Unit 3 Theoretical Perspectives Essay
Three theoretical perspectives are functionalism, conflict theory, and the insurrectionist perspective, which help serve as a means of helping frame research. Functionalism, also known as structural functionalism, sees society as a complex network working together in balance. Those who study functionalism examin society by contemplating what each separate part of the network does to help society work in harmony. Functionalist view society as a well-functioning self-sufficient machine. The functionalism theory is very broad in that it tries to explain all the parts of human society . Functionalism serves a very important part in sociology because most sections of society have a purpose in the network. The explanation for social change is challenging for functionalist because of “The assumption
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that societies are normally in balance or harmony” (Tischler, pg.18, 2014).
Conflict theory is centred in the studies of Karl Marx and other social critics.
The theory suggest that each person or group strives to attaint the maximum benefit, and that this causes society to to alter all the time due to social inequality and social conflict. Those who believe in conflict theory think social order comes from those in power insuring lower groups are loyal to the dominant groups. People who are not compliant to being loyal to the laws and boundaries made by those in power will have forces used against them until they obey. Who benefits from certain social arrangements and how people in control stay in control and receive benefits from others is questioned often by conflict theorist. The conflict perspectives are condemned for “...concentrating too much on conflict and change and too little on what produces stability in society” (Tischler, pg.19, 2014), as well as being too ideologically based and not using much research to back up their theories. In response to this criticism, conflict theorists claim that society simply cannot be strategically analyzed, and that trying to do so causes sociologists to not realized the real causes of human
troubles.
The interactionist perspective is based on how people interpret the social world in which they take part in. This perspective is centred on an individual's behavior on a person-to-person level. Interactionists like to pick holes in thoses who believe in functionalism and conflict theory for their assumption that social processes and institutions have nothing to do with the participants themselves. Those with the interactionist perspective remind people that all of society's institutions are in fact created, kept up, and altered by people themselves interacting with one another. The interactionist George Herbert Mead came up with a “...symbolic interactionist approach that focuses on signs, gestures, shared rules, and written and spoken language” (Tischler, pg.19, 2014), to highlight how people determine and share their perspectives on social life. This approach that has been noticed the most and, presents a well-formulated theory. Mead also has a perspective called symbolic interactionism, which deals with the meaning that humans give to the behavior to themselves and those around them. Each of these paradigms can help sociologist start to think about society and it’s workings.
that societies are normally in balance or harmony” (Tischler, pg.18, 2014).
Conflict theory is centred in the studies of Karl Marx and other social critics.
The theory suggest that each person or group strives to attaint the maximum benefit, and that this causes society to to alter all the time due to social inequality and social conflict. Those who believe in conflict theory think social order comes from those in power insuring lower groups are loyal to the dominant groups. People who are not compliant to being loyal to the laws and boundaries made by those in power will have forces used against them until they obey. Who benefits from certain social arrangements and how people in control stay in control and receive benefits from others is questioned often by conflict theorist. The conflict perspectives are condemned for “...concentrating too much on conflict and change and too little on what produces stability in society” (Tischler, pg.19, 2014), as well as being too ideologically based and not using much research to back up their theories. In response to this criticism, conflict theorists claim that society simply cannot be strategically analyzed, and that trying to do so causes sociologists to not realized the real causes of human
troubles.
The interactionist perspective is based on how people interpret the social world in which they take part in. This perspective is centred on an individual's behavior on a person-to-person level. Interactionists like to pick holes in thoses who believe in functionalism and conflict theory for their assumption that social processes and institutions have nothing to do with the participants themselves. Those with the interactionist perspective remind people that all of society's institutions are in fact created, kept up, and altered by people themselves interacting with one another. The interactionist George Herbert Mead came up with a “...symbolic interactionist approach that focuses on signs, gestures, shared rules, and written and spoken language” (Tischler, pg.19, 2014), to highlight how people determine and share their perspectives on social life. This approach that has been noticed the most and, presents a well-formulated theory. Mead also has a perspective called symbolic interactionism, which deals with the meaning that humans give to the behavior to themselves and those around them. Each of these paradigms can help sociologist start to think about society and it’s workings.