Sociology

Sociology Study Guide

 Four million women are battered each year – across all socioeconomic levels.  Batterers are usually male, unemployed, and have low income.  5% of elderly are abused by primary caretakers. • Functionalist Perspective: According to functionalists, the family is the foundation of social order. This perspective focuses on how the family meets the needs of its members and contributes to social stability. The four functions of the family, according to functionalist theory, in the modern society are: o Socialization: Families are where children learn appropriate behavior and what is expectedof them throughout life. o Affection and companionship: Families provide the primary source of love andaffection impacting children’s physical, intellectual, and emotional growth. o Sexual regulation: Families are the arena where socially acceptable sexual activity can result in legitimate children. o Economic consideration: Families are an economic unit, either producing or consuming goods as a unit. • Conflict Perspective: This perspective insists that the family is the principle institution of male dominance over women. Conflict theorists believe that the sexes compete with each other and that family benefits are not equally divided. Conflict theorists also believe that capitalism was instituted as a means of keeping inequality of thesexes. Capitalismdoes not monetarily reward female duties of childbirth, health care, etc.). 5.2 Educational Education is the formal vehicle for transmission of knowledge, technical skills, cultural values, and norms. Job requirements increase the need for education, and according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the higher a householder’s income is, the greater their potential earnings are. For these reasons, education isa highly prized integral part of American society. In the United States, education is the largest industry, even though everyone can attend free of charge. (Public school funds come from local property taxes.) Compulsory education laws are enacted in every state – for elementary, middle school, and high school levels. 82% of Americans are high school graduates and 23% are college graduates. Structure One major problem in the public school system is that the bureaucratic process interferes with the learning process. From the local and state level up to the federal level directives have been initiated that make it difficult for administrators and faculty to fulfill their daily obligations while complying with the mandates. Because these directives usually have money, or the qualification of money, Perspectives

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