TERMS means, and then substituting
them with other goals and means.
Structural Functionalism: An
approach in sociology that views Affectivity: Refers to expressing
society as a complex system one's orientation in terms of
where parts work together to immediate gratification.
promote solidarity and stability. It Affective Neutrality: Refers to
suggests that individual renouncing immediate
institutions in society work gratification in favor of moral
together in service of the whole, interests.
with each part having a specific
task. Achievement-orientation:
Places importance on
Social Structures: Relatively performance and emphasizes
stable patterns of social behavior individual achievement.
that guide people's lives, found in
areas like families, communities, Ascription-orientation: Refers
and religious organizations. to the innate qualities of
individuals.
Social Functions: The
consequences that social Specificity (of role definition):
structures have for the operation When a role is defined in specific
of society as a whole. terms.
Social Institutions: Patterns of Diffuseness (of role
beliefs and behaviors focused on obligations): When role
meeting social needs, such as obligations extend beyond
government, education, family, defined role-expectations.
healthcare, religion, and the Systemic Equilibrium: A bias
economy. towards stability within a system.
Ritualism: Occurs when an PEOPLE
individual continues to perform
actions as prescribed by society Emile Durkheim: A French
but gives up on achieving the philosopher who observed that
goals associated with them. society consists of "building
blocks" working towards a
Retreatism: Involves the common goal. He posited that
rejection of both culturally society would disintegrate if
prescribed goals and the people ceased to agree on these
conventional means of attaining common goals.
them.
Talcott Parsons (1902-1979):
Conformity: Occurs when an An American sociologist and
individual possesses both the functionalist known for
means and the desire to achieve attempting to develop a
the cultural goals they have been comprehensive analytical model
socialized into. suitable for all types of
Rebellion: A combination of collectivities. He focused on how
rejecting societal goals and
elements of society were groups in society are equal, which
functional for social order. is not realistic.
Gabriel Almond: Claimed that Economy in Functionalism:
specific political functions exist in Functionalism highlights the
all political systems. economy's importance for society,
including the income and self-
Spencer: Referred to the parts of
fulfillment derived from work.
society, such as government,
education, family, healthcare, Political System as Key
religion, and the economy, as Components: The structural-
social institutions. functional approach views a
political system as comprising
CONCEPTS
several essential components,
Society as a Complex System: such as interest groups, political
Structural functionalism views parties, and branches of
society as an intricate system government.
where various parts interact to
The Nation-State as a Political
promote solidarity and stability.
System: For analytical purposes,
Society as an Organism: the political system is conceived
Functionalism draws an analogy as the nation-state, whose
between society and an organism, environment includes interactions
where different parts work of economic, social, and political
together cohesively. variables, both domestic and
external.
Social Structures and Their
Influence: Social structures, Interdependence of Political
which are stable patterns of social Actors: Actors within the national
behavior, are seen as giving political system (e.g., political
shape to our lives. parties, bureaucracies, the
military) are understood to affect
Importance of Social Bonds:
each other and the system as a
Strong social bonds are
whole.
considered crucial for society's
cohesion; if common goals are not Deviance as Functional: The
agreed upon, society could concept that deviance plays a role
disintegrate. in society by helping to define
boundaries between what is and
Critiques of Structural
is not acceptable behavior, thus
Functionalism: The framework
ensuring most people do not
has been criticized for assuming
engage in deviant acts.
societal "blocks" were
homogenous and always desired PRINCIPLES
the same thing, and for viewing
Agreement on Common Goals:
motivation as a zero-sum game. It
A core principle, stemming from
also neglected that groups have
Durkheim, is that society
different starting points and
functions effectively when its
motivations, and assumed all
members agree on common
goals.
Empirical Observation: The Systems Model Foundation:
method of functionalism is based Structural functionalism is built
on fieldwork and direct upon a systems model to depict
observations of societies. the political process.
Cultural Preservation of Bias Towards Stability: Structural func
Structures: Cultural traits are
seen as supporting or helping to
preserve social structures.
Bounded System Assumption:
Structural functionalism assumes
the existence of a bounded
(nation-state) system and studies
structures based on their function favor systemic equilibrium
within that system. However, this (stability), making the approach
presents conceptual difficulties conservative and preferring
due to the real-world permeability evolutionary change over radical
of nation-state boundaries. or revolutionary change.
Focus on Actual Function: The Talcott Parsons' Five Pattern
primary goal is to determine what Variables of Role-definition:
a structure actually does within a These represent five dichotomies
political system, rather than what or dilemmas that individuals
it is supposed to do. navigate in social interactions:
Universal Political Functions
(Almond's Contribution):
Gabriel Almond identified
universal political functions
existing in all systems,
categorized as:
o Input Functions: Political
socialization, political
interest articulation,
political interest
aggregation, and political o Affectivity vs. Affective
communication. Neutrality: The dilemma of
choosing between
o Output Functions: Rule-
immediate gratification and
making, rule deferring gratification for
implementation, and rule moral interests.
adjudication.
o Self-orientation vs.
o Other basic functions
Collectivity orientation:
include the conversion Deciding whether one's role
process, basic pattern is oriented towards personal
maintenance, and various interests or the interests of
capabilities (distributive, a group.
symbolic).
o Universalism vs. General Conceptual Diagram
Particularism: The issue of of Structural Functionalism:
reacting to social This diagram shows the
interactions based on interdependence of various
general norms versus organizations and institutions in
reacting based on a specific society. It demonstrates that
relationship. changes in one institution lead to
accommodations in others, which
o Achievement vs.
Ascription: The contrast
between valuing
performance and individual
achievement versus innate
qualities.
o Specificity vs.
Diffuseness: The nature of
social contracts, concerning
whether obligations are
narrowly defined or broadly
extended beyond in turn slows down overall
expectations. change.
ILLUSTRATIONS Specific Conceptual Diagram
of Deviance: This chart visually
Hometown Government
explains how deviance can be
Analogy: Used to explain how
functional for society. It depicts
different parts of society (like
that a "deviant" act leading to
municipal services) contribute
public outrage and punishment
uniquely to the overall
helps to draw a clear boundary
functioning.
between what is and is not
Circular Flow of deviant, thus serving to prevent
Money/Political Systems: most people from engaging in
Illustrates how a universally such behaviors.
accepted goal, such as education,
is integrated into the economy.