What are the three major theoretical paradigms discussed in sociology. Explain each clearly and give an example of an application of each theory.
Introduction
Sociologists investigate social events, interactions, and patterns in order to formulate a theory that explains why things work the way they do. A theory in sociology is a technique to explain many elements of social interactions and to formulate a testable assertion about society, known as a hypothesis. Although suicide is generally thought to be an individual phenomenon, Émile Durkheim was fascinated by the social factors that influence it. His research focused on social ties within a group, or social solidarity, and he hypothesized that religious differences could explain differences in suicide rates.
In sociology, a few ideas are known as paradigms, and they provide broad viewpoints that assist explain many diverse elements of social life. Within a discipline, paradigms are philosophical and theoretical frameworks that are used to construct theories, generalizations, and the experiments that support them. Because they provide effective explanations, three paradigms have come to dominate sociological thinking: structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.
1. Functionalism - Functionalism, also known as structural-functional theory, considers society as a system of interconnected pieces designed to suit the biological and social requirements of its members. Functionalism arose from the works of an English philosopher and biologist who recognized parallels between society and the human body, arguing that just as the many organs of the bodywork together to keep the body working, so do the various components of society. The social institutions or patterns of beliefs and actions focused on addressing social needs, that Spence was referring to were government, education, family, healthcare, and religion.
Example - Individuals, according to Durkheim, may make up society, but sociologists must go beyond individuals to social facts in order to understand society. Laws, morality, values, religious beliefs, practices, styles, rituals, and any other cultural standards that control social life are referred to as social truths.
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