90 Questions
Who is considered the first true sociological functionalist?
Herbert Spencer
According to Spencer, what analogy does he use to describe society?
Human body
What term did Spencer use to refer to a social system?
Super-organic
What did Spencer conclude about society's adaptation to selection pressures?
Society's ability to adapt depends on centralized authority
What are the three functional needs or prerequisites that produce selection pressures according to Spencer?
Regulatory, operative, and distributive
In tribal societies, which structure satisfies the three functional needs?
Kinship system
What emerges in society as a solution to the problems that arise with increasing population?
Chief or 'big man'
According to Spencer, how do the structural parts of society function?
Interdependently
What is the cyclical model of evolution proposed by Spencer?
Differentiation and increasing complication, equilibrium and disequilibrium, disintegration or dissolution
Which contemporary theorist was influenced by Spencer's work?
Talcott Parsons
According to the text, which philosopher believed that society constitutes a separate 'level' of reality, distinct from both biological and inorganic matter?
Comte
According to the text, what is the term used by Durkheim to refer to the social bonds based on common sentiments and shared moral values that are strong among members of pre-industrial societies?
Mechanical solidarity
According to the text, what is the central concern of structural functionalism?
Maintaining internal stability and cohesion of societies
According to the text, what is the network of statuses connected by associated roles called?
Social structure
According to the text, which theorist proposed that stateless, 'primitive' societies are based on an association of corporate-descent groups?
Radcliffe-Brown
According to the text, who was the 'Father of Positivism' and the first person to coin the term sociology?
Comte
According to the text, which stage of development in Comte's theory of sociology reflects the failings of a selfish human nature rather than the perfection of God?
Metaphysical stage
According to the text, what do functionalist theories primarily analyze social and cultural phenomena in terms of?
Function
According to the text, which philosopher proposed that the basic building block of society is the nuclear family, and that the clan is an outgrowth?
Bronisław Malinowski
According to the text, what do functionalist theories tend to be contrasted with?
Conflict theories
According to the text, functionalism sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation, focusing on the social structures that shape society as a whole. Functionalism addresses society as a whole in terms of the function of its constituent elements, such as norms, customs, traditions, and institutions.
The social structures that shape society as a whole
- Which analogy is commonly used to describe the parts of society in functionalism?
Organs and body
- According to Talcott Parsons, what does 'structural-functionalism' describe?
A particular stage in the methodological development of social science
- What does functionalism emphasize in terms of the social world and its individual parts?
The pre-eminence of the social world over its individual parts
- What is the function of social norms, customs, traditions, and institutions in functionalism?
To maintain social stability and solidarity
- Which scientific field has functionalism looked towards as a guide for conceptualizing social systems?
Biology
- What is the main idea behind functionalism's approach to society?
Society is a complex system with interdependent parts
- How does functionalism view social evolution?
As a mechanism of adaptation
- What is the macro-level orientation in functionalism?
A broad focus on social structures
- According to the text, what does functionalism address in society?
The function of social elements
According to the text, what is the main focus of structural functionalism?
The social structures that shape society as a whole
According to the text, what analogy does Herbert Spencer use to describe the parts of society in functionalism?
Organs
According to the text, what does functionalism address in society?
The social functions
According to the text, what is the term used to describe the social bonds based on common sentiments and shared moral values that are strong among members of pre-industrial societies?
Solidarity
According to the text, what scientific field has functionalism looked towards as a guide for conceptualizing social systems?
Biology
According to the text, what are the three functional needs or prerequisites that produce selection pressures according to Spencer?
Adaptation, stability, and solidarity
According to the text, what is the cyclical model of evolution proposed by Spencer?
Cyclical evolution
According to the text, who is considered the first true sociological functionalist?
Herbert Spencer
According to the text, what do functionalist theories tend to be contrasted with?
Conflict theories
According to the text, what is the pre-eminence of the social world over its individual parts called in functionalism?
Social solidarity
According to the text, who is considered the first true sociological functionalist?
Herbert Spencer
What did Spencer conclude about society's adaptation to selection pressures?
Society will adapt but face new selection pressures
According to the text, what is the main idea behind functionalism's approach to society?
Society is constantly facing selection pressures
What are the three functional needs or prerequisites that produce selection pressures according to Spencer?
Regulatory, operative, and distributive
According to the text, which philosopher proposed that society constitutes a separate 'level' of reality, distinct from both biological and inorganic matter?
Emile Durkheim
According to the text, what does 'structural-functionalism' describe?
The analysis of social structures and their functions
According to the text, which contemporary theorist was influenced by Spencer's work?
Talcott Parsons
According to the text, which theorist proposed that stateless, 'primitive' societies are based on an association of corporate-descent groups?
Max Weber
According to the text, what is the function of social norms, customs, traditions, and institutions in functionalism?
To maintain social order and stability
According to the text, what does functionalism address in society?
Social and cultural phenomena
According to Auguste Comte, what is the theological stage characterized by?
The belief that society expresses God's will
Which theorist proposed that complex societies are held together by 'solidarity', which refers to social bonds based on specialization and interdependence?
Émile Durkheim
According to functionalism, how are social and cultural phenomena primarily analyzed?
In terms of their function and contribution to overall social equilibrium
According to Émile Durkheim, what holds pre-industrial societies together?
Common sentiments and shared moral values
What is the main concern of structural functionalism?
