Functionalist Views on Education Flashcards

Durkheim argued education performs positive functions for society, including promoting social solidarity and teaching specialist skills.

Social ties that bind individuals together, creating a sense of belonging and shared identity within society.

Traditional form of solidarity in pre-industrial societies, based on shared beliefs, religion, and close-knit communities.

Modern form of solidarity in industrial societies, based on interdependence and specialised roles in a complex division of labour.

Through teaching shared heritage (e.g., history, literature), communal gatherings (e.g., assemblies), and activities fostering social cohesion (e.g., sports teams).

Skills required for a complex division of labour in modern societies, taught through education to prepare students for diverse roles.

Marxists argue education benefits the ruling class, teaching fragmented knowledge and creating a reserve army of labour to drive down wages.

Feminists argue education reinforces gender hierarchies, discouraging girls from entering traditionally masculine domains like engineering.

Parsons argued education acts as a bridge between home and wider society, transforming particularistic values into universal values.

Values specific to a group or individual, such as those within the family.

Values that apply to everyone in society, such as punctuality and meritocracy.

The idea that individuals earn their status through ability and effort, rather than ascribed status.

Parsons suggested education promotes individualism over collectivism to prepare students for career progression and mobility.

Implicit lessons in schools, such as acceptance of hierarchies, punctuality, and conformity, which prepare students for wider society.

Marxists argue the hidden curriculum transmits capitalist values, promoting individualism to prevent collective resistance.

Postmodernists argue society is fragmented, and individuals choose their own values, making universal values less relevant.

Davis and Moore argued education allocates individuals to roles based on their abilities, ensuring the most talented fill higher-status positions.

The idea that individuals achieve success based on their ability and effort, promoted by the education system to legitimise inequality.

Education enables individuals to move up the social hierarchy based on their achievements, supporting meritocratic ideals.

Students are grouped by perceived ability into sets or streams, influencing their subject choices and future career paths.

Qualifications like BTECs or T Levels that prepare students for specific careers, often associated with lower-status jobs.

Marxists argue meritocracy is a myth that legitimises inequality and shifts blame for failure onto individuals rather than systemic issues.

Feminists argue education prioritises male-dominated professions, leading to gender pay gaps and inequality in female-dominated industries.

Critics argue social capital, such as private education and elite networks, undermines meritocracy in higher-status roles like politics.