Marissa Reyes

Professor Alvarado

Sociology 1

3 March 2017

The Sociological Perspectives

There are three sociological perspectives that are used in our day-to-day society. There is

the Structural Functional Theory, Conflict Theory, and Symbolic Interactionist Theory. Different

sociologists use and believe in different theories to understand social relations.

First, there is the Structural Functional Theory. Theorists who contributed to this theory

are Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons, and Robert Merton. This theory is based upon individuals

coming together to create stability in a society. An example of this is schools educating people so

that those people can get a job and be able to spend money on local businesses, this then leads to

businesses paying taxes to our government which funds our schools.

Next I will be discussing the Conflict theory. Contributors to this theory are Karl Marx,

W. E. B. Du Bois, and Ida Wells-Barnett. This theory unlike the structural functional theory

includes conflicts that arise due to drive for power and wealth, inequality, etc. People fight for

resources creating a conflict in a societys stability. This theory shows how there is always a

superior and an inferior such as the relationship between a boss and the employee or a tenant and

renter.

The last theory I will be discussing is the Interactionalist theory. Unlike the other two

theories this one focuses on the micro level of society. Contributors of this theory are George

Herbert Mead, Charles Horton Cooley, Erving Goffman. This theory focuses on everyday

interactions with family, friends, and strangers. Every interaction shapes a person in a good way

or bad way. For example, a person has a bad upbringing and grows up getting into trouble and

disobeying laws.