Structural Functionalism

Structural functionalism, also known as functionalism, is a way to build a theory that thinks of society as a complex system with many parts that work together to make it more stable and supportive. People who study society are called sociologists, and they come up with different frameworks or theories to help them understand what we see every day in the world around us. Robert Merton and Herbert Spencer were two of the most important thinkers who came up with this point of view. Social functions, social structure, manifest functions, and latent functions are some of the most important concepts in functionalism. Let’s look into this a little more and look at a few examples. 

Social Structure and Functions

• Sociology’s structural-functional approach takes the notion that society is a multi-party system that needs to be stabilised and supported in order for it to function properly
• It says that social structures guide our lives, which are mostly predictable ways to act in groups. The way we live is shaped by the social structures around us, like our families, our community, and our religious groups
• And some things, like shaking hands or taking part in complicated religious ceremonies, help us structure our daily lives. Each social structure has a role in the way society works as a whole, and these roles and consequences affect how society works
• Many important things happen in a society because people learn, socialise, and are placed in groups through education

Structural-Functional Approach and Theory

The structural functional theory is sometimes called a structural functional approach or a structural functionalist perspective because it tries to explain certain things in society. This is why they are called that. So, what do sociologists say? 

• They say that social order is based on norms and values that people follow to feel like they belong to a bigger group, like society
• You should not steal from your neighbour or be rude at a dinner party are two examples of norms. Values are things that are desirable, such as integrity or honesty
• All social institutions, like schools and their structures, have an effect on people. People need social structures, and those social forces, like belonging, have an effect on how they act

Structural Functionalism and Socialisation

• All people interact with social structures, and our behaviour is shaped by how we interact with each social structure
• How to act in the bathroom and at the dinner table are two things that a child learns from their family. This is a way to get to know each other
• When the same child goes to school, they may have to change or learn new roles and norms to be able to work in that social structure. There are ways that people act and behave at home that they don’t do when they are in a bigger group of people, like at school
• This happens if there is a conflict between how a child is raised by their parents and the social norms that are required at school. The child will follow the new rules or adapt them to fit in and fit in with the larger group
• Socialisation and learning are important parts of being in a group

Social structures are made up of:

• Education
• Families
• Religion
• Government
• Media
• Economy 

Examples of Structural Functionalism

Social structures are meant to help people in society learn how to work together and connect with each other so that each person is part of a bigger community. Most people have been involved in sports at some point in their lives as parents, spectators, athletes or coaches. The structural-functionalist theory says that sports have both visible and hidden functions. 

The Manifest Functions

• Boost healthy living
• Exercise
• Teams help each other out in a way that is good for the whole
• Players all have the same goal and purpose.

There are some latent functions:

• Cheerleaders and athletes have gender-specific roles
• Class division racially and socially
• Money making

Parsons AGIL model:

Talcott Parson was an American sociologist who did a lot of important work on the theory of social action and structural functionalism. Parsons believes that it is a group of activities that help society meet its needs. He talked about four things that are important for every social system’s survival:

• Adaptation: A social system must be able to adapt to meet the needs of its environment
• Attaining Goals: A social system must set and achieve its goals
• Integration: controlling the interrelationships between all the parts is very important
• Latency: a social system needs to keep and build up a sense of motivation in the masses. This motivation comes from the fact that social norms are kept up

Parson’s conservative approach and his main works show how integration order and social stability play a big part in today’s world.

Why is Structural Functionalism criticised?

Structural Functionalism is thought to be a bad way to think about modern, advanced society. In today’s world, it has been criticised because Structural Functionalism suggests that social change is caused by changes in society’s needs. 

• Any change that happens right away is called a deviation. The Structural Functionalist point of view thinks that social reforms are inherently paradoxical
• Furthermore, the perspective doesn’t pay attention to how important individualism is to the way society works. It says that individualism is wrong on a fundamental level
• People who believe in Structural Functionalism believe that society has a system of power and that roles and positions aren’t equal

Conclusion

We have here learnt the concept of Structural Functionalism with a few examples. When we look at society through the Structural-Functionalist lens, we see that the whole structure of society is interrelated and is responsible for keeping society stable. Any sudden shift or change could cause it to stop working. Structural Functionalism, a theory that explains why things happen, has been changed and developed by many people. For some, social functionalism is important to understand social order, social differentiation, and the social evolution of society in general. On the other hand, someone like Parson believed that structure and systems should be based on the four main principles that must be met in every social setting. 

In the modern world, however, structural functionalism ideas aren’t considered very important because they don’t pay attention to how society changes, which is a big part of modern society.