JOSEPH L.

PANTONIAL
Subject Teacher
Week 5

Concepts and Principles of the Major

Social Sciences Theories: Structural-
Functionalism, Marxism, and
Symbolic Interactionism
STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM
Structural Functionalism is a framework for
building theory that sees society as a complex system
whose parts work together to promote solidarity and
stability
According to functionalism, society is a system of
interconnected parts that work together in harmony
to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium
for the whole.
STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM
STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM

It is functional if they
Functional contribute to social
stability

Dysfunctional if
Dysfunctional they disrupt social
stability
Let’s talk about function

FAMILY

To raise and nurture future generations

to replace the old generations
Let’s talk about function

EDUCATION

To teach the next generation the necessary

skills, and beliefs for the sustainability of
the society
Let’s talk about function

GOVERNMENT

To serve its countrymen and

defend its land from enemies
Let’s talk about function

RELIGION

To develop shared ideas of

morality to its followers
Let’s talk about function

Auguste Comte Herbert Spencer

on functional analysis viewed the

society as a kind of living organism
Let’s talk about function

Emile Durkheim

society can be viewed as a composition of

many parts, each with its own function
Let’s talk about function

When a society cannot fulfill its

functions, the society becomes an
abnormal or “pathological” state.
SYSTEM

GOAL
ADAPTATION ATTAINMENT

AGILE
SCHEME
INTEGRATION LATENCY
SYSTEM

ADAPTATION
A system must cope with external
situational exigencies. It must
adapt to its environment and adapt
the environment to its needs
SYSTEM

GOAL ATTAINMENT
A system must define and achieve
its primary goals
SYSTEM

INTEGRATION
A system must regulate the
interrelationship of its component parts
and also must manage the relationship
among other three functional
imperatives
SYSTEM

LATENCY
A system must furnish, maintain, and
renew both the motivation of
individuals and the cultural patterns
that create and sustain the motivation
ROBERT
maintained the essence
MERTON
of functionalism as the
image of society
which is a whole that
is composed of parts
that work together
ROBERT
Introduced the term
MERTON
functions to refer to
the beneficial
consequences of
people’s actions
ROBERT He also pointed out
MERTON that people’s actions
can also develop latent
functions. It can have
unintended
consequences that help
a system adjust
MARXISM

Marxism is a method of socioeconomic

analysis that uses a materialist interpretation
of historical development to understand class
relations and social conflict, as well as a
dialectical perspective to view social
transformation.
KARL wrote the Communist
MARX Manifesto (1848) that
shows the basic struggle
between classes and
recommends action
against the “specter” of
capitalism Capital (1867)
FRIEDRICH was a German social
ENGELS scientist, author, political
theorist, philosopher, and
father of Marxist
theory, together with
Karl Marx. He wrote
Das Kapital
FRIEDRICH He organize Marx’s
ENGELS notes in the “Theories of
Surplus Value”, which he
later published as the
“fourth volume” of
Capital.
FRIEDRICH
ENGELS
He wrote the origin of
the Family, Private
Property, and the Stare
(1884)
 FRIEDRICH
KARL MARX
ENGELS

Examined the conflict generated by the increasing

wealth of the capitalists at the expense of the
working class who only sunk deeper into poverty
A class is defined in terms of the relationship
of people’s labor to the means of production.
Each mode of production produced
characteristic class relationships involving a
dominating and a subordinate class.
HISTORICAL MATERIALISM
A methodology used that focuses on human
societies and their development through
history, arguing that history is the result of
material conditions rather than ideals.
a society’s economic organization
fundamentally determines its social
institutions
DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM

is a philosophy of science and nature

developed in Europe and based on the
writings of Marx and Engels.
Marxist dialectics emphasizes the
importance of real-world conditions in terms
of class, labor, and socioeconomic
interactions
4 stages of society

PRIMITIVE All resources will be

COMMUNISM shared with one
another

Social conflict happens

SLAVERY between master and
slaves
4 stages of society

Conflicts starts between

FEUDALISM land owners and
serfs/agricultural laborers

Happens between
CAPITALISM
Industrial Revolution
QUESTION

Do you think a classless

society is an effective kind of
society? Yes or no? Why or
Why not?
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

Symbolic Interactionism assumes that

people respond to elements of their
environments according to the subjective
meanings they attach to those elements, such
as meanings being created and modified
through social interaction involving
symbolic communication with other people.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

