Theoretical Theoretical PerspectivesPerspectives

What are Theoretical What are Theoretical Perspectives and How are they Perspectives and How are they

Useful?Useful?

Theoretical Perspectives in the Theoretical Perspectives in the social sciences are:social sciences are:

ideas or ways of viewing situations that ideas or ways of viewing situations that are used to explain and analyze how are used to explain and analyze how social actions, social processes, and social actions, social processes, and social structures worksocial structures work

a framework for organizing and explaining a framework for organizing and explaining observations and evidenceobservations and evidence

without evidence/facts, theories are just a without evidence/facts, theories are just a educated guess as to how and why a educated guess as to how and why a situation might occursituation might occur

once information has been gathered once information has been gathered (observation, experiment, survey, (observation, experiment, survey, interview…) it lacks meaning without the interview…) it lacks meaning without the theory to organize it theory to organize it

Social Scientists ask 4 fundamental Social Scientists ask 4 fundamental questions:questions:

What happens?What happens? How does it happen?How does it happen? Why does it happen?Why does it happen? How can people change what happens?How can people change what happens?

Theories Relating to Theories Relating to the Study of Familiesthe Study of Families

Structural Functionalism or Structural Functionalism or FunctionalismFunctionalism

oldest sociological theory founded by oldest sociological theory founded by Emile DurkheimEmile Durkheim Durkheim argued that social sciences should be studied Durkheim argued that social sciences should be studied

like natural sciences (objectively)like natural sciences (objectively) Statistics (Ex. Birth rate) is a Statistics (Ex. Birth rate) is a social factsocial fact and can be quantified and can be quantified

• Birth rates affect people – politicians might be concerned with too Birth rates affect people – politicians might be concerned with too high or too low of a birth ratehigh or too low of a birth rate

• Social Facts should be used to explain behaviours among groups in Social Facts should be used to explain behaviours among groups in societysociety

various segments of society serve a purpose for society various segments of society serve a purpose for society as a whole as a whole

EX. Family has function of raising childrenEX. Family has function of raising children macromacro approach – organization of society based on a approach – organization of society based on a

consensus of what is functionalconsensus of what is functional

attempts to explain how society is attempts to explain how society is organized to perform its required functions organized to perform its required functions effectivelyeffectively

Functionalists believe that stable societies Functionalists believe that stable societies are those in which the structures function are those in which the structures function to benefit societyto benefit society Structures: law, political systems, familiesStructures: law, political systems, families

examine the roles that individuals play examine the roles that individuals play within an institutionwithin an institution society runs smoothly when individuals society runs smoothly when individuals

behave according to their rolebehave according to their role one learns roles through one learns roles through socializationsocialization

Functionalists observe role behaviour – the Functionalists observe role behaviour – the behaviour that occurs most often is defined as behaviour that occurs most often is defined as the the normnorm

Talcott ParsonsTalcott Parsons – outlined roles (specifically by – outlined roles (specifically by gender)gender) Argued that the family structure depended on the Argued that the family structure depended on the

division of labourdivision of labour

CRITICISM CRITICISM - Functionalism goes beyond - Functionalism goes beyond explaining organization and prescribes how explaining organization and prescribes how individuals should behaveindividuals should behave

Conflict TheoryConflict Theory explains that power, not functional explains that power, not functional

interdependence hold a society togetherinterdependence hold a society together Conflict exists btw. groups in society because of Conflict exists btw. groups in society because of

inequalities in powerinequalities in power Groups compete to meet needs. If groups are in Groups compete to meet needs. If groups are in

competition, the needs of all will not be met competition, the needs of all will not be met equallyequally

Exploitation by individuals in the group with Exploitation by individuals in the group with greater powergreater power

MacroMacro – explains inequalities – used to criticize, – explains inequalities – used to criticize, not understand societal organizationsnot understand societal organizations Ex. Functional, for whom? Why does the structure of Ex. Functional, for whom? Why does the structure of

society not work for everyone?society not work for everyone?

Feminist TheoryFeminist Theory

explains the impact of sex and gender on explains the impact of sex and gender on behaviour and to consider issues of behaviour and to consider issues of human behaviour from the point of view of human behaviour from the point of view of women.women.

roots in conflict theory – designed to roots in conflict theory – designed to separate “sex” from “class” - change is separate “sex” from “class” - change is required so that needs of all people are required so that needs of all people are metmet

Symbolic InteractionismSymbolic Interactionism

psychological theory that attempts to explain psychological theory that attempts to explain how individuals choose how they will act based how individuals choose how they will act based on their perceptions of themselves and of others.on their perceptions of themselves and of others.

Emphasized the mental process of perception Emphasized the mental process of perception and interpretationand interpretation

MicroMicro – analyses the actions of individuals or – analyses the actions of individuals or small groupssmall groups

attempts to understand the point of view of the attempts to understand the point of view of the “actor” in order to explain the “action”“actor” in order to explain the “action”

Two parts to the SELF:Two parts to the SELF: ME (objective qualities)ME (objective qualities) I (awareness of self)I (awareness of self)

• CooleyCooley believes this is based on the perception by believes this is based on the perception by othersothers

Role TakingRole Taking ( (MEADMEAD) allows us to ) allows us to understand the point of view of the “actor”understand the point of view of the “actor” Consider “Men are from Mars, Women are Consider “Men are from Mars, Women are

from Venus”from Venus”

LanguageLanguage – interprets and gives meaning – interprets and gives meaning to experiencesto experiences

CRITICISM – Researcher perceives CRITICISM – Researcher perceives actions, therefore observations are actions, therefore observations are influenced by researcher’s self image and influenced by researcher’s self image and beliefs therefore may be inaccuratebeliefs therefore may be inaccurate

Social Exchange TheorySocial Exchange Theory

psychological theory that attempts to explain psychological theory that attempts to explain the social factors that influence how the social factors that influence how individuals interact within reciprocal individuals interact within reciprocal relationshipsrelationships

individuals act to max. the benefits they individuals act to max. the benefits they receive and min. the cost to themselvesreceive and min. the cost to themselves

Social Scientists use the social-exchange Social Scientists use the social-exchange theory to explain how individuals make theory to explain how individuals make decisions to form and maintain relationships decisions to form and maintain relationships that might appear unacceptable to othersthat might appear unacceptable to others

Systems TheorySystems Theory

attempts to explain how groups of attempts to explain how groups of individuals interact as a systemindividuals interact as a system

FeedbackFeedback provides individuals with provides individuals with information/knowledge about how to information/knowledge about how to interact to maintain stabilityinteract to maintain stability

Give and take therefore difficult to Give and take therefore difficult to describe the origins of influence or to describe the origins of influence or to describe the organization of the familydescribe the organization of the family

Family SystemsFamily Systems Family unit (those sharing the household)Family unit (those sharing the household) Interpersonal (husband-wife, parent-child)Interpersonal (husband-wife, parent-child) Personal (individual self as member of family)Personal (individual self as member of family)

Family Systems adapt/change when one Family Systems adapt/change when one behaviour influences another therefore behaviour influences another therefore resulting in new strategiesresulting in new strategies

Explains behaviour of individuals as Explains behaviour of individuals as inseparable form the groupinseparable form the group