Robert Merton and the Functionalist Tradition
And The
INTRODUCTION
In the conception of society as a system it becomes natural to see it, like other systems, as composed of parts that are interrelated and whose operations have consequences for the system as a whole.
The functional orientation has long been implicit in biology and physiology, as well as in the social sciences of anthropology, economics, and sociology. Social scientists as diverse as Malthus, Marx, Durkheim, and Weber have engaged in describing the interrelationships between social phenomena.
This paper will address functionalism from Robert Merton’s perspective by looking at his significant contributions to functional analysis.
Robert Merton (1910-2003) attempted to rectify some of the weaknesses within structural functionalism. Specifically, he criticized the underlying assumptions of functionalism and added complexity to how structural functionalism dealt with the relationship between structures and functions. Dispensing with the notion that all parts of the system are functional, highly integrated, and indispensable, he created a system of concepts to deal with the ways in which structures may be related to the whole. For instance, he suggested that some social facts might be dysfunctional, meaning they may have negative consequences for other social facts. Overall, he thought that it was possible to have an idea of the balance of a structure by taking into account dysfunctions, functions, and nonfunctions. He also added additional complexity by asserting that this sort of analysis may be performed at various levels of functional analysis, as "functions" might be a matter of perspective. For instance, slavery was functional for some and dysfunctional for others.
Merton was also concerned with the intended and unintended functions of structures, or manifest and latent functions, and their unanticipated consequences. He added nuance to structural functionalism by noting that dysfunctional structures can exist within systems,
INTRODUCTION
In the conception of society as a system it becomes natural to see it, like other systems, as composed of parts that are interrelated and whose operations have consequences for the system as a whole.
The functional orientation has long been implicit in biology and physiology, as well as in the social sciences of anthropology, economics, and sociology. Social scientists as diverse as Malthus, Marx, Durkheim, and Weber have engaged in describing the interrelationships between social phenomena.
This paper will address functionalism from Robert Merton’s perspective by looking at his significant contributions to functional analysis.
Robert Merton (1910-2003) attempted to rectify some of the weaknesses within structural functionalism. Specifically, he criticized the underlying assumptions of functionalism and added complexity to how structural functionalism dealt with the relationship between structures and functions. Dispensing with the notion that all parts of the system are functional, highly integrated, and indispensable, he created a system of concepts to deal with the ways in which structures may be related to the whole. For instance, he suggested that some social facts might be dysfunctional, meaning they may have negative consequences for other social facts. Overall, he thought that it was possible to have an idea of the balance of a structure by taking into account dysfunctions, functions, and nonfunctions. He also added additional complexity by asserting that this sort of analysis may be performed at various levels of functional analysis, as "functions" might be a matter of perspective. For instance, slavery was functional for some and dysfunctional for others.
Merton was also concerned with the intended and unintended functions of structures, or manifest and latent functions, and their unanticipated consequences. He added nuance to structural functionalism by noting that dysfunctional structures can exist within systems,
Bibliography: Elwell, F. (2009), Macrosociology: The Study of Sociocultural Systems. Lewiston: Edwin Mellen Press. Nonyelu, A. U. & Obiajulu, A. O. (1997), Contenmporary Issues In Sociology. Enugu: John Jacobs Publishers Merton, R. K. (1994/1996). A Life of Learning. In R. K. Merton, & P. Sztompka (Ed.), On Social Structure and Science (pp. 339-359). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Merton, R. K. (1996). On Social Structure and Science. (P. Sztompka, Ed.) Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Merton, R. K. (1948/1968). Social Theory and Social Structure. New York: The Free Press Functionalism. http://web.grinnell.edu/courses/soc/s00/soc111-01/IntroTheories/Functionalism.html Retrieved on 29/06/2011.