CHAPTER 3: education serves the need of
society through the development of
Social Science Theories
and Their Implications
to Education
Three Social Theories
1. Structural-Functional
Theory
-Herbert Spencer, the
proponent of structural-functional
vies society as “A system of
interconnected parts each w/ a
unique function. The parts have to
work together for stability and
balance of society.”
-Just as human body,
society also 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.
-Failure of one social
institution to do its part means
disruption of stability in society.
For example: The rise of single
parent and dual earner families
means families have less time or
sometimes no more time left for the
supervision of children in their
homework w/c may result to an
increase of non-performing
students in school.
-The functionalist theory
of education focuses on how
skills encouraging social cohesion.
The role of school is to prepare
students for participation in the
institutions of society.
-Functionalist 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 society will
compensate naturally for any
problems that may arise.
Purposes of Schooling
according to Functionalists
The purposes of schooling
according to the functionalist theory
are:
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 between maintaining the
status quo and introducing change
then arrive at an arrangement.
-Conflict theorists find
potential conflict b/w any groups
where inequality exist: 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 forms the basis for the
ever changing nature of society.
How proponents of Conflict
Theory Regard Education
-According to the conflict
theory, education is not truly a
social benefit or opportunity as
seen by the 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 theorist 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, respect for people including
authorities, punctuality and
honesty, civil right it is because
they are very principles dear to a
democratic way of life. It is not
because they want to make the
workers remain docile,
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
meaning we give symbols.
Symbols can be actions, objects or
words. If a student understands
that teacher believes in his ability,
he tries his best to prove that he is
able. If the teacher does otherwise,
a student tends to behave in
accordance w/ teacher’s poor
perception.
2.) Different people may give
different meanings to the same
thing
- When teachers are
strict, some students see it as an
expression of care. Others may
rebel because they perceive
teacher’s behaviour as limiting their
moves and desires.
3.) Meanings change as individuals
interact with one another
-After you have taught
well, your first impression of
teaching as boring is changed to
teaching is exciting.
Implications to Teaching
 -The Symbolic
Interactionist Perspective, also
known as Symbolic
Interactionism, directs sociologists
to consider the symbols and details
of everyday life, what these
symbols means, and how people
interact w/ each other.
-As the term implies,
symbolic interactionist theory states
that people interact with one
another through symbols.
Language is the predominant
symbol among people.
-According to symbolic
interactionist perspective, people
attach meaning to symbols, and
then they act according to their
subjective interpretation of these
symbols.
-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 society will
compensate naturally for any
problems that may arise.
-Verbal conversations, in w/c
spoken words serves 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 b/w
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.
Weakness of Symbolic
Interaction Theory
-Critics claim that symbolic
interactionism neglects the macro
level of social interpretation – the
“big picture.” In other words,
symbolic interactionist 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 origins 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. Head
(1863-1931) who introduced this
perspective to American sociology
in the 1920’.