Sociological Perspectives, Research Paper Example

“The power of sociology is to demonstrate how strong the social forces that organize society in very different ways are” (Macionis, Plummer, 1). These different ways can be regarded as sociological theories, which play the role of society identifiers for various groups of sociologists. In this paper we are going to take a look at the so-called “sociological trilogy” (Michalski 524), which basically stands for the three main sociological perspectives – structural functionalism, social conflict and symbolic interactionism. After identifying the main principles of each of the theory, we are going to analyze the similarities and differences the three theories have in defining the society itself, its part and changes in it.

The first perspective we are going to consider is structural functionalism. It is one of the earliest sociological theories which gained the most popularity in the second half of the 20^th century. According to structural functionalism, the society is a system viewed as a unity of combined parts which function together with the purpose of meeting certain society’s survival needs and ensuring its efficiency (Turner 6). The main views that the theory addresses are that of the mutual agreement between different parties of the society and shared norms and values, which all together provide the society’s basis as well as act as maintainers of its existence and stability. Conflict theory, on the other hand, emphasizes the existing inequality in the society which results in conflicts and changes (Macionis, Plummer 26). The perspective basically examines the conditions under which conflicts in the society occur, basing the judgments on the idea that in order to achieve one’s own benefits, an individual or a group uses control and influence over others. Finally, symbolic interactionism represents the view of the society as “the product of everyday interactions of people doing things together” (Macionis, Plummer 28). In other words, people act toward things based on the meaning those things have for them; and these meanings are derived from social interaction and modified through interpretation (Blumer 2).

Having got acquainted with the main intentions behind all three theories, we can now consider the features these theories have in common and their major differences. It is evident that the differences are much easier identified that the similarities, otherwise the theories would not be considered as contraries, allowing every person to go along with the one he/she finds more persuasive. One of the fundamental differences in three theories is the way they explain changes in the society. In structural functionalism, change is viewed as something slow and orderly fashioned. Changes are not being denied, but they are being perceived as sometimes necessary occurrences, which should be held under close supervision in order to allow people to adapt to it. On the contrary, according to conflict theory, changes are rapid and are the results of the individuals or groups fighting for their dominance in the society. However, in symbolic interactionism change is basically determined by individuals in a way their approach others and interact with them. Other significant difference in the perspectives is their interpretation level. It is notable that in this scenario two of the theories are similar to each other and are opposites of the third one. Both structural functionalism and conflict theory “share a macro-level orientation, experiencing a focus on broad social structures that characterize society as a whole” (Macionis, Plummer 28). Symbolic interactionism, on the other hand, is oriented at micro-level, focusing “on social interaction in specific situations” (Macionis, Plummer 28). In other words, functionalism and conflict theory view society as the sum of its parts working together for the arrangement of the societal order, whereas symbolic interactionism focuses mostly on the meaningfulness of the individual in the society.

Having identified the three main sociological perspectives and having taken a precise look at their similarities and differences, it is important to point out that these three theories are the views well-known and acknowledged scientists and sociologists hold in regard to the society and our place in it. It is crucial for us to understand that sociologists

“examine the world by looking at these theories. The three theoretical perspectives certainly offer different insights, but none is more correct that the others, and all three have become increasingly modified in the light of the new theories” (Macionis, Plummer 31).

Work Cited

Blumer, Herbert, Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method. University of California Press, 1986.

Macionis John J., and Plummer, Kenneth, Sociology: a Global Introduction. Edition: 3, illustrated. Pearson Education, 2005.

Michalski, Joseph, “Scientific Discovery in Deep Social Space: Sociology without Borders.” Canadian Journal of Sociology. Fall 2008, Vol. 33 Issue 3, p521-553, 33p.

Turner, Jonathan J., Handbook on Sociological Theory. Springer, 2006.