To what extent is the functionalist view of society correct?
Possible arguments for:
• the organic analogy – functionalists show that it makes sense to analyse society as a system, looking at each bit and showing the contribution it makes to the whole;
• functionalists show that social institutions generally perform positive functions – value consensus, social integration, social regulation, preventing anomie and so on;
• functionalists like Murdock and Parsons have shown that socialisation is important – individuals need to be regulated for the benefit of everyone and the integration and regulation of individuals is a good thing;
• other agencies such as education, religion and the media help to ensure social conformity e.g. the education system exists to carry out secondary socialisation into accepted norms and values;
• the family exists to ensure consensus in social roles and to establish social identity therefore ensuring social order as everyone knows their role;
• social order and consensus is maintained because there is social solidarity i.e. people share the same norms and values e.g. marriage is monogamous in MIS;
• functionalists show that we should study society scientifically and at the macro level – looking for the general laws that explain human action,
e.g. Durkheim’s study of suicide.
any other reasonable response;
Possible arguments against:
• the Marxist view – institutions don’t serve to promote consensus, only conflict e.g. the workplace maintains gross inequalities between rich and poor;
• Marxists argue that the agencies of socialisation are the ideological state apparatus of the bourgeoisie e.g. the education system promotes a hidden curriculum which is oppressive to working class people or the media distract attention from inequality and encourage the proletariat to focus their lives on trivia;
• Marxists argue that the formal agencies of social control such as the police and courts are the tools of the bourgeoisie used to repress any dissent;
• the feminist view – like Marxists they disagree that institutions promote consensus; instead they view agencies as instrumental in serving patriarchal oppression of women e.g. male domination and the dark side of the family;
• both Marxists and feminists argue that the point of theory is not simply to understand society but to change it, they thus adopt a committed political stance when studying social behaviour i.e. the point is to work for social change rather than maintaining the status quo;
• many feminists argue that the positivist macro approach of functionalists such as Durkheim is wrong – in order to understand gender inequality fully a micro, more interpretivist approach to research is needed e.g. unstructured interviews;
• unlike functionalists, interactionists emphasise a micro approach to individuals, their meanings and interactions, in order to fully understand society;
• any other reasonable response.
Band 0 [0 marks]
No creditworthy response.
Band 1 [1–4 marks]
Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of functionalism. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one- sided.
Band 2 [5–8 marks]
In this band candidates may approach the question by describing functionalist theory. There may be some basic discussion of the theory which may be weakly contrasted with a conflict theory. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess functionalism. At the top of the band, candidates may offer a description of more than one aspect of functionalism.
A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks.
Band 3 [9–12 marks]
Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of the issues inherent in the question. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well developed, focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. There will be a two-sided response but this may be unbalanced. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of points and clear focus on the question.
Band 4 [13–15 marks]
Answers in this band will be clearly focused on the question and address the ‘extent’ to which functionalism is correct. Candidates show an excellent grasp of sociological terms and knowledge. At the bottom of the band, candidates will offer a range of arguments both for and against the question but may not offer an evaluative conclusion. At the top of the band, there will also be an evaluative conclusion e.g. ‘whilst it could be argued that some aspects of functionalist theory are correct critics have always said that the theory seeks to legitimise the status quo largely ignoring aspects of society that do not fit the analogy of a society working together for the benefit of all’.