The Three Types Of Sociological Theories

Sociologists use theories to understand society and the observations they have made about it. There are three types of sociological theories: symbolic interactionism, functional analysis, and conflict theory. Each theory provides a unique point of view in which to interpret society (15). According to symbolic interactionists, society relies on symbols. Symbols are the things with which we attribute value or significance, and understanding these symbols is important to understanding our perspectives, how we identify ourselves, and how we interact with one another (16). Symbolic interactionists analyze on the micro level, and mainly focus on personal communications (21). Over time, the meaning of marriage has changed. As a result, the divorce rate in the United States has risen. Symbolic interactionists would explain the rise of divorces in America to the fact that the symbols, or meanings, of marriage have changed. Marriage was once seen as a requirement, but over time people began to believe that …show more content…
Karl Marx, the creator of conflict theory, believed that in every society the few are the powerful, and the masses the powerless, inciting resentment and rebellion. This effort to understand who has power and how much power they have can be seen in the whole society, smaller communities, or even individual relationships. Conflict theorists would associate a change in gender roles to the rising divorce rates in the United States. In the past, women depended entirely on men for financial security. A wife essentially belonged to her husband- her opinions, property, and body were not her own (20). Along came industrialization and with it came paychecks for women. As women began to gain more freedom from the dominance of men, they felt they had more power and more of a choice when it came to divorcing an abusive husband or ending an unhappy marriage