THREE SOCIAL
THEORIES
1.Structural-functional theory
• Herbert Spencer, the proponent of structural-functional views society
as “a system of interconnected parts each with unique function. The
parts have to work together for stability and balance of society.”
• Society is compared to the human body with different but interrelated
parts performing different functions. Just as the human body has many
parts, society has different but interrelated components such as the
family, the state, the school, the church, mass media economics. These
must coordinate and collaborate for society to function well.
if one part of the human body does not function well,
the whole body is affected.
For instance, there is piece, stability, equilibrium and
harmony in society.
Failure of one social institution to do it’s part means
disruption of stability in society.
In a high-tech world, educational institution must teach adults
the new skills to relate to the tech-savvy young and the world
and
to be more effective in the workplace. With more women in the
workplace, policies against sexual harassment and
discrimination
were formulated. The Cybercrime Act 2012 came about to
address legal issues concerning online interactions and the
internet in the Philippines.
The functionalist theory of education focuses on how education.
serves the need of society through the development of skills
encouraging social cohesion.
The functionalist theory is focused on social stability and solidarity.
Functionalists see education as a beneficial contribution to an ordered
society.
Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in
changing their social environment, even when such change may
benefit them.
Purposes of Schooling according to Functionalists
1. Intellectual Purposes- acquisition of cognitive skills, inquiry
skills
2. Political Purposes- educate future citizens; promote patriotism;
promote assimilation of immigrants; ensure order; public
civility and conformity to laws
3. Economic Purposes- prepare students for later work roles; select
and train the labor force needed by society.
4. Social Purposes- promote a sense of social and moral responsibility;
serves a site for a solution or resolution of social problems; supplement
the efforts of other institutions of socialization such as the family and the
church.
2. Conflict Theory
o According to this theory, there are always two opposing sides in a
conflict situation. People takes sides between maintaining the status
quo and introducing change then arrive at an agreement. Conflict
theory welcomes conflict for that is the way to the establishment of a
new society.
o Conflict theorists find potential conflict between any groups where
inequality exists: racial, gender, religious, political, economic and so
on.
How Proponents Conflict Theory regard Education
According to the conflict theory, education is not truly a social
benefit or opportunity as seen by the functionalists. Rather,
education is a powerful means of maintaining power structures
and creating a docile work force for capitalism.
3. The symbolic interactionist theory perspective
Three tenets of symbolic interactionist theory are;
1. An individual’s actions depends on meaning. We act based on the
meaning we give to symbols. Symbols can be actions, objects or
words.
2. Different people may give different meanings to the same thing.
When teachers are strict, some students see it as an expression of
care. Others may rebel because they perceive teacher’s behaviour as
limiting their moves and desires.
3. Meanings change as individuals interact with one another. A negative
meaning that you used to associate with hospital when you went to a
hospital which looked more as a hotel than the usual hospital you
know is changed.
Implications To Teaching
The symbolic interactionist perspective, also known as symbolic
interactionism, directs sociologist to consider the symbols and details
of every life, what these symbols mean and how people interact with
each other.
As the term implies, symbolic interactionist theory states that people
interact with one another through symbols.
According to the symbolic interactionist perspective, people attach
meanings to symbols, and then they act according to their subjective
interpretation of these symbols.
Weakness of Symbolic Interaction Theory
Critics claim that symbolic interactionism neglects the macro level of
social interpretation- the ‘Big picture’. In other words, symbolic interactionist
may miss the larger issues of society by focusing too closely on the “trees” or
by restricting themselves to small or individual interactions.
Symbolic interactionism traces it’s origins to Max Weber’s assertion
that individual act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their
world. However, it was the American philosopher George H. Med (1863-
1931) who introduced their perspective to American sociology in the 1920’s.
