Models of society

According to Alex Inkeles there are five models of society: (a) the evolutionary model; (b) the organismic model (structural functionalism); (c) equilibrium vs. conflict models; (d) the physical science models; and (e) statistical and mathematical models. To him, there are also different models of man in sociology and psychology. Haralambos argues that unlike animal behavior human behavior is mostly learnt and lacks instinctive determination. He divides sociological models into two categories: positivistic and phenomenological. Further, there are different models of society and individual which may broadly be called macro-sociological model and micro-sociological model. The macro is again divided into two: structural functional model; and the Marxist model. The micro model includes phenomenology and interactionism. This lecture explains these models so that one can develop a theoretical understanding of man in society.