Zusammenfassung der Ressource
AQA AS Sociology: Unit 2 Education with
Research Methods - Functionalist Perspectives
- Introduction to the education system
- In the UK free compulsory state
education started in 1870
- Although since 1833 the state made
some contribution to funding
education
- In 1880 state education was
made compulsory up to age 10
- By 1918 children had to stay at school until
age 14, and in the 1972 it was raised to 16
- By 2005 more than 75% of all 16-18 year olds were
taking part in some form of education and training
- In 2007 it was announced that
education and training would be made compulsory until the age of 18
- Higher education also expanded
- 40% of school leavers now go
on to study at this level
- The functionalist perspective
- View society as an interrelated whole
- View that every institution in society
performs one or more functions or jobs
- Assume that this helps society to run smoothly
- Look for the positives benefits and functions
that education performs for all societies
- Durkheim - education and social solidarity
- Emile Durkheim (1952) saw the main role of education
as the transmission of norms and values of society
- Education helps to unite all individuals within society,
creating a sense of belonging and commitment
- Durkheim referred to this as social solidarity, teaching individuals
about their society develops a sense of commitment to that society
- Saw schools as 'miniature societies'
- Where people learn to interact with
others and follow a fixed set of rules
- Provides preparation for later life where individuals
have to get on and follow rules/laws in society
- Durkheim also believed education helps to teach
specific skills necessary in an industrial society
- With specialist jobs (an advanced division of labour), which
could not be taught by parents, who lack specialist knowledge
- Key study = Parsons: universalistic values
- Talcott Parsons (1961) believed
education has three main functions
- It is a bridge between the family and wider society
- It socialises children into basic values in society
- Socialises them into major values in society, the belief in individual
achievement and in the value of equality of opportunity
- The exam system encourages these values because it
judges people fairly and it motivates them
- It selects people for their future roles in society
- Assesses students abilities so they can be matched to
suitable jobs, so they can contribute to society
- Before attending school, children
are socialised within the family
where particularistic standards
are used
- Where children are treated as
particular individuals
- However in society as a whole universalistic standards are usually used
- Where people are judged
according to standards that
apply to everybody
- In families status is fixed by birth,
this is ascribed status
- However in society, status is
based on merit, competition then
occurs and status is achieved
- Parsons believed that education makes the transition
from family to society as a whole by getting people
used to unversalistic values and achieved status
- Davis and Moore (1945) - education and role allocation
- Viewed education as a means of role allocation
- It shifts and sorts people according to their abilities
- So the most able gain high qualifications and can
progress to doing the most functionally important jobs
- Important jobs are more highly rewarded, causing motivation
of the talented to work hard to achieve these positions
- Education helps to ensure that competent people fulfill the
important roles in society and more motivated to work hard
- Saw education as meritocratic, where people are judged
according to their ability and effort, not their social class
- Criticisms of functionalism
- Marxists would argue that
education benefits the ruling
class
- See education as promoting the
values of powerful groups
- Hargreaves (1982) believes education promotes
competition and individualism, not shared values
- Feminists would argue that
education benefits men
- Education can be divisive because of a hierarchy of
schools and universities, can separate social classes
- Not meritocratic, research shows that class,
gender and ethnicity influence achievement
- Not only education influences labour
market, other factors such as contacts can
influence