SED 109 SOCIAL SCIENCE THEORIES AND IMPLICATIONS TO EDUCATION

Intended Learning Outcomes:

The students must be able to explain three social science theories and their implications to education.
 
THREE SOCIAL THEORIES
     Structural-Functional Theory
Herbert Spencer, the proponent of structural-functional views society as a “system of
interconnected parts each with a unique function. The parts have to work together for stability and
balance of society”. Society is compared to the human body with different functions. Just as the
human body has many parts, society has different but interrelated components such as the family, the
state, the school, the church, mass media, and economics. These must coordinate and collaborate
for society to function well. If one part of the human body does not function well, the whole body is
affected. In the same way, when one component of society does not do its part, society will not
function well. The overall health of the organism (society) depends upon the health of each structure.

               There is peace, stability, equilibrium and harmony in society if families do their part in
bringing forth children, nurturing and socializing them; if education or schools effectively transmit
knowledge, skills and values; if politics governs citizens well; if economics take care of food
production, distribution goods and services and if religion strengthens the moral fiber of the members
of the society.  Failure of one social institution to do its part means disruption of stability in society.

               In a high tech world, educational institution must teach adults the new skills to relate to the  
tech-savvy young and the world and to be more effective in the workplace. With more   women in the
workplace. With more women in the workplace, policies against sexual harassment and
discrimination were formulated. The cybercrime act of 2012 came about to address legal issues
concerning online interactions and the internet in the Philippines.

               The functionalist theory of education focuses on how education serves the need of society
through the development of skills encouraging social cohesion. The role of schools is to prepare
students for participation in the institutions of society. Education is concerned with transmission of
core values for social control. Education is concerned with socializing people by bringing together
people from different back grounds.  The functionalist theory is focused on social stability and
solidarity. Functionalists see education as a beneficial contribution to an ordered society.

               Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social
environment, even when such change may benefit them. Instead, functionalism sees active social
change as undesirable because the various parts of the society will compensate naturally for any
problems that may arise.

Purposes of Schooling according to Functionalists

1.     Intellectual purposes
2.      Political purposes
3.      Economic purposes
4.     Social purposes
 2.   Conflict Theory
               According to this theory, there are always two opposing sides in a conflict situation. People
take sides in a conflict situation. People take sides between maintaining the status quo and
introducing change then arrive at an agreement. Conflict theory welcomes conflict for that is the way
to the establishment of a new society. Conflict theorists find potential conflict between any groups
where in equality exists: racial, gender, religious, political, economic, and so on. Conflict theorists
note that unequal groups usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to compete
against one another. This constant competition between groups forms the basis for the ever-changing
nature of society. The resolution of the conflict leads to the word COMPROMISE.

How Proponents of Conflict Theory regard Education

               According to the conflict theory,/education is not truly a social benefit or opportunity as seen
by functionalists. Rather, education is a powerful means of maintaining power structures and creating
a docile work force for capitalism. The purpose of education is to maintain social inequality and to
preserve the power of those who dominate society and teach those in the working class to accept
their position as a lower class worker of society. Conflict theorists call this the “hidden curriculum”.
The “hidden curriculum” socializes young people into obedience and conformity for them to be
developed as docile workers.

               Functionalist disagree strongly. They assert that if schools teach adherence to policies,
obedience to rules, and respect for persons including authorities, punctuality and honesty, civil right it
is because they are the very principles dear to a democratic way of life. It is not because they want to
make workers remain docile, but unquestioning and subservient forever while those in power remain
in power.

3. The Symbolic Interactionist theory perspective

Three tenets of symbolic interactionist theory are:

1. An individual’s action depends on meaning. We act based on the meaning we give to

symbols. Symbols can be actions, objects or words.
2. Different people may give different meanings to the same thing.
3. Meanings change as individuals interact with one another.
Implications to Teaching
               Let us continue to teach for meaning. Let us promote and create opportunities for genuine
interaction among our students, teachers, between students and teachers. Interaction does not only
mean dealing with warm bodies. Interaction includes reading, listening, viewing. Other people’s views
and meanings are conveyed in what they have written, in speeches and lectures they have delivered.
              
Let us use positive symbols-in the form of gestures, words, actions, and appearances-to express
our trusts, belief in our students’ abilities, an affirmation of their being. In fact, our belief in our
students also has positive effect in us. We find ourselves more prepared in class, more caring, truly
professional.
              
 The symbolic interactionist perspective, also known as symbolic interactionism, directs
sociologists to consider the symbols and details of everyday life, what these  symbols mean, and how
people interact with each other.
               As term implies, symbolic interactionist theory states that people interact  with another
through symbols. Language is a predominant symbol among people. According to the symbolic
interactionist perspective, people attach meanings to symbols, and they act according to their
subjective interpretation of these symbols. Verbal conversations, in which  spoken words serve as the
predominant symbols, make this subjective interpretation especially evident. The words have a
certain meaning for the “sender” , and, during effective communication, they hopefully have the same
meaning for the “receiver”. In other terms, words are not static “things”; they  require intention and
interpretation. Conversation is an interaction of symbols between individuals who constantly interpret
the world around them. To ensure mutual understanding, the sender of the symbol and the receiver of
the symbol must give the same meaning to the symbol or run the risk of misunderstanding.

 Faulty communication can result from differences in the perception of the same events and symbols.

Weakness of Symbolic Interaction Theory

               Critics claim that symbolic interactionism neglects the macro level of social interpretation-
the “big picture”. In other words, symbolic interactionists may miss the larger issues of society by
focusing too closely on the “trees” or by restricting themselves to small or individual interactions.

               Symbolic interactionism traces its origin to Max Weber’s assertion that individuals act
according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world. However, it was the American
philosopher GEORGE H. MEAD (1863-1931) who introduced this perspective to American sociology
in the (1920s).

TAKEAWAYS
     Functionalism is a theory of society that focuses on the structures that create the society
and on how the society is able to remain stable.

     Functionalists are for stability and a state of equilibrium in society.

     To maintain this state of stability various institutions are expected to do their part.

     For the functionalists, change is necessary only when things get unstable.

     Conflict theory welcomes conflict for conflict paves way to change, to the establishment of a
new society.

     Symbolic-interactionist theory is focused on individuals who act based on meaning which is

based on the individual’s experience. These meanings are not permanent. They change over time as
the individual continues to interact with others and with symbols.