STRUCTURAL

UNCTIONALISM
States that society is made up of
various institutions that work
together in cooperation
Talcott
Parsons (1902-1979)
was an American
sociologist who served on the
faculty of Harvard University
from 1927 to 1973.
was one of the most
influential structural
functionalists of the 1950s.
As a functionalist, he was
concerned with how elements
of society were functional for
a society.
 Talcott
Parsons

Has four functional imperatives for

all ACTION systems, embodied in his
famous A.G.I.L scheme.
 ADAPTATION : A system must cope
with external situational exigencies. It
must adapt to its environment and adapt
environment to its needs.
 GOAL ATTAINMENT: A system must
define and achieve its primary goals.
INTEGRATION: A system must regulate
the interrelationship of its component
parts. It must also manage the
relationship among the other three
functional imperatives ( A.G.L)
LATENCY: ( pattern maintenance) A
system must furnish, maintain, and
renew both motivation of individuals
and the cultural patterns that create and
sustain the motivation.
 ADAPTATION
Handles the adaptation function by adjusting to and
ACTION
SYSTEM transforming the external world.

GOAL ATTAINMENT
By defining system goals and mobilizing resources to attain
PERSONALITY
SYSTEM them.

INTEGRATION
Copes with the integration function by controlling its
SOCIAL
SYSTEM component parts.

LATENCY
By providing actors with norms and values that motivate
CULTURAL
SYSTEM them for actions.