Modern Perspectives Sociology employs three major theoretical perspectives— functionalism, which focuses on order and stability; conflict, which focuses on power relations; and interactionism, which focuses on how individuals interact with one another in everyday life.

Do Now Why do you think humans are so comfortable using symbols? What are the most recognizable symbols to you? Explain.

Functionalist Perspective View society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system. Dysfunction The negative consequence an element has for the stability of the social system. Manifest Function The intended and recognized consequence of some element of society. Latent function The unintended and unrecognized consequence of an element of society.

Conflict Perspective Conflict perspective Focus on the forces in society that promote competition and change. Feminist Perspective Viewing society as “a sex/gender system in which men dominate women, and that which is considered masculine is more highly valued than that which is considered feminine. Theory Explanations of the relationships among particular phenomena. Theoretical perspective A general set of assumptions about the nature of things

Interactionist Perspective Focuses on how individuals interact with one another in society. Symbol Anything that represents something else. Symbolic Interaction Has 3 elements: meaning, language, and thought. Macrosociology The study of large-scale systems or society as whole Microsociology Looking at small-group setings and the everyday face-to-face interactions among group members. Globalization The development of economic, political, and social relationships worldwide.

Group Assignment Create a collage of symbols that represent American society. Establish a theme with their symbols, such as liberty, patriotism, and diversity. You can draw the symbols or use a computer and put them on a PowerPoint or Word Document and then share. Extra points for drawing rather than copy & pasting.