Functionalism

Just like pieces to a puzzle everyone has a place in society and a duty to fulfill in order to put all the pieces or functions together.

Functionalism is all about working together and as a team. It is the theory that states if one part of the system is not working then it affects all other parts and that one problem creates a big problem.
Functionalism theory is the complete opposite of what conflict theory consists of. Unlike conflict theory, functionalism believes in society as a whole unit that works together rather than groups working apart. This theory has the idea that society is made up of interrelated parts that work together as whole. Auguste Comte and Herbert Spencer said society is just like an animal that has organs that function as a system. Just like organs have to work together in order to function smoothly so does our society. Emile Durkheim also played a big role in the functionalism theory. He believed that society is many parts as opposed to just one, and each has a certain role and function to fill out. Durkheim said that each function needs to be fulfilled or society will be in an "abnormal" state and will not be able to function normally for day to day activities. Another sociologist named Robert Merton did not like the idea of society acting like a human organism. Although he did uphold the soul of functionalism and the idea that society is a whole unit composed of many parts working together to be one. Merton believed that functions were the beneficial consequences of people's actions and without functions society would be unbalanced and unruly. Functionalism to me is like people working in a restaurant. Without every person doing their job the restaurant would not be able to run smoothly. Every person has a duty and when someone does not obtain their duty everything will go hectic.

Works Cited
"The Functionalist Perspective." Boundless.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.