For this exercise you should copy out and complete each of the following statements of strengths and weaknesses. You will find a list of words at the end that you should use to fill in the gaps shown.
Strengths
- This approach shows how a part of society can work at two different levels, both fulfilling the needs of each__________and meeting the needs of the whole__________at the same time.
- It provides a very__________view of society.
- Functionalists show how each of the parts of society are__________each contributing to the__________of the whole.
- Functionalism allows us to examine the possible functions of__________which might otherwise appear to be purposeless.
- It provides a useful focus on the importance of social structure and social__________
Weaknesses
- Functionalism overemphasises the__________nature of society.
- It therefore tends to ignore the__________and__________stressed by Marxists.
- Similarly, functionalism fails to recognise the importance of power and the__________of those who have power.
- It takes a politically__________position, appearing to support the status quo.
- Functions are assumed to exist because the institutions that provide them exist. But an effect cannot explain a cause – therefore this explanation is__________
- Interactionist sociologists have accused functionalism of being too__________seeing people as programmed and__________by the social system, with little choice of action.
Missing words:
controlled
society
positive
conflict
dominance
rituals
teleological
well-being
institutions
harmonious
conservative
change
interdependent
deterministic
individual
