Sociology Paper 1 - Education
Functionalist perspective on education
Durkheim:
Education’s only purpose is to create social solidarity and teaching specialist skills.
Social solidarity: Belonging to a community.
Individual members must feel themselves to be part of a single ‘body’ or community. Without social
solidarity social life and cooperation would be impossible because each individual would pursue their
selfish desires.
The education system helps create this by transmitting society’s culture - its shared beliefs and values
from one generation to the next. For example, history instils a sense of shared heritage.
Schools also act as a ‘society in miniature’ preparing us for life in wider society. For example both in
school and work we have to cooperate with people who aren’t family or friends.
Specialist skills: Need for people with a range of skills
Modern industrial economies have a complex division of labour where the production of single items
usually involves cooperation of many different specialists. Creating social solidarity and each person
must have the necessary specialist knowledge and skills to perform their role
Durkheim argues education teaches individuals the specialist knowledge and skills that they need to play
their part in the social division of labour.
Parsons:
Schools act as a bridge between family and wider society. This is needed because family and society
operate on different principles so children need to learn a new way of living if they cope with the wider
world.
Particularistic standards: Ascribed status given to a child, fixed at birth for example, elder son and
younger daughter may be given different rights and duties due to different rights or duties because of
differences in age and sex.
Universalistic standards: A person’s status is largely achieved. For example, at work, we gain a
promotion or get sacked based on our performance, likewise in school grades.
Davis & Moore:
Schools also perform the function of selecting and allocating pupils to their future work roles (role
allocation). By assessing individuals' aptitudes and abilities schools help to match them to the job best
suited.
Davis & Moore argue that inequality is necessary to ensure that the most important roles in society are
filled by the most talented people. For example, it would be dangerous for less able people to be
surgeons or pilots. Not everyone is equally talented so society had to offer higher rewards for these jobs.
→ This encourages everyone to compete for them and society can then select the most talented
individuals to fill these positions.
Education is where individuals show what they can do and ‘sifts and sorts’ us according to our ability,
those able to gain the highest qualifications allow them entry to the most important and rewarded
positions.
Role allocation: Narrow down what jobs they’ll go in.
Meritocracy: Everyone is given an equal opportunity so individuals must achieve rewards through their
effort and abilities.
Functionalist perspective on education
Durkheim:
Education’s only purpose is to create social solidarity and teaching specialist skills.
Social solidarity: Belonging to a community.
Individual members must feel themselves to be part of a single ‘body’ or community. Without social
solidarity social life and cooperation would be impossible because each individual would pursue their
selfish desires.
The education system helps create this by transmitting society’s culture - its shared beliefs and values
from one generation to the next. For example, history instils a sense of shared heritage.
Schools also act as a ‘society in miniature’ preparing us for life in wider society. For example both in
school and work we have to cooperate with people who aren’t family or friends.
Specialist skills: Need for people with a range of skills
Modern industrial economies have a complex division of labour where the production of single items
usually involves cooperation of many different specialists. Creating social solidarity and each person
must have the necessary specialist knowledge and skills to perform their role
Durkheim argues education teaches individuals the specialist knowledge and skills that they need to play
their part in the social division of labour.
Parsons:
Schools act as a bridge between family and wider society. This is needed because family and society
operate on different principles so children need to learn a new way of living if they cope with the wider
world.
Particularistic standards: Ascribed status given to a child, fixed at birth for example, elder son and
younger daughter may be given different rights and duties due to different rights or duties because of
differences in age and sex.
Universalistic standards: A person’s status is largely achieved. For example, at work, we gain a
promotion or get sacked based on our performance, likewise in school grades.
Davis & Moore:
Schools also perform the function of selecting and allocating pupils to their future work roles (role
allocation). By assessing individuals' aptitudes and abilities schools help to match them to the job best
suited.
Davis & Moore argue that inequality is necessary to ensure that the most important roles in society are
filled by the most talented people. For example, it would be dangerous for less able people to be
surgeons or pilots. Not everyone is equally talented so society had to offer higher rewards for these jobs.
→ This encourages everyone to compete for them and society can then select the most talented
individuals to fill these positions.
Education is where individuals show what they can do and ‘sifts and sorts’ us according to our ability,
those able to gain the highest qualifications allow them entry to the most important and rewarded
positions.
Role allocation: Narrow down what jobs they’ll go in.
Meritocracy: Everyone is given an equal opportunity so individuals must achieve rewards through their
effort and abilities.
