploitation.
    • 1121 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Outline and Assess the View That Vocational Education Simply Trains Workers for Exploitation.

    Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) suggested that there is a correspondence between educational institutions and the workplace- the working class will stay working class, and characteristics such as self-image, social class identification, demeanour and presentation, will be paralleled within the workplace. Bowles and Gintis also maintained that whilst in school, the teachers were formed in a hierarchical system in which older students seem to be of a higher status than those who are younger; in the workplace, not all workers will be on the same salary in the same department. The overall belief is that the whole system has made it so that the ‘hidden curriculum’ enforces social order, and it marginalises worker, making them struggle for power, and this will create a subservient pool of workers. Durkheim, would disagree along with Davis and Moore, and Parsons, who collectively state that a skilled workforce is a product, and occupational allocation can be a defining outcome of vocational education. This really drives the core values of functionalism, as it seeks to work for the benefit of a consensus society, just trying to get the people back into work and off of welfare.…

    • 1121 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    p1 Sociological perspectives finished

    • 659 Words
    • 2 Pages

    p1 Sociological perspectives finished

    Functionalism- The functionalist perspective describes society like the human body, in the sense that society as a whole has social institutions to help it run smoothly these are education, family and the law. When one of the parts fails or shuts down the rest suffer and society is not running…

    • 659 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    SOC 101
    • 1844 Words
    • 8 Pages

    SOC 101

    The Functionalist Perspective is a sociological perspective that emphasizes each part of society contributing to the survival of that society. In Sociology in Modules, they define the functionalists perspective as, “A sociological approach that emphasizes the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability (Schaefer 15).” The functionalist perspective can be compared to the human body model. Each part of the body performs specific tasks. For example, our legs allow us to walk or run and our lungs allow us to breathe. Without each and every body part, one simply cannot perform to the maximum potential. Now when a functionalist is looking at a society, they may see different social groups that contribute to a larger population.…

    • 1844 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Explain How Far Do Some Sociologists Agree That Education Benefits The Ruling Class
    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Explain How Far Do Some Sociologists Agree That Education Benefits The Ruling Class

    Functionalists claim that education is a meritocracy and that education is fair and based on equality of opportunity. They also believe that education provides an opportunity of social mobility, where the working class can move up the social class system if they work hard enough. Another function of education is that it provides child minding, therefore when the child is at school it allows both parents to work and earn…

    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    asses the veiw that education systerm exists mainly to select and prepare young people for their future work roles
    • 451 Words
    • 2 Pages

    asses the veiw that education systerm exists mainly to select and prepare young people for their future work roles

    One perspective that supports this is the functionalist view that secondary socialisation prepares children for work later on in life. They believe secondary socialisation does this as in a school environment you learn the norms and values of authority figures, for example, the teachers. Functionalists therefore believe that this can then later be applied in the work place as the norms and values are carried on however the authority figure role changes from Teacher to Boss.…

    • 451 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sociological Perspective
    • 480 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Sociological Perspective

    Firstly, functionalists believe that society is viewed as a “system of interconnected parts” that works collectively in order to sustain a sense of social balance within the world. For example, each of the social institutions is responsible for providing essential functions to society: Family is seen as accountable for “reproducing, nurturing and socialising children”, whereas education provides…

    • 480 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Examine The Different Functions Perform
    • 492 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Examine The Different Functions Perform

    Functionalist see society as an interrelated whole. To functionalists every institution in society performs one or more important functions or jobs and the sociologist has to determine what these functions are. Many functionalists look at the good things in family life, the two functionalists I am focusing on are Murdock and parsons, both of these share similar views on the family.…

    • 492 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Essay on Functionalist Views
    • 658 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Essay on Functionalist Views

    The functionalist perspectives of Emile Durkheim are, he believed that the major function of education was the transmission of societies norms and values. This would allow an advanced division of labour, which contributes to the economy. He believed in the process known as socialisation, where cultural norms condition an individual, allowing entry to modern society. The economy greatly relies on educational conditioning, and it is essential that educational achievement is well balanced in the meritoractic society, for role allocation to occur. The individual must be suitably-fitted for his or her post. From a functionalist perspective schools sieve individuals in accordance to their ability for example by tiered examinations. This process in which educational failure is seen positively, aids role allocation.…

