Functionalism views society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote stability and solidarity. It provides a harmonious view of how each institution fulfills needs at both the individual and societal levels. However, it is criticized for overlooking conflict and change, as well as taking a politically conservative position that sees social structures as determining people's behaviors rather than allowing for individual agency.

1. FUNCTIONALISM
For this exercise you should complete each of the following statements of strengths and
weaknesses. You will find a list of 15 words at the end that you should use to fill in the gaps
shown.
Strengths
1.This approach shows how a part of society can work at two different
levels, both fulfilling the needs of each________________and meeting
the needs of the whole______________________at the same time.
2.It provides a very__________________________view of society.
3.Functionalists show how each of the parts of society are _____________
each contributing to the__________________of the whole.
4.Functionalism allows us to examine the possible functions
of__________________which might otherwise appear to be purposeless.
5.It provides a useful focus on the importance of social structure and
social________________________ .
Weaknesses
1.Functionalism overemphasises the__________________nature of society.
2.It therefore tends to ignore the________________and________________
stressed by Marxists.
3.Similarly, functionalism fails to recognise the importance of power and
the_________________________of those who have power.
4.It takes a politically___________________position, appearing to support
the status quo.
5.Functions are assumed to exist because the institutions that provide them
exist. But an effect cannot explain a cause – therefore this explanation
is______________________ .
6.Interactionist sociologists have accused functionalism of being
too____________________seeing people as programmed and
__________________ by the social system, with little choice of action.
Missing words:
controlled
conflict
teleological
harmonious
interdependent
society
dominance
well-being
conservative
deterministic
positive
rituals
institutions
change
individual