![]() ![]() Sexual: families regulate sexual relations between individuals and offer a socially legitimate sexual outlet for adults.According to Murdock, the family included adults of both sexes at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship and one or more more children (including any adopted children), which is the traditional definition of a nuclear family. Sociologist George Murdock conducted a survey of 250 societies and determined that there are four universal residual functions of the family: sexual, reproductive, educational, and economic (Lee 1985). The family-and its members-perform certain systemic functions that facilitate the prosperity and development of society. They also examine the statuses and roles that family members take on in marriages and/or families. When considering the role of family in society, functionalists begin with the importance of families as formative social institutions that play a key role in stabilizing society. Sociologists study families on both the macro and micro level to examine this important and universal social institution. Sociologists may use a variety of theoretical perspectives to explain events that occur within and outside of the family. Theoretical Perspectives on Marriage and Family Differentiate between theoretical perspectives on marriage and family.As such, these theories guide the sociologist when examining sociological phenomena rather than providing absolute answers. Similarly, not all sociological phenomena can be explained through class conflict over resources. While each theory has merit, they also have broad application issues such as symbolic-interaction theory’s focus on individuals which overlooks vital group dynamics. This theory looks strictly at micro level forces mainly pertaining to the individual. Symbolic-Interaction theory posits that everyday interactions and individual experiences with other people and groups create the motivations for behavior and the manner in which society is constructed. Conflict theory explains social behavior in terms of macro level concepts but it can be viewed at a micro level also when looking at behavior. This class conflict also inspires people to act in certain ways towards one another such as stratifying groups in order to maintain control of resources. For example, a lack of resources such as oil creates class differences due to the fact that the class that controls the oil will control more wealth. In contrast to structural functionalism, conflict theory explains society in terms of economic factors such as scarcity of resources. social class maintains a division of labor that is needed to make society operate properly. Within this framework, one can explain concepts such as social class in terms of their function i.e. ![]() Society operates in an orderly and stable manner at a macro level. ![]() Structural functionalism is a concept founded in the idea that society attempts to create stability and order. Each of these theories explains social interaction from a different viewpoints and despite almost contradictory differences in explanation, each theory provides a logical assumption for the manner for the underlying motivations that causes society's functions either at the macro, micro, or both levels. The major theoretical perspectives in sociology include Structural Functionalism, Conflict Theory, and Symbolic Interaction Theory.
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