Biography Of Robert Merton 's Theory And Methodology

Functionalists see the big picture; they see how society makes laws, how it works together, and how it keeps social peace. Functionalists also see a society issue as a positive thing, because they focus on how society can benefit from the problem. According to Robert Merton (1957), the structure of a society can have a positive impact and a negative impact. (Leon-Guerrero, A. (2014). Social Problems: Community, Policy, and Social Action.

The Functionalist theory emphasizes the contributions (functions) that all parts of society (e.g., social institutions) make within society. This theory has contributed to sociology by providing a view “which emphasizes the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain stability.” (Schafer 2013, pg13)

Sociologist Robert Merton (1957) divides human functions into two types. They are manifest functions and latent functions. Manifest functions are intended and the obvious consequences of activities. Latent functions are the unintended, sometimes unrecognized, consequences of actions. The manifest function of going to church is to worship as part of a religious community, but its latent function may be to meet people.

According to the authors of Introduction to Sociology, through the writings of Robert K. Merton functionalism became well-known in sociology. (Giddens, Duneier, Appelbaum, Carr, 2013). Merton work on manifest and latent function was very significant. According to Merton, manifest function are the actions that are intended and recognized by the participants of a social activity. For instance, my decision to eat fast food would be considered a manifest function. Since it was an intended decision. However, the Latent Functions are the unaware consequences of that social activity. To further explain, the latent function of eating fast food are it can leads to increase in fast food industries, increase employment rate, as well as health problems.

This essay will compare and contrast and contrast two leading sociological theories: Marxism and Functionalism. Marxists predominantly believe that within society inequality and prejudice are rife, whereas Functionalists live under the impression that society operates in a state of social equilibrium wherein class and social status are necessities which we allow to transpire. This essay will explore the different viewpoints each theories take on subjects such as religion, community, family and education.

Functionalism is a macro theory, which is based on society as a whole, rather than just that of the individual. It is argued that functionalism generates many things for society. Religion, from a functionalist point of view, socialises people, teaching them norms and values of society, which are the basis for social unity. Religion further is a structure within functionalism which aids in influencing individuals lives. Functionalism claims that social solidarity, the uniting of people in society is an important part of maintaining social order, which is a functional pre-requisite for society to survive. In addition, Functionalists use the term, ‘Organic Analogy’,

The manifest function is an open, stated, and conscious function which involves the intended, recognized consequences of an aspect of society. Something that can be seen. While the latent function is an unconscious and or unintended functions that may reflect hidden purposes of an institution, as said by Robert Merton in 1968. The manifest function of the American High schools is to educate its students. To provide all the resources we need to be able to go out to the real World and land a great job, and become very

Structural Functionalism is a paradigm based on the assumption that society is a unified whole that functions because of the contributions of its separate structures (Ferris and Stein

According to Naiman (2012), functionalism is a sociological framework that compares society to an organism with interrelated and important parts that lead to the collective entity of society. Each element is considered to have an equally important function within society that ensures its survival (Naiman, 2012). In order to do so, all of the interconnected parts of society must work together in harmony (Naiman, 2012). However, it is also important to note that while certain functional elements within society, such as war, can be beneficial they are by no means inevitable or ideal to the individuals within the society (Naiman, 2012).

Functionalism developed out of the positivist observation that 'all positive speculations owe their first origin to the occupations of practical life' (Comte, 1865, pg 11) and the boundaries of scientific knowledge can not go further than empirically observable truths and views societies as holistic systems where 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts' (Taylor et el, 1997, pg 662). Functionalist analysis draws on three assumptions essentially seeking to transform society into a theoretical system of reality. The first assumption is that there are zero independent parts operating within

Sociology studies the various relationships and functioning in the human society using different perspectives. One of them is the functionalism perspective. This viewpoint argues that all social institutions in the society are

Structural Functionalism is “A major sociological perspective that views society as an interdependent system of parts (structures) and purposes (functions) that work together to make a society operate (Larkin, 2015)”. In order for a society to work all parts of the same society must work together. In structural functionalism society nearly depends on one another to stay afloat. If Something changes it can causes a disruption in society and begins to make things become unbalanced. Functionalism focuses on many groups that make up society, for example Government, Judiciary, and religion are some of the key groups that benefits in society strengthening their social relationships and the very world humans live in.

Sociology uses three different perspectives, or theories, when looking at human issues. These three theories are known as functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interaction. Functionalism is considered a macro theory and has two different models. The focus will be on Merton’s model of functionalism, which has three parts to it. Conflict theory is also, a macro theory that views society as a place of inequality between two groups. It looks at five inequalities, which are economic, gender, racial, age, and sexual orientation inequalities. The last theory is symbolic interaction and it is the only micro theory. It is a way to analyze how people’s behavior define themselves and the people they interact with. Abortion is the issue that

Functionalist theory is one of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology. It can be argued that the functionalist theory has made a significant contribution to the study of society. It originates from the work of Emile Durkheim who suggests that social order is possible and society remains stable due to the functioning of several institutions. Everything has a specific function in society and society will always function in harmony. The main institutions studied by functionalism are the family, the education system, religion and crime and deviance.

Merton’s ideas are often compared to Parson’s as it was Parson’s ideas of action theory that broadened Merton’s own appreciation of the flaws of functionalism. “although much impressed by Parsons as a master-builder of sociological theory, I found myself departing from his mode of theorizing (as well as his mode of exposition)” (Calhou, 2003.) It is the idea of functionalism as outdated that is discussed by Robert Merton in his collection of essays Social theory and Social structures in 1949.