Symbolic

Before reading about the Social Perspective, i would have just described it as how the society is judged and seen by others of a different society or culture. But as I learn more about Sociology I have learned that the Social Perspective is how we study society. It is the understanding of human behavior by placing it within its proper social context. The perspective examines how these contexts influences people’s lives. When you hear and think about the “sociological perspective” the question often comes up of how groups influence people, and especially how people are so influenced by their society. When you and I think of society, we often think about the types of people we are constantly around everyday, and the people we share a mutual environment with, and that is correct. Our society consist of the people who share a mutual culture and/or territory. So for example, we may be of the same area of the neighborhood, may have the same beliefs, and may have the same values as one another.

Along with the Social Perspective, comes Structural Functionalism. Social Functionalism, is a sociological theory that attempts to explain why society functions the way it does, by focusing on the relationship between the various social institutions that make up our society. For example the government, law, education,, and religion are some of the social institutions that make up our society. Every structure has a purpose and a function. If you stop and think about college, the functions of college are to educate you, and to teach you independence and responsibility.

Robert Merton used the term “functions” to refer to the beneficial consequences of peoples actions. Functions help keep a group in balance. Functions can be either latent, manifest, and or dysfunctional. A latent is an unintended consequence. For example, an unintended consequence of of college, is for there to be drop-outs, school shootings, and failures. An intended function is called a manifest. Intended...