    • 658 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Main Function Of Education Is To Maintain A Value Consensus In Society
    • 349 Words
    • 1 Page

    The Main Function Of Education Is To Maintain A Value Consensus In Society

    Functionalists also believe education is a form of secondary socialization and social solidarity. This would support the claim that the main function of education is to maintain a value consensus in society. This is because they are being taught the accepted cultural beliefs and behaviour in society at an early age, while also being taught to work as a community (working inside of your school class with some people you may not like) even though it can be hard.…

    • 349 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sociology notes
    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sociology notes

    Functionalists believe that everything in society has a function in order for it to run smoothly. They also believe that society is based on a consensus; an agreement that we are all brought up on, with certain norms and values. Functionalists specifies 3 main function of the education system these include: economic function, allocation function and as a socialising function. The education system fulfills the economic function by giving the student the qualifications and through the hidden curriculum prepares young people into their roles in society as loyal adult citizens; this links to Durkheim’s argument that the education system teaches specialist skills and knowledge. The allocation function is when schools allocate roles to pupils based on ability. Parsons argued that this allocation of positions within the school is based on a meritocracy, rewards are achieved through own efforts and abilities. The socialising function within the education system is seen as creating social solidarity, a collective conscience. Durkhiem argued: “To become attached to society, the child must feel in it something is real, alive and powerful, which dominates the person and to which he owes the best part of himself.” So school acts as a ‘miniature society’ preparing us for life in wider society.…

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Purpose of Education in Society
    • 437 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Purpose of Education in Society

    Functionalists argue that education has three broad functions. Education teaches that solidarity and skills are required by a modern industrial society. Solidarity is being together, treating people fairly and going with the norms and values of society and stop discrimination, without it there would be a state of chaos where there are no rules. In order to prepare yourself for work you need the skills provision to help achieve your goal. These may be general skills that everyone need such as literacy and numeracy or the specific skills needed for the particular occupation. As the division of labour increases in complexity and occupational roles become more specialised, increasingly longer periods in education becomes necessary.…

    • 437 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Functionalist Role Of Schools In Contemporary Society
    • 1473 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Functionalist Role Of Schools In Contemporary Society

    As Moore’s et al (2008) explains, functionalism from a functionalist’s perspective on education is having consensus perspective: it is a perspective in which one examine how the society is maintained for the common good. Such a functionalist perspective mainly puts an emphasis on the positive aspects of schools such as socialization, the learning of skills and individualistic attitudes in school. Education on the other hand is a form of learning in which knowledge, skills, and habits of a group of people are transferred from one learning generation to the next through teaching, training and research (Bourdieu 1977). Education plays a key role in society by maintaining the aspect of socializing the young into values of achievement, competition and equality of opportunity (Macionis 2008). Education provides a platform for skill accusation and role allocation in society.…

    • 1473 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Eduaction
    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Eduaction

    Functionalists see education as a way of helping to maintain stability and the smooth running of our society as they believe education teaches us the skills we will need and which are necessary for us to perform our roles appropriately in that society. Functionalists operate on the belief that education teaches us what we will need to know as we get older, sorts people into their most suitable roles according to their capabilities, which is assessed through exams and qualifications, therefore equipping us to perform different functions in that society. They believe that education through schooling transmits the message of what is normal in that society, will contribute towards socialising its students and they will learn the norms, values and culture of the society they live in . Emile Durkheim who is thought of as the main founder of functionalism said “School is a vehicle for transmitting norms and values, keeping the values consensus” (Durkheim, 1898). He believed that the labour force relied on the education system to provide us with the necessary skills and knowledge we will need for the economy. He believed that education helped to promote social solidarity and that people sharing a common history will contribute to upholding social solidarity.…

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics