Sociology - Social Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sociology - Social Psychology - Essay Example 1) The basic criticism against functionalism is that there is no place for change in the society and it views it as static. This is not true in the real world where changes are occurring rapidly. Similarly, it does not attempt to explain the causes of certain effects in the society and hence it is of little use where causes identification is necessary. The strength of this theory is that it focuses on unity and it is indeed very necessary for proper functioning of the society. It also talks about cohesion which is fundamental of any society.. 4) The strengths of this theory are that it explains that functioning of the society is a two-way process and is based on social interaction. Since it is based on social interaction, the society works in cohesion and unity. The weakness of this theory is that it ignores macro-level issues focusing only on small things. It also believes that institution exerts pressure on individual's interaction. 5) A theory that states that certain characteristics are attributed or labeled as positive or negative to acts, people or traditions, by people in authority in the society. If education is labeled as something positive then people will try to acquire education so that they are not viewed as deviant. This will result in better jobs and living standard for a person and society will be better off. References: Horton, Paul and Hunt, Chester. (1980). Sociology. McGraw-Hill