3 Major Paradigms

3 major paradigms

Conflict, functionalist, symbolic interaction

Explains ways in which the institutions of society (the family, education, religion, law/politics/government, the economy, medicine, media) work together to create social solidarity (a social contract in which society as a whole agrees upon the rules of social behavior and agrees, more or less, to abide by those rules) and to maintain balance in society.

Functionalist paradigm

Symbolic interaction paradigm

Symbolic Interactionism describes society as small groups of individuals interacting based on the various ways that people interpret their various cultural symbols such as spoken, written, and non-verbal language. Our behavior with and among other people (our interaction) is the result of our shared understanding of cultural symbols.

The most important aspect of the ____ paradigm is not so much that it is interested in small groups—although that is of great importance—as its interest in the interpretation of cultural symbols.

Symbolic Interactionist

The Conflict Paradigm

The Conflict paradigm does a very good job of explaining racism, sexism, ageism, socioeconomic inequality (wealth and poverty), etc.

The Functionalist Paradigm

The Functionalist paradigm describes society as stable and describes all of the various mechanisms that maintain social stability. Functionalism argues that the social structure is responsible for all stability and instability, and that that the social structure is continuously attempting to maintain social equilibrium (balance) among all of the components of society. Fun

describes the inequalities that exist in all societies around the globe

The conflict paradigm

Paradigms

a description of the world of human behavior; it is a description of society. A paradigm is a description of the interactions of human beings within any society. Paradigms are broad viewpoints or perspectives that permit social scientists to have a wide range of tools to describe society, and then to build hypotheses and theories. Paradigms don't do anything but DESCRIBE!