Activity 1

Photochat
What do you think is the function of each organ on
our body? We are all familiar with its function and importance
to our body. Can you name some?
These are also true with the functions we play in the
society.
The answer to the questions below defines
structural functionalism
1. What keeps societies together?
2. What other institutions can you consider as having
particular function in the society?
This picture depicts the concept and principle of
Marxism.
What can you say about the pyramid? Are you familiar
with the song ―Tatsulok‖ by bamboo and ―Upuan‖by Gloc-9?
Can you relate the picture with the song?
..Hangga't marami ang lugmok sa kahirapan
At ang hustisya ay para lang sa mayaman
Habang may tatsulok at sila ang nasa tuktok
Di matatapos itong gulo ♫♪
What does the song implies?
Write your insight in 3 to 5 sentences

What can you say about the symbols and the picture below?
Can you interpret the meaning of each symbol? How about the
picture, can you tell the idea it tries to convey? This an example of
Symbolic Interactionism
Write your idea in 10 sentences using the guide questions below.
1. How did you arrive to that meaning or interpretation?
2. Do you think that the meaning is different to other people?
3. Is it possible that the meaning would change over time? Why?
The major Social Science theories provides different point of view in looking into the
social world. People may have his/her own perspective or essential viewpoint about
the world. But, there are existing theories or propositions and standards intended to
respond to a question or clarify a specific phenomenon. The sociological theories
help us to clarify and foresee the social world where we live.

In this lesson, you will understand the concepts and principles of the major
Social Science theories namely: Structural-functionalism, Marxism, and Symbolic
Interactionism. Also, you will determine the manifest and latent functions as well as
dysfunctions of social structure. Analyze social inequalities in terms of class conflict
and appraise the meaning that people attach to everyday forms of interaction in
order to explain social behavior.

DISCUSSION
The macro level of the major social science theories in sociological analysis
includes the Structural-functionalism and Marxism. These two approaches
concerned with the broad aspects of society such as institutions and large social
groups that influence the social world. It looks at the big picture of society and
suggests how social problems are affected at the institutional level. On the other
hand, the Symbolic Interactionism is a micro level of sociological analysis concerned
with the social psychological dynamics of individuals interacting in small groups.

Sociology offers three major Social Science theories namely,

Structuralfunctionalism, Marxism, and Symbolic Interactionism. Each perspective
offers a variety of explanations about the social world and human behavior.

STRUCTURAL-FUNCTIONALISM

The structural functionalism depends to a great extent on the works of

Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), Emile Durkheim (1858-1917), Talcott Parsons (1902-
1979), and Robert Merton (1910-2003).
Structuralfunctionalism sees society as an arrangement of
interconnected parts that are incongruity to keep up a
condition of parity and social equilibrium. Functionalists
use the terms functional and dysfunctional to describe the
effects of social elements on society. Elements of society are
functional if they contribute to social stability and Figure 1:

Emile Durkheim

dysfunctional if they disrupt social stability. Some aspects of Emile_Durkheim in

society can be both functional and dysfunctional. For example, crime is dysfunctional
because it is associated with physical violence, loss of property, and fear. But
according to Durkheim and other functionalists, crime is also functional for society
because it leads to heightened awareness of shared moral bonds and increased social
cohesion. Another example is the human body and its parts. Our bodies consist of a
number of biological systems that carry out specific functions necessary for everyday
living. When this balance is disrupted, the body systems may not function properly,
and human health can suffer. Just as the various organs of the body work together to
keep the body functioning, the various parts of society work together to keep society
functioning (Spencer 1898).
Robert Merton (1968) has identified two types of functions: (1) Manifest
function; and (2) Latent function. The manifest functions are consequences that are
intended and commonly recognized. An example of manifest function in education is
to transmit knowledge and skills to the youth in society. While, latent functions are
consequences that are unintended and often hidden. An example of latent function
in education is the socialization with peers and adults and conformity to the norms.

