THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES

Unit 1 – Chapter 2

What is a Theoretical Perspective?

What is a theory?

Relationship Between Disciplines & Theoretical Perspectives

• Disciplines determine what observations a researcher will make and which theoretical perspective will be used to organize and explain the results

• Disciplines and theoretical perspectives determine if the research will be

Disciplines

Functionalism

• A suggested by Talcott Parsons

• Examines how society is organized to perform required functions effectively

• Also called

• Focuses on how structures function within society

Functionalism

• Structures.

• Societies are

• Changes occur when structures are trying to maintain equilibrium in society, but change will happen slowly

Functionalists• Examine the status and roles individuals play

within an institution

• Status:• Role:

• Societies run smoothly when each individual behaves according to their specific role

• Institutions teach individuals

Functionalism

• Individuals and institutions

• As long as roles are performed,

Functionalism

• Roles taken on by individuals, institutions and the society are all

• A change in any one part affects others, requiring other parts to take account of the changes, modify its actions, and adapt to any changes necessary

FunctionalismAnalogy:• Think of society

• Every part of society

• When these elements are thrown out of equilibrium,

Functionalists

• Make observations about role behaviour and determine rates of when behaviours will occur

• Norms:

• Behaviours that occur at a lower rate or away from the norm are

Functionalism

• How would a functionalist explain the war in Iraq?

• Think about the roles/functions of individuals and institutions involved

FunctionalismLimitations:

• Functionalists tend to go beyond explaining how a society is organized to prescribing how individuals within a society should behave

Systems Theory

• A suggested by Ludwig von Bertalanffy

• Explains how

• A set of different parts that work together and influence one another over time

• looks at family processes

Family Systems Theory

Feedback• process when the system tells its members

how to act to maintain stability of the system

Feedback• individuals within a family system influence

one another • making it hard to trace the source of

influence or to describe the organization of the family

Family Systems TheoryCharacteristics of a Family System:

• however, some Family Systems Theorists argue that members that have left the family household still continue to influence the behaviour of others in the system

Family Systems Theory• Family systems develop strategies for achieving

the goals and functions of the individual, the family and the interaction with society

• Strategies =

• Strategies require the collaboration of all members to continue

• All members share responsibilities for the patterns of behaviour

Family Systems TheoryAnalogy:• Think of the family system

• When you move one piece of the mobile,

• The pieces (family members) do not exist in isolation from one another

• Movement in one part of the system will affect all the rest of the parts of the system

Family Systems Theory

• The family unit is

• A family system

• An individual’s behaviour cannot be understood separated from their family system and members

Family Systems Theory

• How would a Family Systems Theorist explain a wife and mother returning to work after maternity leave?

• Think about feedback, strategies, habits and the family as a whole

Family Systems Theory

Limitation:• It can be difficult to determine how others

within the family are influencing an individual’s behaviour