Sociological Theory PositivismStructural-Functionalism

Who “Founded” Sociology? socius + logos study of being with others Two Major Forces Social Statics (social order/stability) Social Dynamics (conflict/change) Two Ways To Understand the World Normativistic Knowledge Positivistic Knowledge Auguste Comte

Structural- Functionalism Social Facts: patterns of acting, thinking, and feeling that exist outside of individuals but exert social control over us. Key Assumption: Every system needs to achieve a state of order or system equilibrium (homeostasis). The keys to this are organic solidarity and moral consensus. Emile Durkheim

Structural- Functionalism Expressive & Instrumental Variables Ascription & Achievement: the origins of qualities someone might bring to social interactions or situations Affectivity & Affective Neutrality: the amount of emotion or affect that is appropriate in any social interaction Diffuseness & Specificity: the strength of ties which create a range of obligations to other actors in any social interaction Particularism & Universalism: the reactions to others based on their relationship with us Collectivity & Self-Seeking: the extent of self- or shared-interest associated with social actions Manifest And Latent Functions Manifest Functions are obvious and agreed upon Latent Functions are not intended or easily recognized T. Parsons and R. Merton