Specifications and supplementary technical requirements

Sociology

Social Stratification

Stratification is the ranking of an entire group of people in order to perpetuate inequality or unequal rewards and life chances. Social Status is the prestige, honor, respect, and lifestyle that is associated with different positions or groups within society. It is often influenced by occupation and schooling. It is possible for one to have a social class that differs from their social status. Behavior patterns, likes and dislikes, success in situations, who you meet, whom you marry, employment choices and chances are all seen as consequences of class. Likes and dislikes of each class are different and need to be learned and applied to those in the case of vertical mobility to be part of that social class. Stratification is motivated by lifestyle. We often demonstrate or express our status through consumer goods and behavior (Stratification Power, Class and Privilege, n.d.).

According to the functionalist perspective which is also called functionalism, each aspect of society is interdependent and contributes to society's functioning as a whole. The government, or state, provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state needs to keep itself running. The family is reliant upon the school to help children grow up to be able to have good jobs so that they can raise and support their own families. In the process, the children become law-abiding, taxpaying citizens, who in turn help to support the state. If it all works the way it is supposed to, the parts of society produce order, stability, and productivity. If it doesn't go well, the parts of society then must adapt to recapture a new order, stability, and productivity (Three Major Perspectives in Sociology, 2009).

Functionalists believe that society is held together by social cohesion, in which members of the society agree upon, and work together to achieve, what is best for society as a whole. It is believed that social consensus takes on one of two forms:

Mechanical solidarity is a form of social cohesion that comes about when people in a society maintain similar values and beliefs and employ in similar types of work. This is usually found in traditional, simple societies such as those in which everyone herds cattle or farms.

Organic solidarity is a form of social cohesion that arises when the people in a society are interdependent, but yet have varying values and beliefs and engage in varying types of work. This solidarity most commonly occurs in industrialized, complex societies (Three Major Perspectives in Sociology, 2009).

The functionalist perspective achieved its greatest popularity among American sociologists during the 1940s and 1950s. During this time American functionalists focused on discovering the functions of human behavior. Among these American functionalist sociologists was Robert Merton, who divides human functions into two types: manifest functions which are intentional and obvious and latent functions which are unintentional and not obvious. A sociological approach in functionalism is the contemplation of the relationship between the functions of smaller parts and the functions of the whole (Three Major Perspectives in Sociology, 2009).

Functionalism has received criticism for overlooking the negative functions of an event. Some critics also claim that this perspective give good reason for the status quo and complacency on the part of society's members. Functionalism tends not to encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment, even though the change would benefit them. Functionalism sees social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise (Three Major Perspectives in Sociology, 2009).

Functionalism often relies on the idea that society is a body or a living system. It is seen as having multiple cooperative components. Functional analysis does not examine the details of specific interactions but looks at the society as a whole when determining how it maintains itself. When functionalists consider the preponderance of social deviance, they make a note of the positive role that inappropriate behavior plays in maintaining the health of a society. By soliciting outrage in others, a deviant can clarify and reinforce social norms while strengthening a group's sense of community togetherness (Harris, n.d.).

The conflict perspective, which stemmed originally out of Karl Marx's writings on class struggles, presents society in a different light than do the functionalists. While the functionalist perspective focuses on the positive aspects of society that contribute to its stability, the conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever-changing nature of a society. Unlike functionalists who defend the status quo, avoid social change, and believe people cooperate to effect social order; conflict theorists challenge the status quo, encourage social change, and believe rich and powerful people force social order on the poor and the weak (Three Major Perspectives in Sociology, 2009).

During the 1940s and 1950s American sociologists generally ignored the conflict perspective in favor of the functionalist. But during the tumultuous 1960s, American sociologists began taking a considerable interest in conflict theory. It was during this time that Marx's idea that the key conflict in society was strictly economic was expanded. Modern day conflict theorists find social conflict between any groups in which the potential for inequality exists: racial, gender, religious, political, and economic. Conflict theorists feel that unequal groups usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to compete against one another. This constant competition between groups forms the basis for the ever-changing nature of society (Three Major Perspectives in Sociology, 2009).

Critics of the conflict perspective often point to its overly negative view of society. The theory ultimately characterizes humanitarian efforts, altruism, democracy, civil rights, and other positive aspects of society to capitalistic designs in order to control the masses and not to the inherent interests in preserving society and social order (Three Major Perspectives in Sociology, 2009).