Sociological

Sociological

TheoryTheory

PositivismPositivism

Structural-Functionalism

Structural-Functionalism

Who “

Founded”

Who “

Founded”

Soci

olo

gy?

Soci

olo

gy?

socius + logos

socius + logos study of being with others

study of being with othersTwo Major Forces

Two Major ForcesSocial Statics

Social Statics (social (social

order/stability)

order/stability)Social Dynamics

Social Dynamics (conflict/change)

(conflict/change)Two Ways To Understand the

Two Ways To Understand the WorldWorldNormativistic Knowledge

Normativistic KnowledgePositivistic Knowledge

Positivistic Knowledge

Auguste Auguste ComteComte

Str

uct

ura

l-Str

uct

ura

l-Fu

nct

ionalis

m

Funct

ionalis

m

Social FactsSocial Facts: patterns of

: patterns of

acting, thinking, and feeling

acting, thinking, and feeling

that exist outside of

that exist outside of

individuals but exert

individuals but exert socialsocial

controlcontrol over us.

over us.Key Assumption:

Key Assumption:Every system needs to

Every system needs to

achieve a state of order or

achieve a state of order or

system equilibrium

system equilibrium

((homeostasis

homeostasis). The keys to

). The keys to

this are this are organic solidarity

organic solidarity and and

moral consensus

moral consensus..

Emile Emile DurkheimDurkheim

Str

uct

ura

l-Str

uct

ura

l-Fu

nct

ionalis

m

Funct

ionalis

m

Expressive & Instrumental Variables

Expressive & Instrumental Variables

Ascription & Achievement

Ascription & Achievement: the origins of

: the origins of

qualities someone might bring to social interactions

qualities someone might bring to social interactions

or situations

or situationsAffectivity & Affective Neutrality

Affectivity & Affective Neutrality: the amount of

: the amount of

emotion or affect that is appropriate in any social

emotion or affect that is appropriate in any social

interactioninteractionDiffuseness & Specificity

Diffuseness & Specificity: the strength of ties

: the strength of ties

which create a range of obligations to other actors

which create a range of obligations to other actors

in any social interaction

in any social interaction

Particularism & Universalism

Particularism & Universalism: the reactions to

: the reactions to

others based on their relationship with us

others based on their relationship with us

Collectivity & Self-Seeking

Collectivity & Self-Seeking: the extent of self- or

: the extent of self- or

shared-interest associated with social actions

shared-interest associated with social actions

Manifest And Latent Functions

Manifest And Latent Functions

Manifest Functions

Manifest Functions are obvious and agreed upon

are obvious and agreed upon

Latent Functions

Latent Functions are not intended or easily

are not intended or easily

recognizedrecognized

T. Parsons T. Parsons and R. and R. MertonMerton