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| Question | Answer |
| Functionalism is a what scale aproach, this means? | Macro, looking at society on a large scale. Meaning society is a social system consisting of independent and interrelated parts. |
| What kind of aproach does Functionalism take ? | Structural, society is a powerful force and acts as a whole. |
| What is the biological analogy? | The biological analogy suggests society is like a living organism. Change in one area changes others. Diseased parts will contaminate others. |
| What are the 4 subsystems that meed societies needs suggested by Parsons? | Economic Political Kinship Culture |
| What is mecanical solidarity ? | Durkheim- Traditional society with little devision of labour, members all similar. Strong collective conscience bound them together tightly. (no individuals in the modern sense) |
| What is organic solidarity? | Durkheim- Modern society with a complex devision of labour. This promotes differences between groups and weakens social solidarity. |
| What is anomie and how does it arise? | Durkheim- Anomie is created by rapid change within society. This weakend old norms without creating new ones leaving society in anomie - Normlessness. Threatening social cohesion. |
| In what 3 ways does Parsons say society is similar to a biological system? | System - Both are self-regulating and have inter-related independant parts. functional prerequisites - Basic needs, all societies need norms and values ect. Functions - Function of any part of a system is to benefit it as a whole. |
| How does Merton criticsise Parsons' anaylasis of the organic analogy? | Merton argues that it is possible for parts of society to be dysfunctional and have harmful effects. |
| What is Value consesnsus? | Parsons- Social order which is achieved through a central value system or shared culture. A set of norms and values shared by mebers of a society. The glue that holds society together. |
| Suggested by Parsons, what are the two mechanisms of the social system that ensure individuals conform to shared norms and values ? | Socialisation - through institutions such as the family. Internalises the systems norms and values so society becomes part of their personality structure. Social Control - reward conformity and punish deviance. |
| Socialisation and social contol ensure individuals are orientated towards meeting society's shared goals. | By following social norms individuals norms will be PREDICTABLE and STABLE enabling cooperation. |
| What is social change? | Social change is the gradual, evolutionary process of increasing complexity. |
| What was the single institution within traditional society? | Kinship, this performed many functions such as political leadership, socialisation, and religious functions. As society develops this is lost to things like political parties, school .etc |
| Define structural differentiation. | A gradual process in which seperate functionally specialised institutions develop, each meeting different needs. This occurs through moving equilibrium. A change occurs one place and compensation change in another part. |
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