CHAPTER III

SOCIAL SCIENCE THEORIES AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS TO EDUCATION

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to:
1. Explain the three social science theories
2. Understand the implications of the three social science theories

Sociologist today employ three primary theoretical perspectives: the functionalist

perspective, the conflict perspective and 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 “a system of
interconnected parts of each with a 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 the 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 its part,
society will not function well. The overall health of the organism depends upon the
health of each structure.
This 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 govern
citizens well; if economics take care of food production, distribution of goods and
services and if religion strengthen 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 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 purpose 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; select and train the
labor force needed by society
Ex: livelihood program-they have idea how to do one thing to have an income as an
individual
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 effort of
other institutions of socialization such as the family and the church
Ex: fiesta, gathering
2. Conflict Theory
According to this theory, there was 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 that is
the way to the establishment of new society. Conflict theorist find potential
conflict between any groups where inequality exists: racial, gender, religious,
political, economic, and so on. Conflict theorist note that unequal groups usually
have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to 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 comprise, 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 benefits or
opportunity as seen by the functionalist. Rather, education is a powerful means
of maintaining power structures and creating a docile work force for capitalism.
The purpose of education is to maintain social inequality and to preserve 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 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, respect for persons including
authorities, punctuality and honesty, civil right it is because they are the very
principles dear to a democratic way of life. It is not because they want to make
the workers remain docile, unquestioning and subservient forever while those in
power remain in power.

3. The symbolic interactionist theory perspective

Three tenets of symbolic interactionist theory are:

1. An individual’s action depends on meaning. We act based on the we give to

symbols. Symbols can be actions, objects or words. If a student understand that
teacher believes in his /her abilities he/ she tries his/ her best prove that indeed
he/ she is able. If a teacher dos otherwise, a student tends to behave in
accordance with teacher’s poor perception.

2. Different people may give different meaning 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 form his poem “On His Blindness”.

3. Meaning change as individuals interact with one another. A negative

meaning that you used to associate with 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.

Implications to Teaching
Let us continue to teach for meaning. Let us promote and create 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
appearance- to express our trust, belief in our students’ abilities, an affirmation of their
being. In fact, our belief in our students also has positive effect in us. We find ourselves
more prepared in class, more caring and truly professional.
The symbolic interactionist perspective, also known as symbolic
interactionism, direct sociologist to consider the symbols and detail of everyday life,
what these symbols mean, and how people interact with each other.
As the term implies, symbolic interactionist theory states that people interact with
one another through symbols. Language is a predominant symbol among people.
According to the symbolic interactionist perspective, people attach meaning to symbols,
and then they act according to their subjective interpretation of these symbols. Verbal
conversations, in which spoken words serve as the predominant symbol, 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 “thing”; they require intention and
interpretation. Conservation 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
or run the risk of misunderstanding.
Weakness of Symbolic Interaction Theory
Critics claim that symbolic interactionism neglects the macro level of social
interpretation- the “big picture”. In other words, symbolic interactionists 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 individual
act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world. However, it was
the American philosopher George H. Mead (1863-1931) who introduces this
perspective to American sociology in the 1920s.