Explaining the stability and internal cohesion of societies over time
Which theorist proposed that stateless, 'primitive' societies are based on an association of corporate-descent groups?
Bronisław Malinowski
According to functionalism, what is the network of statuses connected by associated roles called?
Social structure
What analogy does Spencer use to describe society?
Organism
Which scientific field has functionalism looked towards as a guide for conceptualizing social systems?
Biology
According to functionalism, what is the macro-level orientation?
Focusing on the social structures that shape society as a whole
According to the text, what did Herbert Spencer apply to society?
The theory of natural selection
According to the text, who is considered the most important functionalist among positivist theorists?
Émile Durkheim
According to the text, what is the evolutionary model proposed by Spencer?
Cyclical
According to the text, what are the three functional needs recognized by Spencer?
Regulatory, operative, and distributive
According to the text, what is the dominant structure that satisfies the functional needs in tribal societies?
Kinship system
According to the text, what does Spencer propose as the solution to societal problems?
Differentiation of structures
According to the text, what is the main focus of Talcott Parsons' early work 'The Structure of Social Action'?
Social systems
According to the text, what is the term used by Spencer to refer to a social system?
Super-organic
According to the text, what is the term used by Spencer to refer to the stage of disintegration or dissolution in the evolutionary model?
Disequilibrium
According to the text, what is the term used by Spencer to refer to the selection pressures faced by society?
Internal and external pressures
According to the text, which sociological theory sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability?
Structural functionalism
According to the text, what is the main focus of structural functionalism?
Macro-level social structures
According to the text, what analogy does Herbert Spencer use to describe the parts of society in functionalism?
Organs
According to the text, what does functionalism emphasize in terms of the social world and its individual parts?
The pre-eminence of the social world
According to Talcott Parsons, what does 'structural-functionalism' describe?
A particular stage in the methodological development of social science
According to the text, what is the term used by Durkheim to refer to the social bonds based on common sentiments and shared moral values that are strong among members of pre-industrial societies?
Mechanical solidarity
According to the text, what is the main idea behind functionalism's approach to society?
Society is a complex system with interdependent parts
According to the text, who is considered the first true sociological functionalist?
Herbert Spencer
According to the text, what is the function of social norms, customs, traditions, and institutions in functionalism?
To regulate individual behavior
According to the text, what does functionalism address in society?
The function of social structures
According to Auguste Comte, what is the theological stage characterized by?
The belief that society expresses God's will
What is the cyclical model of evolution proposed by Spencer?
Society evolves in a cycle of progress and decline
According to the text, what does functionalism emphasize in terms of the social world and its individual parts?
Cohesive systems
Which scientific field has functionalism looked towards as a guide for conceptualizing social systems?
Biology
According to the text, what is the pre-eminence of the social world over its individual parts called in functionalism?
Structural-functionalism
What emerges in society as a solution to the problems that arise with increasing population?
Specialization and interdependence
Which theorist proposed that stateless, 'primitive' societies are based on an association of corporate-descent groups?
Radcliffe-Brown
According to the text, what is the central concern of structural functionalism?
Explaining the stability and internal cohesion of societies
According to the text, what is the term used by Durkheim to refer to the social bonds based on common sentiments and shared moral values that are strong among members of pre-industrial societies?
Mechanical solidarity
What is the main idea behind functionalism's approach to society?
Society is a complex system with parts that work together for social equilibrium
Study Notes
Herbert Spencer and Functionalism
- Herbert Spencer is considered the first true sociological functionalist.
- He uses an analogy to describe society as an organism, with various parts working together like organs in a biological organism.
- Spencer refers to a social system as a "super-organic" entity.
- He concludes that society adapts to selection pressures through a process of natural selection.
Functional Needs and Social Evolution
- According to Spencer, there are three functional needs or prerequisites that produce selection pressures: nutrition, reproduction, and regulation.
- In tribal societies, the tribe satisfies these functional needs.
- As population increases, social structures emerge as a solution to the problems that arise.
Functionalism
- Functionalism is a sociological theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.
- It looks at society through a macro-level orientation, focusing on social structures that shape society as a whole.
- Functionalism emphasizes the pre-eminence of the social world over its individual parts.
Key Concepts and Theorists
- Émile Durkheim proposed that society constitutes a separate 'level' of reality, distinct from both biological and inorganic matter.
- Durkheim referred to social bonds based on common sentiments and shared moral values in pre-industrial societies as "mechanical solidarity".
- Talcott Parsons, a contemporary theorist, was influenced by Spencer's work.
- Auguste Comte, the "Father of Positivism", coined the term sociology and proposed a cyclical model of evolution.
- Herbert Spencer proposed a cyclical model of evolution, where society adapts to selection pressures through natural selection.
Structural Functionalism
- Structural functionalism focuses on the social structures that shape society as a whole.
- It addresses society as a whole in terms of the function of its constituent elements, such as norms, customs, traditions, and institutions.
- This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation.
Analogies and Models
- Herbert Spencer uses an organismic analogy to describe society.
- Functionalism draws on biology as a guide for conceptualizing social systems.
- Spencer's cyclical model of evolution proposes that societies evolve through adaptation to selection pressures.
Test your knowledge on structural functionalism, a theoretical framework that views society as a complex system promoting solidarity and stability. Explore its macro-level orientation and its belief in society's evolution like organisms.
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