This document provides an overview of several key social theories: functionalism, conflict theory, social constructionism, symbolic interactionism, rational choice theory, exchange theory, and feminist theory. Functionalism views society as a system of interconnected parts that work together to maintain stability and equilibrium. Conflict theory sees social change as driven by conflict between groups with opposing interests. Social constructionism examines how social meanings and realities are constructed through social processes and interactions. Symbolic interactionism focuses on how people interpret and act based on shared symbols and meanings developed through social interaction. Rational choice theory views human behavior as rational decisions aimed at maximizing personal gains. Exchange theory applies rational choice to social relationships, viewing them as based on rewards and punishments. Feminist

1. Social Theories
Resource person
Javeria Nazeer

2. There is a huge and deep relations
between sociology and mass
communication.
Sociology is the study of the development,
structure, and functioning of human
society. Whereas Mass Communication is
the study of how people exchange
information through mass media to large
segments of the population at the same
time.

3. Social Theories
 Functionalism
 Conflict Theory
 Social Constructionism
 Symbolic Interactionism
 Rational Choice Theory
 Exchange Theory
 Feminist Theory

4. Functionalism
Looks for stability and equilibrium in society
 August Comte
 1798-1857
 Father of sociology
 Evolutionist
 Positivist
 Invented the term “Sociology”
 The science about society ”Social
Physics”
 Herbert Spencer
 1820- 1903
 Englishman
 Evolutionist-Survival of the fittest
 Optimist

5. Functionalism
 Emile Durkheim
 1858-1917
 Frenchman
 Evolutionist
 Division of Labour
 Statistics applied in sociology

6. Functionalism
 Society is a combination of different parts/institutions such as:
Family, Religion, Economy and educational system
 These institutions secure the evolution and growth of society
 Society is:
• Well planned uniformity
• Stability and equilibrium between different parts
• Consensus of the main values
• Every institution has a function which helps society to remain stable

7. Functionalism
 Equilibrium in society (integration among brick stones of society)
 Two parts:
• Organizations
• Social facts
 One part depends on the other part to meet the equilibrium
 Functions
• Manifest(recognized and intended). Consequences of institutionalization
• Latent(Not recognized, indirect effect on society). Unintended consequences

8. Questions of functionalism
 What holds a society together?
 How it remain stable even when traditions disappear and customs changes?
• small societies held together by similarities__________ self-sufficient individuals
• large societies are inter-dependent_______ factor is population growth

9. Conflict Theory
Looks at how society changes
 Karl Marx
 1818-1883
 German Revolutionist
 Philosopher
 Sociologist
 economist

10. Conflict Theory
 How society changes and adapt over time through conflict?
 Polarization due to different opinion groups.
 Accept a point of agreement or tear society apart
 Class struggle of 19th century Europe
 Conflict creates new society
 In every society, there are conflicts; conflict is the driving force of social change
 Conflicts can be of interests but not just violence, tension or disagreement
 Conflict theory does a wonderful job of modelling the often drastic change that
occur in society

11. Social constructionism
Discovers how things are given value
 Rooted from Berger and Luckman's book The Social Construction of Reality
published in 1966.
 It looks at what a society is rather than how it exists or changes.
 According to this theory everything is created from the mind of the society
 Knowledge and many aspects around us are not real in themselves
 There is a social Agreement on meanings and value of things or concepts among
members of society.
 Members of society construct the world around them.
 Does not consider the facts of natural phenomenon on society

12. Social constructionism
Two threads
Weak
 Social constructs
 Depends on brute(basic and
fundamental) facts
Strong
 Depends on language and social
habits
 No brute facts

13. Symbolic interactionism
Learning how people interact
 George Herbert Mead
 1880-1949
 Human Behavior
 Socialization in society

14. Symbolic interactionism
 Focus on individuals than society as a whole.
 Human behavior develops according to their experience, interactions and learning
 Behaviors are based on the idea the meanings people give to things
 The people are created by their society
 People modify their behaviors by given meanings to things and situations in the
past
 Not everyone gives same meaning to everything
 Meanings change over time
 People interact with the world to give it meaning
 Small scale view of society

15. Rational Choice Theory
 Center on economics
 People are motivated by money or what is best for them in their actions
 Actions are shaped by their desire for more for something good
 Assumption: Everything people do is based on rational
 Rational means a person is acting as they were weighing the cost and benefits of
possible actions so they can maximize their personal gain.
 Rational is a series or pattern of choices
 People are derived by personal desires and motivated by personal goals.

16. Rational Choice Theory
 Three Main Assumptions
1. Completeness
2. Transitivity
3. Independence of relevant alternatives

17. Exchange Theory
 Its an Application of rational choice theory to social interaction
 It looks at society as a series of interactions between individuals and is use to study
Family, work and parenting relationships
 It looks relationships on the basis of rewards and punishments
 Rewards: Social approvals, recognition, money, gifts, positive gestures
 Punishments: Social disapprovals, humiliations, negative gestures
 Behaviors after rewards are likely to be repeated

18. Exchange Theory
 Questions and critique
 If its only about reward or punishment then what about such activities that don’t
reward
 The more reward is available , less it will be valued
 Human behavior is not just about rewards and punishments according to conflict
theory

19. Feminist Theory
 A macro perspective Theory
 It developed from the social movement feminism, originating from conflict
perspective, by focusing on the stratification and inequalities in society.
 It examines women's social roles and experience in a variety of fields, like education
and family, and the workforce.
 Feminist theory looks beyond the more common male-based perspective to focus
on the gender inequalities in society.
 feminist theory sheds light on the gender inequalities that permeate our everyday
life.

20. Feminist Theory
 It focuses on:
 Discrimination
 Objectification
 Oppression
 Stereotyping

21. Feminist Theory
 Types of Feminist Theory
 Radical feminism
 Socialist feminism
 Cultural feminism
 Liberal Feminism

22. Feminist Theory
 Radical Feminism
 Radical feminism is a movement that believes sexism is so deeply rooted in society
that the only cure is to eliminate the concept of gender completely.
 According to them traditional family structure should be rejected
 The most extreme form of feminism.

23. Feminist Theory
 Socialist Feminism
 Socialist feminism is a movement that calls for an end to capitalism through a
socialist reformation of our economy.
 socialist feminism focuses on economics and politics.
 Slightly less extreme but calls for major social change
 They thought that difference between men and women is because of capitalism

24. Feminist Theory
 Cultural feminism
 Cultural feminism is a movement that points out how modern society is hurt by
encouraging masculine behavior, but society would benefit by encouraging
feminine behavior instead.
 Cultural feminism is basically is a shift from radical feminism
 It is also a feminist theory of difference that praises the positive aspect of women.
As radical feminism died out as a movement, cultural feminism got rolling.

25. Feminist Theory
 Liberal Feminism
 Liberal feminism is a movement which focuses on women's ability to maintain their
equality through their own actions and choices.
 Its emphasis is on making the legal and political rights of women equal to men.

26. Questions
 Can someone make benefit of the situation at the expense of someone else?(
conflict Theory)
 Mention all main parts/institutions which you believe are the brick stones of
society. How do these parts work together in creating societies equilibrium?
(Functionalism theory)