Structural Functionalism

Structural functionalism is a theory that explains why society functions the way it does and how different institutions work together in order to create a well-functioning society. This theory explains how everyone’s lives are built based around social structures and basic human behavior. The different institutions in society are: government, education, economic, family, and religion. Each one of the institutions create a different social structure, behavior, and role in society. Examples of these institutions working together to create stability and order are government and education, families and religion, and families and education. Government has a strong influence in education because the government regulates the curriculum in public …show more content…
Families typically provide basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing. They also help define and establish basic social manners and behaviors, like what to do or not to do in public, and how to treat others. Religion helps take social manners and behaviors and takes it a step deeper by establishing morality, which is the distinction between right and wrong. By including religion into the teaching of children, it creates a better understanding of what is morally wrong and morally right. For example, children who grow up in a Christian household are most likely taught the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are ten basic laws in the Old Testament that is a used a guideline for what is right and wrong. Religion also provides a place where a family can come together with other families and be able to relate and accept each other. Without religion in families, the parents or guardians have to work harder to teach their children about what is morally right and …show more content…
Most families will typically send their kids to a school when they are five or six, so they can not only get an education but learn social cues and skills. Families will typically teach their children basic social behaviors, but when children go into a social setting, they get to practice those skills. Education teaches students how to work and communicate well with others. Together, family and education helps create smart and independent people with strong work ethics and other skills that help with working in the real world. Without education in families, it causes lack of social skills and work ethics. If people have not learned how to work well with others they might struggle to keep a job and provide basic necessities in society for their families. Also, someone’s decision to further their education can usually be determined if the person has a family full of college graduates or a family that has no college