Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Sociology - Theories
- Functionalism
- Sees society as a greater
than a sum of its component
parts
- All component parts "function" together in an agreed way
to produce something greater than all of them added
together
- "Parts" refers to objects, ideas, norms,
structures, institutions, values, beliefs
- Altering one function affects the whole
- Other parts may adapt to compensate for any dysfunction
- Strengths - "Positive" out look
- Weaknesses - Tends to ignore
social change, out of date/old
fashioned, neglects to look at
causes of social problems
- Feminism
- Argues that society should be studied from a "gender" base
- Society is made up of gender roles
- Humans are socialised into
gender roles from birth
- Focuses on the subordinate role of
women
- Subordinate: Lower in rank or position
- Advocates equality for both genders
- Biological differences are natural BUT gender
differences are socially constructed
- Women are socialised into weaker positions
- Interactionism
- Contrasts structural approaches
- Emphasises the
impact of "the
individual"
- Focuses on interpreting
meanings which people
give to social actions
- The influences of society is denied but acknowledged as something which is changeable via action or perspective of an individual
- Symbols are the foundations on which interactions are built
- Interpretation of the symbol is
important in order to understand the
social behaviour
- Conflict Theory
- Sees society composed of opposing groups
- Conflicting for share of (scarce)
recsources
- Dominant group emerges
- Dominant group sets the agenda as it has POWER
- Society is held together by
coerced/control/constraint inforced by dominant groups
- THEORIES EXPLAINED
- Explain behaviours of peoples in groups
- Explain aspects of society from different perspectives