Symbolic Interactionism sociological

theory that develops from particular
considerations and suggests to people’s
particular utilization of dialect to make
images and normal implications, for
deduction and correspondence with others.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

- This perspective relies on the symbolic

meaning that people develop and build upon
in the process of social interaction.
- The interpretation process that occurs
between interactions helps create and
recreate meaning.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

- This perspective relies on the symbolic

meaning that people develop and build upon
in the process of social interaction.
- The interpretation process that occurs
between interactions helps create and
recreate meaning.
 GEORGE
HERBERT MEAD
He argued that “people’s
selves are social
products, but these
selves are purposive and
creative.”
 GEORGE
HERBERT MEAD
He believed that the true
test of any theory is if it
is “useful in solving
complex social
problems.”
3 FOLD/STAGES OF THE SELF
1.) Play Stage
- Mostly happens from the children seeing
people around them owning a specific gender
role.
3 FOLD/STAGES OF THE SELF
2.) Game Stage
- Function of the people in a group
3.) Generalize other
- Influenced by the culture
STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM
STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM
It is a framework for building theory that sees
society as a complex system whose parts work
together to promote solidarity and stability.
STRUCTURAL
MARXISM
FUNCTIONALISM

SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM
It is a framework for building theory that sees
society as a complex system whose parts work
together to promote solidarity and stability

STRUCTURAL
FUNCTIONALISM
It is a method of socioeconomic analysis that
uses a materialist interpretation of historical
development to understand class relations and
social conflict, as well as a dialectical
perspective to view social transformation.
STRUCTURAL
MARXISM
FUNCTIONALISM

SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM
It is a method of socioeconomic analysis that
uses a materialist interpretation of historical
development to understand class relations and
social conflict, as well as a dialectical
perspective to view social transformation.

MARXISM
This theory assumes that people respond to
elements of their environments according to the
subjective meanings they attach to those
elements, such as meanings being created and
modified through social interaction involving
symbolic communication with other people.
STRUCTURAL
MARXISM
FUNCTIONALISM

SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM
This theory assumes that people respond to
elements of their environments according to the
subjective meanings they attach to those
elements, such as meanings being created and
modified through social interaction involving
symbolic communication with other people.
SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM
Who is this sociologist who believed that the true
test of any theory is if it is “useful in solving
complex social problems?”
HERBERT HERBERT
SPENCER BLUMER

GEORGE
HERBERT MEAD
Who is this sociologist who believed that the true
test of any theory is if it is “useful in solving
complex social problems?”

GEORGE
HERBERT MEAD
What function talking about raising and
nurturing future generations to replace the old
generations?

RELIGION FAMILY

EDUCATION
What function talking about raising and
nurturing future generations to replace the old
generations?

FAMILY
Who believed that society can be viewed as a
composition of many parts, each with its own
function?
HERBERT FRIEDRICH
SPENCER ENGELS

EMILE DURKHEIM
Who believed that society can be viewed as a
composition of many parts, each with its own
function?

EMILE DURKHEIM
What system must furnish, maintain, and renew
both the motivation of individuals and the
cultural patterns that create and sustain the
motivation
GOAL
LATENCY
ATTAINMENT

INTEGRATION
What system must furnish, maintain, and renew
both the motivation of individuals and the
cultural patterns that create and sustain the
motivation

LATENCY
It is the stage that mostly happens to children
seeing people around them owning a specific
gender role.

GENERALIZE
GAME STAGE
OTHERS

PLAY STAGE
It is the stage that mostly happens to children
seeing people around them owning a specific
gender role.

PLAY STAGE
Who is this sociologist introduced the term
functions to refer to the beneficial consequences
of people’s actions?

ERVING GOFFMAN TALCOTT PARSON

ROBERT MERTON
Who is this sociologist introduced the term
functions to refer to the beneficial consequences
of people’s actions?

ROBERT MERTON
Who is the sociologist who wrote the Communist
Manifesto that shows the basic struggle between
classes and recommends action against the
“specter” of capitalism Capital?
ROBERT MERTON HERBERT
SPENCER

KARK MARX
Who is the sociologist who wrote the Communist
Manifesto that shows the basic struggle between
classes and recommends action against the
“specter” of capitalism Capital?

KARK MARX