Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
functionalist perspective - Coggle Diagram
functionalist perspective
members of society share a set of norms and values- produces social order, two key mechanisms
socialisation-
instils culture into its members and ensures that individuals internalise the value consensus
social control-
includes the mechanisms of positive sanctions and negative sanctions to ensure that individuals behave in the way society expects
functionalists such as Durkheim- ague that crime and
deviance is inevitable and universal
not everyone is socialised into the shared norms and values
in a complex, modern society there is a diversity of lifestyle and and values. subcultures occur with their own norms and values, may be viewed as deviant by mainstream culture.
too much or too little = dysfunctional
too little crime-
society of saints,
no innovation or positive social change
too much crime- lead to
anomie
- state of normlessness
crime is functional for society at an optimum level- contributes to
the maintenance of social order
reinforces their commitment to the shared norms and value
s- unites members of society in disapproval of the deviant behaviour
when we see offenders being punished for their crimes, it reminds members
what could happen if they break the rules
innovative social change
- Mandela, rosa parks, Jesus
safety valve-
prostitution and pronography can provide a safety valve for releasing tension without threatening family
may be a
warning sign an institution Is not functioning properly-
used to identity emerging social problems which can be dealt with, street crime, riots.
management of deviance-
societies sometimes manage and regulate deviance rather than seek to eliminate entirely, for example festivals allow controlled misbehaviour to deal with strain of transition from child to adulthood
EVALUATION
functionalists fail to explain why some individuals chose to commit criminal or deviant acts- marxist argue that functionalist fail to acknowledge that laws and norms reflect interest of bourgeoisie
some people would question the view that crime can be functional, for example 9/11 functional for who?
STRAIN THEORY
functionalist belief that members of society are socialised into accepting the shared goals of society and the acceptable means of achieving them. he argued that many members of society do not have opportunities to achieve shared goals.
American dream- values money success and the high status that goes with it- expected to achieve this through legitimate means
merton said there was a strain between goals and means and called this anomie. argues that as a result individuals chose alternative ways to achieve shared goals
five responses to anomie
CONFORMITY-
law abiding citizen, job to pursue approved goals
INNOVATION-
socially acceptable means, such as a job, are rejected but goals are still pursued, resort to crime, gambling
RITUALISM-
means to the goals are accepted and conformed to, person loses sight of goals- no real interest of outcome
RETREATISM-
giving ip or losing sight of both means and goals- dropping out of conventional society- drug abuser
REBELLION-
both goals and means are reject but alternatives are constructed- political revolutionary who rejects conventional society and strives to create a new society by means of a violent revolution
EVALUATION
useful as it helps us to understand patterns- most crime is property crime, as American society values material wealth so highly
lower class crime rates are higher, because they have least opportunity to obtain wealth legitimately
only explains utilitarian crime, does not explain deviance which is not motivated by wealth
ignores middle class crime