Lesson 3

Social Science Theories and Their Implications to Education

Objectives:
In this lesson, you are expected to explain social science theories and their
impactions to education
Content of the lesson:
Sociologists today employ three theoretical perspectives: the functionalist
perspective, the conflict perspective and the symbolic interactionist perspective.
These perspectives offer sociologists theoretical paradigms for explaining how
society influences people, and how people influence society. Each perspective
uniquely conceptualizes society, social forces, and human behavior.
Three Social Theories
1. Structural –Functional Theory
Herbert Spencer, the proponent of structural-functional views society as an
interconnected part each with s unique function. The parts have to work together
for stability and balance of society.” Society is compared to the human body with
different but interrelated parts performing different functions. Just as the human
body has many parts, society has different but interrelated components such as
family, the state, the school, the Church, mass media, economics. These must
coordinate and collaborate for society to function well. If one part of the human
body does not function well, the whole body is affected. In the same way, when one
component of society does not do its part, society will not function well. The
o0verall health of the organism (society) depends upon the health of each structure.
This is exactly the message of the song, Dem Bone. The bones are
interconnected. Each has a unique function.
For instance, there is peace, stability, equilibrium and harmony in society if
families do their part in bringing forth children, nurturing and socializing them; if
education or schools effectively transmit knowledge, skills and values; if politics
governs citizens well; if economics takes care of food production, distribution of
goods and services and if religion strengthens the moral fiber of the members of
society. Failure of one social institution to do its part means disruption of stability in
society. For example, the rise of single parent and dual earner families means
families have less time or sometimes no more time left for the supervision of
children in their homework which may result to an increase of non-performing
students in school.
 In a high tech world, educational institution must teach adults the new skills
to relate to the tech-savvy young and the world and to be more effective in the
workplace. With more women in the workplace, policies against sexual harassment
and discrimination were formulated. The Cybercrime Act of 2012 came about to
address legal issues concerning online interactions and the internet in the
Philippines.
The functionalist theory of education focuses on how education serves the
need of society through the development of skills encouraging social cohesion. The
role of schools is to prepare students for participation in the institutions of society.
Education is concerned with transmission of core values for social control.
Education is concerned with socializing people by bringing together people from
different backgrounds. The functionalist theory is focused on social stability and
solidarity. Functionalists see education as a beneficial contribution to an ordered
society.
Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing
their social environment, even when such change may benefit them. Instead,
functionalism sees active social change as undesirable because the various parts of
society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise. For example,
schools can compensate for the lack of time and the lack of parental advice from
home.

Purposes of Schooling According to Functionalists

The purposes of schooling according to the functionalist theory are:

1. Intellectual purposes – acquisition of cognitive skills, inquiry skills
2. Political purposes – educate future citizens; promote patriotism;
promote assimilation of immigrants; ensure order, public civility and
conformity to laws
3. Economic purposes – prepare students for later work roles; selects and
train the labor force needed by society
4. Social purposes – promote a sense of social and moral responsibility;
serve as a site for the solution or resolution of social problems;
supplement the efforts of other institutions of socialization such as the
family and the church.
An examination of the present curricula in basic and in tertiary education shows
that these 4 functions are given attention to.
2. Conflict Theory
According to this theory, there are always two opposing sides in a conflict
situation. People take sides between maintaining the status quo and introducing
change then arrive at an agreement. Conflict theory welcomes conflict for the way to
the establishment of a new society. Conflict theorists find potential conflict between
 any groups where inequality exists: racial, gender, religious, political, economic, and
so on. Conflict theorists note that unequal group’s compete against one another.
This constant competition between groups forms the basis for the ever-changing
nature of society.
The factory workers want change – better working conditions, higher
salaries. The factory owners naturally are opposed to such. The resolution of the
conflict, however, leads to a compromise, a change in the way the factory is
managed where both workers and owners are happy.

How Proponents of Conflict Theory Regard Education

According to the conflict theory, education is not truly a social benefit or
opportunity as seen by the functionalists. Rather, education is a powerful means of
maintaining power structures and creating a docile work force for capitalism. The
purpose of education it to maintain social inequality and to preserver the power of
those who dominate society and teach those in the working class to accept their
position as a lower class worker of society. Conflict theorists call this the “hidden
curriculum”. The “hidden” curriculum socializes young people into obedience and
conformity for them to be developed as docile workers.
Functionalists disagree strongly. They assert that if schools teach adherence
to policies, obedience to rules, and respect for persons including authorities,
punctuality and honesty, civil right it is because they are then very principles dear to
a democratic way of life. It is not because they want to make the4 workers remain
docile, unquestioning and subservient forever while those in power remain in
power.

