Jennifer B.

Pina
SPR14 SOC001
Sociological Perspectives Writing Assignment
1. Functionalist PerspectivePara!igm"
#$is is a met$o! of t$oug$t in sociolog% in &$ic$ t$e parts a!! up to
t$e &$ole. 'ac$ aspect of social activit% !efines societ%.
'(ample" Functionalist sociologists see societ% as a car) &it$ man%
parts t$at all &or* toget$er +t$e tires) t$e engine) t$e car ,o!%-. .f an% one part
,rea*s !o&n t$en societ% as a &$ole +t$e car- ,rea*s !o&n an! cannot &or* to
t$e ,est of its a,ilit%.
/. Conflict PerspectivePara!igm"
#$is met$o! $as a 0ar(ism perspective to in) in &$ic$ Conflict
sociologists ,elieve t$at t$ere is in$erent ine1ualit% an! conflict t$at lea! to
c$ange in societ%2s actions an! ,eliefs. #$e% ,elieve t$at societ% is al&a%s on t$e
verge of !issension) an! t$ose ,attles ,ring a,out positive social c$anges.
'(ample" Animal Farm) an! various ot$er !%stopian stories) in &$ic$
some animals are 3more e1ual t$an ot$ers4) ,ut t$at t$e ine1ualit% ,rings a,out
re,ellion an! c$ange to create e1ualit%.
5. .nteractionist PerspectivePara!igm"
#$is i!ea of sociolog% places a large emp$asis on s%m,ols an!
social interactions +ver,al an! non6ver,al-. #$roug$ t$e e(ploration of t$ese
social connections) t$e% can fin! meaning to !efine societ% as a &$ole. Similar to
Functionalist in &$ic$ t$e% ta*e t$e smaller aspects an! use it to !efine a larger
i!ea.
'(ample" #raffic an! !riving. #$roug$ t$e use of various s%mo,ols
+lig$ts) $an! signals) %elling) signs- &e are a,le to navigate t$roug$ various
con!itions &it$ a multitu!e of ot$er in!ivi!uals) all getting safel% to our
!estinations.