The social institution functionalist perspective attempts to explain social institutions as collective means to meet individual and social needs.

It is every so often called structural-functionalism because it often focuses on the ways social structures (e.g., social institutions) meet social needs.


Here some key points of the social institution functionalist perspective:

In the functionalist perspective, societies are thought to function like organisms, with various social institutions working together like organs to maintain and reproduce societies.

According to functionalist theories, institutions come about and persist because they play a function in society, promoting stability and integration.

Functionalism has been criticized for its failure to account for social change and individual agency; some consider it conservatively biased.

Functionalism has been criticized for attributing human-like needs to society.

Emile Durkheim's work is considered the foundation of functionalist theory in sociology.

Merton observed that institutions could have both manifest and latent functions.

Sociology prospective