This document provides an introduction to the functionalist perspective of society. It explains that functionalism views society as a system of interconnected institutions that work together to maintain social order and solidarity. It describes how functionalists believe institutions like the family, government, economy, education and religion shape human behavior through formal and informal social control. The document gives examples of how different institutions could represent organs in the body to illustrate functionalism's view of society operating like a single organism. It outlines key concepts of functionalism and tasks for understanding and applying the functionalist perspective.

2. The aim of this session is to:
Provide you with a brief
introduction to social theory,
Namely the Functionalist
Perspective of society.

3. By the end of the session:
•You should all have a basic understanding of the Functionalist
Perspective of how society works.
•Be able to define key concepts in relation to the Functionalist
Perspective.
•Critically evaluate the Functionalist perspective of the role of
social institutions in society.

4. Functionalism is one of the main
Structuralist Perspectives
Structuralism basically means that
Functionalists believe that
Human behaviour is shaped by the
structures or social institutions
of the society to which we are born.
Social institutions, put quite simply, are
the different parts that make
up a society:
Family-The
State(Government, Police, Military)-
Economy-Education systems-Legal system-
Religion and so forth.....which mould
our behaviours & actions by using both
formal & informal methods of social
control
This theory is often criticised as it perceives
human beings as being merely ‘puppets on
a string’

5. Make a copy of the table below
Formal control Informal Control
Education System Religion
Peers Military Legal System
Family Mass Media Workforce
Decide whether each of
the social institutions in
the bottom cell of the table
are methods of formal or
informal control
For each, provide an
example of how they
control individualsSome may even sit in the
middle
and be a bit of both

6. Functionalism continued;
Because Functionalists believe that each
Social institution works together
harmoniously, to contribute to the
smooth running of society, they
Are also known as a ‘consensus’ theory.

7. An easy way to help you to visualise
& remember this perspective is to
think about society in terms of a
human body.

8. Functionalists argue that, like the human body, society has basic needs
or Functional Pre-requisites,
that must be met in order to ensure it remains healthy & survives.
For instance, the body needs oxygen, food, water, a constant blood
supply & a good diet to remain healthy, where as
Society needs Social solidarity, value consensus & a
collective conscience to ensure that people do not pull in different
Directions & cause disorder or dysfunction.

9. Consequently
Functionalists are interested in
how the family functions for the good
of Society & how it contributes to the
maintenance of social order & solidarity,
Which we will examine in more detail
Over the next few weeks.

10. The basics of Functionalism
What can you recall from our
last session in relation to the
Functionalist perspective
Or theory of society?

11. Aim of this session
•First quick concept match activity
•Then half hour maximum complete
organic analogy diagrams.
•Undertake reading & comprehension
Q’s
•Test one another on concepts

12. Key Functionalist Concepts:
Value Consensus Structuralism
Social Solidarity Social Institutions
Collective
Conscience
Organic Analogy
Consensus Informal social Control
Functional Pre-
requisites
Formal Social Control
In pairs match the concept to the correct definition

13. Your Next Task Today is:
ii) To create a large, visual representation of society, according
to the Functionalist perspective. Let your imaginations role:
You could do a 3D type representation-a textured one-a lift
the flap representation etc etc.................
The brain The state-(Government-law-police-military)
The voice box The Economy
The lungs The Family
The heart Education System
The liver Social Policy
The kidneys The Mass Media
The intestines Religion
The body itself NHS service
Think about which organ of the body represents each
social institution in your opinion

15. Make a note of Your Final Tasks
a) Think about how all the social institutions support one another
and contribute to the maintenance of a value consensus-
Social solidarity- Collective Conscience-and write
a summary of these thoughts.
B) Then think critically about what would happen to
society if 2 of its’ FUNCTIONS (say; the family & the
police force) were removed or began to malfunction
(break-down).
C) For Homework learn both the definition & the spelling
of the key concepts we have looked at in relation to
Functionalism for a test on Monday 