Andrew Regan
Sociology, like many other studies, is not so black and white. There are three different perspectives that come to three very different conclusions. These perspectives are the functionalist perspective, the conflict perspective and the interactionist perspective. These perspectives allow questions to be answered in different ways.
The functionalist perspective, sometimes called the systems theory or order perspective, assumes that form works well for the society, or helps to preserve the society, given its particular situation (Farley: 53). What this means is that the environment that people live in and the different elements that affect them force them to adapt. What works for one society might not work for another. A society …show more content…
Conflict theorists claim that different groups in society have conflicting self-interests due to competition over scarce resources or something that does not exist in sufficient amounts for everyone to have all that they want (Farley: 56). The two most important scarce resources that create the most conflict are money and power. For one to gain things like money or power, someone else has to lose them. This is the heart of the conflict perspective and where most of the conflict comes from. Those with money and power do not want to lose it. They would rather preserve the status quo which is the existing set of arrangements where they have their money and power and others do not (Farley: 57). These people can use their vast resources to hold on to their power and money. They can manipulate society so that it furthers their advantage. Politicians do this all of the time. They use their power and authority to acquire more power and authority. Their words carry a lot of weight and can easy turn someone toward their cause. Those with conflicting interests, usually those with less money and power, will naturally develop conflicting values. They will want their values to be the dominant group. Obviously this will lead to conflict. It is important to …show more content…
A few strengths of the functionalist perspective is that it avoids dysfunction. Society will look for stability whenever possible. Another strength is that society is much stronger when it must rely on each other. A glaring weakness of the functionalist perspective is that those on bottom will most likely stay on bottom. A strength of the conflict perspective is that it provides a better opportunity for change however there is little room for stability in society. A strength of the interactionist perspective is that it allows for more a more personal understanding. Better insight is provided since the interactionist perspective is formed by an individual’s own experience. The disadvantage of this perspective is that it harder to relate to larger social issues.
Despite the differences each sociological perspective have, they are all very important. Being able to see an issue from different views can only be beneficial and will greatly increase understanding of the issue. They provide opportunities to think critically as well help society understand the challenges it faces on a daily basis. Most importantly, these sociological perspectives help society look at the big picture and understand the consequences that a certain action might
Sociology, like many other studies, is not so black and white. There are three different perspectives that come to three very different conclusions. These perspectives are the functionalist perspective, the conflict perspective and the interactionist perspective. These perspectives allow questions to be answered in different ways.
The functionalist perspective, sometimes called the systems theory or order perspective, assumes that form works well for the society, or helps to preserve the society, given its particular situation (Farley: 53). What this means is that the environment that people live in and the different elements that affect them force them to adapt. What works for one society might not work for another. A society …show more content…
Conflict theorists claim that different groups in society have conflicting self-interests due to competition over scarce resources or something that does not exist in sufficient amounts for everyone to have all that they want (Farley: 56). The two most important scarce resources that create the most conflict are money and power. For one to gain things like money or power, someone else has to lose them. This is the heart of the conflict perspective and where most of the conflict comes from. Those with money and power do not want to lose it. They would rather preserve the status quo which is the existing set of arrangements where they have their money and power and others do not (Farley: 57). These people can use their vast resources to hold on to their power and money. They can manipulate society so that it furthers their advantage. Politicians do this all of the time. They use their power and authority to acquire more power and authority. Their words carry a lot of weight and can easy turn someone toward their cause. Those with conflicting interests, usually those with less money and power, will naturally develop conflicting values. They will want their values to be the dominant group. Obviously this will lead to conflict. It is important to …show more content…
A few strengths of the functionalist perspective is that it avoids dysfunction. Society will look for stability whenever possible. Another strength is that society is much stronger when it must rely on each other. A glaring weakness of the functionalist perspective is that those on bottom will most likely stay on bottom. A strength of the conflict perspective is that it provides a better opportunity for change however there is little room for stability in society. A strength of the interactionist perspective is that it allows for more a more personal understanding. Better insight is provided since the interactionist perspective is formed by an individual’s own experience. The disadvantage of this perspective is that it harder to relate to larger social issues.
Despite the differences each sociological perspective have, they are all very important. Being able to see an issue from different views can only be beneficial and will greatly increase understanding of the issue. They provide opportunities to think critically as well help society understand the challenges it faces on a daily basis. Most importantly, these sociological perspectives help society look at the big picture and understand the consequences that a certain action might