Sociological Theoretical Perspectives (Essay Sample)

Final Exam Question 3 Name Institution Final Exam Question 3 Sociological Theoretical Perspectives In sociology, structural functionalism (functionalism) attempts to explain the way a society functions through analyzing the relationships between institutions and elements that make up the society (Benokraitis, 2014). The theory of functionalism describes the society as a complex structure in which many parts work together to achieve stability and solidarity. It addresses the society as a single unit through its functional elements such as institutions, customs, and traditions. Benokraitis (2014) presents it as a body, which is dependent on the functioning of its organs. Conversely, symbolic interactionism is a sociological perspective, which relies on the symbolic meanings that people develop and use during social interactions. It analyzes the society based on the subjective descriptions that people impose on different behaviors, objects, and events. It acknowledges that people behave in subjective meaning rather than in an objective way. For this reason, the society functions depend on human interpretation. This interpretation forms social bonds (Benokraitis 2014). These theoretical perspectives have a broad range of effects on family research. One critical area of family research is family resilience. According to Segre (2014), family resilience is a manifestation of the basic protective factors, which include the presence of social support. This manifestation implies that the organization of families is in ways that aim at protecting its members against stress. The degree of resilience is evident when a family is subject to stressful factors such as illnesses. Structural functionalism relates closely to family in following ways. At the outset, elements such as norms and customs are essential in handling stress. Different traditions and cultures determine how families handle issues such as illness and death, besides; different institutions play a significant role in providing social support to families. Moreover, symbolic interaction builds resilience through the different subjective meanings families have on certain issues (Benokraitis 2014). Another area of family research influenced by these theoretical perspectives is genetics and environment. The direct link between family members through genes affects behavior and other social elements of an individual. Environmental factors, on the other hand, control individual behavior. Through functionalism, genetics and environment are parts of a complex societal system that promote co-existence. The environment consists of institutions and traditions that shape behavior and interaction between people. These include the education, religion government, and law. Equally, symbolic interaction explains the similarities in family members understanding one another (genetic relations). Naturally, members of the same family tend to have a similar opinion towards a particular phenomenon that may be different from other families. People related to one another can explain this through subjective interpretation (Segre, 2014). Finally, the two theoretical perspectives can explain expressed emotions within...