FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE OF SOCIOLOGY (Special Reference to Family)
Introduction
Society can be viewed from many ways. The viewpoints
of the society vary from person to person according to their value relating to
the subjects[1]. Some
see society as the as a particular form and try to investigate how it gained
such a particular form that acts as the organism in which all of its parts have
contributions on their own place so as to regulate the whole system. They give
importance to the values, norms, culture of the society. Some see the society
as the place where constant conflict takes place. The constructive conflict
within individuals in their interests and ideas result to the development of
society more than it is today. Some, on the other hand, think society as the
place which came into existence by continuous interactions among people
regarding various matters. Whatever, the ideology, they are not complete by
themselves and are ideal principles and can’t work in isolation. However, such
ideologies help in the study of the overall society.
General Introduction to Functionalist Perspective: and Family
Perspective of sociology:
The dictionary of sociology defines social
perspectives as the set of values, beliefs, meanings and attitudes of a society
that provide the framework and point of view towards the actions performed on
the society.[2] The
social perspective offers a distinct theory concerning the key social forces
that shape human behavior and society.
Functionalist perspective:
The functionalist perspective thinks society as a
living in which each part of the organism contributes to its survival.[3] This
perspective of sociology emphasize on the interdependence of various social
units like customs, attitudes, institutions etc. with other social units like
culture, tradition, personality etc for the system as a whole. It has a primary
assumption that society is a stable, well integrated, self regulating system
that endures because it serves peoples’ basic needs.[4]
The concept of functionalism emerged during 1940s but
it was accepted as new and important method for the study of society in early
20th century. The exponents of the functionalism are Auguste Comte
(1796-1857), Emile Durkheim(1858-1917), Max Weber, Talcott Parsons(1902-1979),
Herbert Spencer(1820-1903), Radcliff Brown, Bredemeir etc.
Functionalist perspective is an approach to studying a
society on the macro sociological level.The view of the individual in a
functionalist perspective is that people are socially molded, not forced, to
perform societal functions. Order in a
society, as viewed by a functionalist, is maintained when members of a society
cooperated with one another.
Functionalists view social change as being predictable and
positive. The main idea of functionalist
perspective is that of stability or equilibrium which will remain in that
condition until it is forced to change by certain new conditions like technology,
change in climate influence of outside society etc.
The different elements of society and culture like
individuals, institutions etc. are structured in such a way that the stability
is maintained in the society by the function and contribution from their own
side while the the change or defect in one element affect the whole system. [5]
Emile Durkheim has compared the society with an
living organism where each part has a particular function and contributes to
the sound functioning of the whole body. They are interdependent to each other
and maintain a harmony among each other.[6]
What is a Family?
A Family, in its most general sense means a basic
kinship unit like husband, wife, their children and other relatives living
together or recognized as a social unit, including adopted persons also.[7] It
is one of the five major social institutions.[8]
R. M Maciver defines family as-“ a group defined by
sex relationships sufficiently precise and enduring to provide the procreation
and upbringing of the children.”
Similarly, George Peter Mrdock has put forth three
essential elements required for the family. They are:
a.
Common residence
b.
Economic co-operation
c.
Reproduction
The family is the universal, the most pervasive of all
social institutions and it is the basic prerequisite for each and every social
beings.
A
Functionalist analysis of family:
The family is the most important primary group in the
society. It is the simplest and the most elementary form of society where a
child is firstly encountered with social environment.[9] So
being the basic of all social groupings, it affects the attitudes, behavior and
lifestyle of each and every person from their birth to death more than other
social institutions do. Being a social institution with single economic unit,
it contributes to the stable and enduring set of norms and value, statuses and
roles and also provides a structure for behavior of particular area of the
society.
Functions of Family:
MacIver
has differentiated the functions of family into two types[10]
on the basis of degree of necessity. They are:
Primary Functions:
Stable satisfaction of sexual needs:
Family is the only one
institution that regulates the sexual
behavior of human by its agents like marriage.[11]
The sexual satisfaction is stated as the most important aspect of family life
in the Manusmriti, Vatsayana; the author of Kamasutra. Sexual norms are
changing as per time for eg. Dating. Whatever the change occurs the standards
of sexual behavior are mostly clearly defined within the family circle.[12]
Reproduction:
Reproduction is the result of
sexual satisfaction and it is in fact, an activity that needs control and
regulation. Thus, the family contributes to it by giving legitimacy to
reproduction process and made it possible to have the propagation of species
and the perpetuation of human race.
Production and rearing of children:
Children are the result of
reproduction and they are the essential aspects for the continuity of human
race. Thus, the children born by the legitimate sexual relationship between husband
and wife by marriage are identified and given place to care in a sound
environment by family.
Provision of Home:
The family provides home for its
members. “Sweet Home” is the primary desire of each couple where they could
rear and care their children. Home provides the comfortable life for people and
is also the symbol of peace and security.
Instrument of Cultural Transmission and
agent of socialization:
Talcott Parsons and R.F Bales
(1995) identified two basic and irreducible functions of the family: ‘the
primary socialization of children so that they can become members of the
society into which they have been born: second, the stabilization of the adult
personalities of the population of the society.’ The family provides children
with the necessary socialization to allow them to become functioning,
contributing members of the society, and it gives the adult the emotional
support they need to function in a depersonalizing world.
Status Ascribing Functions:
Ascribing status means the way in
which a person acquires his/her social status or social class. In traditional
societies such as India and Nepal however, a person’s entire lifestyle is still
dictated by the social status of his or her family. We inherit a social status
because of the family background, the reputations of our parents and siblings.
