Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology

Miss: Robina Yasmin

 What is a theoretical perspective?

Theoretical perspectives are the basic assumptions about

how society functions, the role of sociology, and the
application of a specific set theories in studying social life.
Examples of these basic assumptions:

• Society is a unified whole that seeks equilibrium

• Society is composed of groups competing for scare
resources
• Social life can be measured through observing daily
interactions
• Sociology should be used to enact social change
• Sociology should be value free
Three Major Perspectives:

• Structural Functionalism-society is an organic being of

interrelated parts that work together in harmony
• Conflict –society is the competition of a few groups of
people for scarce resources
• Symbolic Interactionism-Society is essentially a set of daily
interactions that are guided by symbols
Three Perspectives Visualized
Structural Functionalism
• Popularized by American sociologist Talcott Parsons in the
1940’s
• Society is a stable arrangement of parts that fit together
• Social is glued together by shared values
• Each part contributes to the overall function
• Macro-level focus
Three Major Perspectives:

Religion
Society

Judicial Education
System
Society

The
Family
Real World Application: Functionalist
Perspective and Marriage

• The traditional family structure in which the husband

was a breadwinner and the wife tended children and
did housework was ‘functional’. Men could earn more
income and women were naturally better at childcare
and thus, the traditional family structure worked.
• One function of a society's laws may be to protect
society from violence, while another is to punish
criminal behavior, while another is to preserve public
health.
The Conflict Perspective
• Originated with the German economist/historian
Karl Marx, the ‘father of communism’
• Social groups (i.e. workers and capitalists, men and
women) struggle for scarce resources and power
• Conflict is normal, stability and order are not
• Macro-level focus
Conflict Perspective Visualized

MEN WOMEN European Racial

Americans Minorities

WORKERS Management
Real World Application: Conflict Perspective and
Marriage

The male breadwinner model benefits men in

2 ways (among others):
• It reduces potential competition from
women in the labor market.
• It downplays women's contributions in
domestic work
This model demonstrates that men have
the upper hand in society
Real World Application: Conflict Perspective

Conflict theorists view the relationship between a housing

complex owner and a tenant as being based mainly
on conflict instead of balance or harmony, even though there
may be more harmony than conflict. They believe that they are
defined by getting whatever resources they can from each other.
Symbolic Interactionism

• Society is ‘played out’ through daily

interactions between people
• People interact through shared symbols
(physical ones and intangible ones like
body language) which gives meaning in
social interactions.
• All reality is based on shared subjective Herbert Blumer,
1900-1987
agreement
Real World Application: Symbolic
Interactionism
• As humans and as members of a society, we learn to
understand through our interaction with symbols,
including the letters of our language that make up
words. For example, the word "cat" does not have
meaning in and of itself.
In Conclusion….

• Questions? Thoughts? Personal observations about the

three theoretical perspectives?
• Which perspective appeals to you the most?
• Which of these perspectives believes that sociology should be
used for social change?
• Which perspective has a micro-level focus?
• Which perspective believes that society is comprised of
interlocking parts?
Thank You !!!