Aociology

STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM

Structural functionalism states that society is made up various institutes that work together in cooperation.

Parsons’ structural functionalism has 4 functional imperatives for all “action” system, embodied in his famous AGIL scheme.

1. ADAPTATION: a system must cope with external situational exigencies. It must adapt to its environment and adapt environment to its needs.

2. GOAL ATTAINMENT: a system must define and achieve its primary goals.

3. INTEGRATION: a system must regulate the interrelationship of its component parts. It must also manage the relationship among the other three functional imperatives (A,G,L).

4. LATENCY (pattern maintenance): a system must furnish, maintain, and renew both the motivation of individuals and the cultural patterns that create and sustain the motivation.

The social system copes with the integration function by controlling its component parts.

CULTURAL SYSTEM- performs the latency function by providing actors

With the norms and values that motivate them for action (Ritzel, 2000).

FUNCTIONAL REQUISITES of a SOCIAL SYSTEM

1. Social system must be structured so that they operate compatibly with other system.

2. To survive, the social system must have the requisite from other system.

3. The system must meet a significant proportion of the needs of its actors.

4. The system must elicit adequate participation from its members.

5. It must have at least a minimum of control over potentially disruptive behavior.

6. If conflict becomes sufficiency disruptive, it must be controlled.

7. Finally, a social system require a language in order to survive.

Social system begins at the micro level with interaPersonality System

Action System

Social System

Cultural System

ction between the ego and alter ego, defined as the most elementary form of the social system.

The functionalist perspective is primarily concerned with why a society assumes a particular form.

The...