3. The symbolic interactionist theory perspective

Three tenets of symbolic interactions theory are:

1. An individual’s action depends on meaning. We act based on the meaning we
give to symbols. Symbols can be actions, objects or words. If a student
understands that teacher believes in his/her ability he/she tries his/her best
prove that indeed he/she is able. If a teacher does otherwise, a student tends to
behave in according with teacher’s poor perception.
2. Different people may give different meanings to the same thing. When
teachers are strict, some students see it as an expression of care. Others may
rebel because they perceive teacher’s behavior as limiting their moves and
desires. A businessman may look at a tree and starts estimating how much money
he can get if he has the tree cut down for lumber. A philosopher or a poet may
look at it with the thought, “they also serve who only stand and wait” like John
Milton’s from his poem “On his Blindness”.
3. Meanings change as individuals interact with one another. A negative
meaning that you used to hospital when you went to a hospital which looked
more as a hotel than the usual hospital you know is changed. After you have
taught well, your first impression of teaching as boring is changed to teaching is
exciting.
Implication to Teaching
Let us continue to teach for meaning. Let us promote and care opportunities
for genuine interaction among our students, teachers, between students and
teachers. Interaction does not only mean dealing with warm bodies. Interaction
includes reading, listening, and viewing. Other people’s views and meaning are
conveyed in what they have written, in speeches and lectures they have
delivered.
Let us use positive symbols – in the form of gestures, words, actions, and
appearances – to express our trust, belief in our students’ abilities, and
affirmation of their being. In fact, our belief in prepared students also has positive
effect in us. We find ourselves more prepared in class, more caring, truly
professional.
The symbolic interactionist perspective, also known as symbolic
interactionism, directs sociologists to consider the symbols and details of
everyday life, what these symbols mean, and how people interact with each other.
As the turn implies, symbolic interactionist theory states that people interact
with one another through symbols. Language is a predominant symbol among
people. According to the symbolic interactions perspective people attach meaning
to symbols, n d then they act according to their subjective interaction of these
symbols. Verbal; conversations, in which spoken words serve as the predominant
symbols, make this subjective interpretation especially evident. The words have a
certain meaning for the “sender”, and, during effective communication, they
hopefully have the same meaning for the “receiver.” In other terms, words are not
static ‘things”; they require intention and interpretation. Conversation is an
interaction of symbols between individuals who constantly interpret the world
around them. To ensure mutual understanding, the sender of the symbol and the
receiver of the symbol; must give the same meaning to the symbol to run the risk
of misunderstanding.
Faulty communication can result from differences in the perception of
the same events and symbols. Did you experience this in your activity of
giving symbols of caring? While you looked at your symbol as something
expressing your love and care, our partner may have not understood it that
way at all.
 This happens in real life. It is important that our symbols are understood by
others in the way they were intended to be. Sometimes it happens in the language
(which is a symbol) we speak. often we are misunderstood or we misunderstand
others. so let’s keep on communicating.
Weakness of Symbolic Interaction Theory
Critic claim that symbolic interactionism neglect the macro level of social
interpretation-the “big picture.” In other words, symbolic interactionist may miss
the larger issues of society by focusing too closely on the “Trees’ or by restricting
themselves to small or individual interactions.
Symbolic interactionism traces its origins to Max Weber’s assertion that
individuals act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world.
However, it was the American philosopher George H. Mead (1863-1931)
who introduced this perspective to American sociology in the 1920s.

Guide Questions: Answer the following questions:

A. How the schools prepares you on the following purposes:
 intellectually
 politically
 economically
 socially
B. Which social science theory is referred to?
1. The overall health of society depends upon the healthy functioning of its
institutions.
2. Meanings that individuals give to symbols change over time.
3. Faulty communication can result from differences in the perception of the
same events and symbols.
4. Schools teach humanitarian attitude, altruism, democracy, civil rights, and
other positive aspects of society to preserve society and social order.
5. When one institution fails to function another institution ought to come in
to perform the function for the stability of society.
6. A new society comes as a result of the resolution of clash between the
powers that be and the workers.
7. Two opposing sides are welcomed. This paves the way to change.
8. When one institution fails to perform its function, the other institutions
showed come in for the preservation of society.
9. One weakness of this theory is this is focused on small interactions.
 10. Differences in meaning of symbols for both sender and receiver result to
misunderstanding.

Let’s Write a Journal

Journal Entry #3
Theories and Their Implications to Education, integrate your writing
what you learned in this lesson and write your reflection
1. Based on the lesson on symbolic-interactionist theory and the movie, The Little
Prince, what does this quote mean: “Words are a source of misunderstanding?”
Any personal; message? Write it down.
2. Research on more school practices based on the functionalist theory, conflict
theory and symbolic interaction theory. Write them in your reflective journal.

Self-Learning Activities : Answer the following questions:

1. The purpose of schooling according to the functionalist theory are:
1. Intellectual purposes – acquisition of cognitive skills, inquiry skill
2. Political purposes – educate furfure citizens; promote patriotism; promote
assimilation of immigrants; ensure order, public civility and conformity to
laws
3. Economic purposes – prepare students for later work roles; select and
train the labor force needed by society
4. Social purposes – promote a sense of social and moral; responsibility;
serve as a site for the solution or resolution of social problems;
supplement the efforts of other institutions of socialization such as the
family and the church
Cite how schools ate present are working on the realization of these 4 purposes as
cited by the functionalists.
5. Adherents to the conflict theory claim that schools teach loyalty so that
those in power remain in power and those below will forever be at the bottom.
Do you agree? Why or why not?
6. Individuals act based on meaning. This meaning is based on individuals’
experiences. Meanings change, Give two implications of these symbolic
interactionist thoughts to education.