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functionalist perspective
Functionalist
Perspective

Society

Functionalist
Perspective

Everyone has a ‘function’ within society
The pink arrows represent that everyone must put something into society, eg work, study etc

Society

The blue arrows show that if you put something into society then you will gain something back, eg education, health care, security etc

Functionalist
Perspective
The stick people represent

different systems and subsystems within society, eg private industry, the police, schools, hospitals etc.
Within each system and subsystem people must fulfil their function to sustain society. Society

The reason the stick people all look the same is because the functionalist perspective does not take into account individuality. The views of the people are not important to a functionalist, as long as they fulfil their function in their particular area.

Functionalist
Perspective

The functionalist perspective assumes that everyone has the same goal for society and a shared understanding of what they are trying to achieve.

Society

Is this true? Do we all want society to be the same thing?
How would a functionalist explain crime or fox-hunting protests or anorexia?

This is
Alice

Functionalist
Perspective

Alice has a part time job at the
Co-op. She uses the money she earns to buy clothes, cigarettes and for nights out.

Alice is 18, she is on a
BTEC course at college
Society
studying
Public
Services. She wants to be in the army when she leaves college
Alice lives with her parents; she doesn’t pay for food or
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