The family unit presents the newborn babies with an ascribed status of race and
ethnicity that helps to determine his/her place in the society’s
stratification.
Affectional Functions:
The family has been referred to as the ‘shock absorber of the society’ in
that it offers support for the individual who must cope in a difficult world
(Toffler, 1970). The family provides its members the physical, mental,
emotional satisfaction and security[13].
So it can be taken as the primary source of affection for a member where s/he
can expect their relatives to understand
them, to care for them and to be there for them when they are in need.
Secondary Functions:
Economic Functions:
The meaning of family as an
economic unit itself reflects the economic functions of family. It has been the
traditional function that family fulfills the economic needs of the family. In
fact, the family plays a crucial role in supplementing the economic needs of
the family members, arranges environment for its members who are not able to
earn their living due to minor in age and also in the elderly age.
Educational Function:
Family is also known as the first
school of the children. The family often taught its children to read and write
at home. Parents and other relatives teach their children the work skills they
would need to provide for their families. Besides supplementing in order to
achieve the formal education, it also teaches the moral behavior, develops the
attitude and habits important to adult participation in social life[14].
Religious Function:
The family is the centre for the religious training
for the children where they learn various religious virtues from their kin
circle. Previously, the family used to be the only institution for satisfying
the religious quest of children. However, the evolution of monasteries,
churches, synagogues etc which spread the knowledge of religion, people
generally adopt the same religion as their family, and many families still give
their children religious training.
Recreational Function:
Recreation is the essential tool for maintain the
close solidarity in the family. The family often organizes various ceremonies
where all the members gather and make merry, share happiness and sorrows, share
thoughts and plans. Though there are movie theatres, fun-parks etc where people
can enjoy, family-oriented entertainment is still a high priority where families
often spent their limited leisure time together.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the family is the most essential part of the
society and it contributes a lot in maintaining the sound structure and
function of the society. However, the changes of the society that has really
brought about many loopholes in the family functions cannot be neglected. With
the change in time, many more institutions and the systems that compensate the
function of family, are widely been practised.
Today, people can get shelter in the guest house, get served with food
and cozy beds, can entertain by gambling, watching movies in the movie hall and
so on. Most of the people in the Western Society have been found to have been
adopting marriage as well as co-habitation, pre-marital and extra-marital sex
relations[15]. Due to
the rapid industrialization and modernization, people are so busy that most of
the couple merely want to bear children; but the society is still running. The
parental function of rendering education has been replaced by the schools,
hospitals, baby clinics, elderly care homes etc. And also the protection in the
aspect of physical, economic, emotional heads are found nowadays, in different
societies, neglected by the families and are been rescued by the other agencies
either by government for service motive or by different organization for profit
motive. Here, the function of the family as argued by the various renowned
persons like MacIver, Merton etc. doesn’t seem to address the changing values
and conditions of the society. Emile Durkheim had said that the institutions
like families are like one of the major organ of the body which when
malfunctions, creates trouble for the whole body system. But the modern
societal structure doesn’t seem to be affected by changing the patterns of the
family as person today merely seem to have adopted the basic principalities of
the family, but the society is still running.
It is not merely the debate that the family is essential or not, rather it is the question that the new ideas and principles to address the contemporary situations must be put forth. Family is the primary need of human being. Family provides for the mutual adjustments among the conjugal units, children and other kin circle. It is the first and the most immediate social environment to which a child is exposed and is supplied with the basic attitudes and tolerable behavior to adjust in the society. In modern times, the existence of the family is not in danger rather there are some changes. The only loophole is the lack of proper interpretation. It cannot be denied that the institution like schools, hospitals, who are said to be the replacements of the family, yet they are also behaving as the family and often use the word family while introducing themselves among others. So in order to cope with the contemporary situations, the concept of family that previously used to represent the conjugal units legitimized through marriage and the children produced from their sexual relationship sharing a common economic unit, should be amended and should be interpreted as the group of people sharing common interest regardless the mode of residence, but should be bound to dedicate and contribute to the wholesome objectives.
It is not merely the debate that the family is essential or not, rather it is the question that the new ideas and principles to address the contemporary situations must be put forth. Family is the primary need of human being. Family provides for the mutual adjustments among the conjugal units, children and other kin circle. It is the first and the most immediate social environment to which a child is exposed and is supplied with the basic attitudes and tolerable behavior to adjust in the society. In modern times, the existence of the family is not in danger rather there are some changes. The only loophole is the lack of proper interpretation. It cannot be denied that the institution like schools, hospitals, who are said to be the replacements of the family, yet they are also behaving as the family and often use the word family while introducing themselves among others. So in order to cope with the contemporary situations, the concept of family that previously used to represent the conjugal units legitimized through marriage and the children produced from their sexual relationship sharing a common economic unit, should be amended and should be interpreted as the group of people sharing common interest regardless the mode of residence, but should be bound to dedicate and contribute to the wholesome objectives.
[1] RishiKeshab Raj Regmi,
Essentials of Sociology, Buddha Academic Publishers and Distributors Pvt. Ltd,
p40
[2] William
P. Scott, Dictionary of Sociology, Special Indian Edition, P s
[7] William
P. Scott, Dictionary of Sociology, Special Indian Edition, P 146, 147
[8] The five
major social institutions are family, education, religion, politics and
economics. However, all these institutions are interdependent to each other.
[10] C.N
Shankar Rao, Sociology Primary Principles, S.Chand: p 350
[11] Tika
Ram Gautam, Sociology and Anthropology, Vydarthi Prakashan, Kamalpokhari,
Kathmandu: p 194
[13] C.N
Shankar Rao, Sociology Primary Principles, S.Chand: p 351
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