Functionalist Perspective

Definition

The functionalist perspective is a theoretical approach in anthropology that views society and its institutions as a complex system, each part of which contributes to the stability and functioning of the whole. This perspective emphasizes how various elements of a culture work together to meet the needs of individuals and maintain social order.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The functionalist perspective views culture as an integrated system where each element serves a specific function in maintaining the overall stability and order of the system.
2. Functionalists believe that social institutions, such as the family, education, and religion, exist because they serve important functions for the society as a whole.
3. According to functionalists, the different parts of a culture are interdependent and work together to maintain a state of social equilibrium or balance.
4. Functionalists emphasize the concept of manifest and latent functions, where manifest functions are the intended consequences of a cultural element, and latent functions are the unintended consequences.
5. The functionalist perspective is often contrasted with the conflict perspective, which focuses on how different groups in a society compete for limited resources and power.

Review Questions

• Explain how the functionalist perspective views the role of social institutions, such as the family, in maintaining cultural stability and order.
  • The functionalist perspective sees social institutions like the family as serving important functions for the overall stability and functioning of the cultural system. Functionalists believe the family, for example, helps socialize children, provide emotional and material support, and regulate sexual behavior - all of which contribute to the maintenance of social order and equilibrium. From this view, the family is a key part of the integrated cultural system, working with other institutions to meet the needs of individuals and the society as a whole.
• Describe how the concepts of manifest and latent functions relate to the functionalist perspective on cultural elements.
  • The functionalist perspective distinguishes between manifest functions, which are the intended and recognized consequences of a cultural element, and latent functions, which are the unintended and often unrecognized consequences. Functionalists argue that in addition to the obvious, intended purposes of cultural elements, they often serve other important functions that may be less visible. For example, the manifest function of education may be to impart knowledge and skills, but its latent functions could include socializing children, reproducing class structures, and maintaining social control. Understanding both the manifest and latent functions of cultural elements is crucial to the functionalist view of how societies are integrated and maintained.
• Analyze how the functionalist perspective on food and cultural identity differs from other theoretical approaches, such as the conflict perspective.
  • Unlike the functionalist perspective, which sees food and culinary practices as serving important functions for cultural stability and integration, the conflict perspective views food as a site of struggle and contestation between different social groups. Conflict theorists may argue that dominant groups use food to assert their cultural superiority and marginalize the culinary traditions of minority or subordinate groups. They may also see the production, distribution, and consumption of food as reflecting and reinforcing existing power dynamics and inequalities within a society. This contrasts with the functionalist view, which emphasizes how food and foodways contribute to meeting the shared needs and maintaining the overall equilibrium of the cultural system.

Related terms

Social Structure: The organized set of social institutions and patterns of institutionalized relationships that together compose a society.

Social Equilibrium: The state of balance and stability within a social system, where the various parts work together to maintain the overall functioning of the system.

Manifest and Latent Functions: Manifest functions are the intended and recognized consequences of an element of a social system, while latent functions are the unintended and often unrecognized consequences.