MARXISM

The starting point of the conflict perspective can be

rooted with the great works of Karl Marx (1818–1883). He
proposed that all social orders experience phases of financial
turn of events. As societies evolve from agricultural to
industrial concern over meeting survival needs is replaced
by concern over making a profit, the hallmark of a capitalist
system. Industrialization prompts the improvement of twofrom: upload.wikimedia.org
Figure 2: Karl Marx
/ wikipedia/
classes of individuals: (1) the bourgeoisie or proprietors of commons/d/d4/Karl Marx 001.jpg

the methods for creation and (2) the proletariat or laborers who triumph for
compensation. The division of society into two expansive classes of individuals the
"haves" and the "havenots" is valuable to the proprietors of the methods for creation.
The laborers, who may gain just means compensation, are denied access to the
numerous assets accessible to the rich proprietors. As indicated by Marx, the
bourgeoisie utilize their capacity to control the establishments of society for their
potential benefit. For instance, Marx recommended that religion fills in as a
"sedative of the majority" in that it calms the pain and enduring related with the
average workers way of life and spotlights the laborers' consideration on other
worldliness, God, and existence in the wake of death instead of on such common
worries as day to day environments. Basically, religion redirects the laborers with
the goal that they focus on being compensated in paradise for carrying on with an
ethical life instead of on scrutinizing their misuse.

The conflict perspective sees society as made out of various gatherings and
enthusiasm seeking force and assets. The conflict perspective clarifies different
parts of our social world by seeing which gatherings have force and advantage from
a specific social game plan. Max Weber (1864-1920) added that there were also
inequalities of social structure and political power that caused struggle. He noted
that various groups were treated differently based on race, educational, and gender.
In relation to Marxist Theory the song, Tatsulok (Triangle), is quite symbolic. It
describes the social class in our society wherein only a few belongs in the top. It is
the socio-political pyramid, organized by the overhaul forces of the system that is
submissive to the foreign interest and the ruling elite. Most Filipinos can be
associated to be included in the bottom of the tatsulok. Many are poor, few belong to
the middle class, and only a handful are rich people on top who basically control
major political and social institutions in the country. In this song, they are
motivating the masses not to be complacent on their place on the society and
complain why they are always oppressed by the much more powerful class, instead
they have the power to turn the triangle around and give a fair justice they
deserved. Like what they are saying in the song, this chaos is caused by the
triangular structure of the society. And it will not end unless we ourselves, do
something about it.

Relative to this is the normative feminist view society as a male centric

culture—a various levelled arrangement of association constrained by men. In spite
of the fact that there are numerous assortments of women's activist hypothesis,
most would hold that feminism ―demands that existing economic, political, and
social structures be changed‖ (Weir and Faulkner 2004, p.xii).

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

Symbolic interactionism mirrors the miniaturized scale sociological viewpoint,

and was to a great extent affected by the works of early sociologists and scholars
such as George Simmel (1858-1918), Charles Cooley (1864-1929), George Herbert
Mead (1863-1931), and Erving Goffman (1922-1982). Symbolic Interactionism is a
theory that centered to human communication both verbal and
non-verbal and to images, symbols significance through language and the manner of
individual understanding.

The symbolic interactionism focuses on

the study of human interaction in which people
make sense of their social world through
exchange of language and symbols. The establish
meanings come from human interactions
with others and the society. These definitions
develop their views in life and use it to
communicate with each other.
Communicating with one another makes society Figure 3: Symbolic Interactionism Diagramfrom: google images goes
on and continues.

Sociologist W.I. Thomas (1966) highlighted the significance of definitions and

implications in social conduct and its outcomes. He recommended that humans react
to their meaning of a circumstance as opposed to the objective circumstance itself.
Subsequently Thomas noticed that circumstances that we characterize as genuine
becomes genuine in their outcomes. Representative interactionism additionally
proposes that our personality or feeling of self is formed by social cooperation. We
build up our self-idea by seeing how others collaborate with us and mark us. By
seeing how others see us, we see a reflection ourselves that Cooley calls the "mirror
self."