WhatIsStructuralFunctionalism?

Structuralfunctionalism,orsimplyfunctionalism,isaframework
forbuildingtheorythatseessocietyasacomplexsystemwhose
partsworktogethertopromotesolidarityandstability.Two
theorists,HerbertSpencerandRobertMerton,weremajor
contributorstothisperspective.Importantconceptsin
functionalismincludesocialstructure,socialfunctions,manifest
functions,andlatentfunctions.Let'sexaminethisperspective
deeperandtakealookatafe

SocialStructureandSocialFunctions

Thestructuralfunctionalapproachisaperspectiveinsociology
thatseessocietyasacomplexsystemwhosepartsworktogetherto
promotesolidarityandstability.Itassertsthatourlivesareguided
bysocialstructures,whicharerelativelystablepatternsofsocial
behavior.Socialstructuresgiveshapetoourlivesforexample,in
families,thecommunity,andthroughreligiousorganizations.And
certainrituals,suchasahandshakeorcomplexreligious
ceremonies,givestructuretooureverydaylives.Eachsocial
structurehassocialfunctions,orconsequencesfortheoperationof
societyasawhole.Education,forexample,hasseveralimportant
functionsinasociety,suchassocialization,learning,andsocial
placement.wexamples.