Sociological
Sociological
TheoryTheory
PositivismPositivism
Structural-Functionalism
Structural-Functionalism
Who “
Founded”
Who “
Founded”
Soci
olo
gy?
Soci
olo
gy?
socius + logos
socius + logos study of being with others
study of being with othersTwo Major Forces
Two Major ForcesSocial Statics
Social Statics (social (social
order/stability)
order/stability)Social Dynamics
Social Dynamics (conflict/change)
(conflict/change)Two Ways To Understand the
Two Ways To Understand the WorldWorldNormativistic Knowledge
Normativistic KnowledgePositivistic Knowledge
Positivistic Knowledge
Auguste Auguste ComteComte
Str
uct
ura
l-Str
uct
ura
l-Fu
nct
ionalis
m
Funct
ionalis
m
Social FactsSocial Facts: patterns of
: patterns of
acting, thinking, and feeling
acting, thinking, and feeling
that exist outside of
that exist outside of
individuals but exert
individuals but exert socialsocial
controlcontrol over us.
over us.Key Assumption:
Key Assumption:Every system needs to
Every system needs to
achieve a state of order or
achieve a state of order or
system equilibrium
system equilibrium
((homeostasis
homeostasis). The keys to
). The keys to
this are this are organic solidarity
organic solidarity and and
moral consensus
moral consensus..
Emile Emile DurkheimDurkheim
Str
uct
ura
l-Str
uct
ura
l-Fu
nct
ionalis
m
Funct
ionalis
m
Expressive & Instrumental Variables
Expressive & Instrumental Variables
Ascription & Achievement
Ascription & Achievement: the origins of
: the origins of
qualities someone might bring to social interactions
qualities someone might bring to social interactions
or situations
or situationsAffectivity & Affective Neutrality
Affectivity & Affective Neutrality: the amount of
: the amount of
emotion or affect that is appropriate in any social
emotion or affect that is appropriate in any social
interactioninteractionDiffuseness & Specificity
Diffuseness & Specificity: the strength of ties
: the strength of ties
which create a range of obligations to other actors
which create a range of obligations to other actors
in any social interaction
in any social interaction
Particularism & Universalism
Particularism & Universalism: the reactions to
: the reactions to
others based on their relationship with us
others based on their relationship with us
Collectivity & Self-Seeking
Collectivity & Self-Seeking: the extent of self- or
: the extent of self- or
shared-interest associated with social actions
shared-interest associated with social actions
Manifest And Latent Functions
Manifest And Latent Functions
Manifest Functions
Manifest Functions are obvious and agreed upon
are obvious and agreed upon
Latent Functions
Latent Functions are not intended or easily
are not intended or easily
recognizedrecognized
T. Parsons T. Parsons and R. and R. MertonMerton