Outline, Week 13, Sociology 2111

I. Functionalism: analysis of social arrangements in terms of their contribution to the overall "health" of a society

A. Even apparently negative social arrangements, if they persist, are probably contributing something needed in the larger system.

1. Durkheim on the functions of crime

2. Kingsley Davis on the functions of prostitution

B. Biological analogy... society like an organism, in which all parts contribute

C. 3 key elements:

1. Interdependence

2. "Normal" equilibrium

3. Reorganization to restore equilibrium when disturbed

 

II. Talcott Parsons

A. Background

1. Undergraduate biology major

2. Studies in London and Heidelberg: belief that he was synthesizing the best of the European heritage (especially Weber and Durkheim)

3. Chairman of Social Relations Department at Harvard

B. Analysis of society in terms of 4 systems

1. Cultural system... values... the basic integrating force in society

2. Social system... statuses and roles... includes occupational roles, but also roles like husband/wife... how these roles are defined depends on 1)

3. Personality system... people are socialized to become what is needed in 2)

4. Behavioral organism... the system of statuses and roles must also meet basic biological needs

C. Theory of action (action = behavior with motivation --- Max Weber)

The cultural system, through the socialization process, motivates us to pursue the schooling required to fill the most important roles for which we can qualify, given the needs of the social system

D. Pattern variables... for a society at a particular level of evolution, each role in the social system will require a particular combination of the pattern variables

1. Expressive vs. instrumental

2. Ascription vs. achievement

3. Affectivity vs. neutrality

4. Particularism vs. universalism

5. Collectivity vs. self

In modern society, as we move from home to school to job world, we are generally moving from the expressive, ascriptive, etc. towards the instrumental, achievement, etc... similar to Weber's theory of rationalization

E. One of the overall challenges of social science: How can we establish a science of human social behavior if individuals are free to make choices?

Parsons' answer is quite clear: we aren't really free; we are determined by our culture and the needs of the social system... we are socialized in such a way that we end up morally committed to perform the roles that are socially and culturally expected of us.

 F. What about social change? Social evolution (remember his background in biology).... competition and survival of the fittest at the societal level.

"Developing societies" need to create social systems that implement the values of achievement, universalism, self development, instrumentalism, and affective neutrality... U.S (and not the Soviet Union) clearly the model

 

III. Video: "Who Will Teach for America?"