Who Was a Functionalist Theorist?

The functionalist perspective is based largely on the works of Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim

, Talcott Parsons, and Robert Merton

Robert Merton

Merton believed that any social structure probably has many functions, some more obvious than others. He identified three main limitations: functional unity, universal functionalism and indispensability. He also developed the concept of deviance and made the distinction between manifest and latent functions.

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Structural functionalism - Wikipedia

. According to functionalism, society is a system of interconnected parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium for the whole.

Who are the functionalist in sociology?

The functionalist perspective sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation and broadly focuses on the social structures that shape society as a whole.

Who developed the functionalist theory of sociology?

You would do well to be able to distinguish between the ideas of Emile Durkheim – one of the founding fathers of Sociology and Talcott Parsons – who developed Functionalism in the 1940s and 50s. Durkheim is one of the founding fathers of Sociology.