Structural functional approach

Structural functional approach is closely connected to positivism. It assumes that society is like a biological organism. It has its own functional needs and the various organs of society are interconnected in the same way as different organs of the biological organisms. Structural functional sociologists draw attention to the following aspects of society:

• The idea that societies have certain needs and the various parts and institutions of society function to serve one or more of those needs.

• In normal times the different parts and institutions of society are found to be in equilibrium and if for some reason that equilibrium is disturbed then society acts in a way that equilibrium is soon restored. The characteristics of society under the new equilibrium may, however, be somewhat different from those of the old equilibrium.

• Existence and functioning of any one institution or social pattern can be explained by relating it to other institutions and social patterns only. This explains that if the institution of family in one society is different from that of other societies it is because the history, religion, kinship organization, education, economic institutions and political system of are different.

• Values (standards of behavior or goals) and norms (accepted practices) of society determine human goals and behavior. Sometimes some individuals may act differently but that too can be explained in terms of characteristics of society.

The above points create an image that man is a social robot and there is very little originality or uniqueness in human individuals.