Theory in Everyday Life

Conflict Theory

APPROACH TO CULTURE Values and norms are part of the dominant culture and tend to represent and protect the interests of the most powerful groups in society. CASE STUDY: RELIGION Religion serves to control the masses by creating rules for behavior; sanctions against violators may not be equally or fairly applied. Culture wars reflect tensions among groups over which values and norms will dominate.

Symbolic Interactionism

APPROACH TO CULTURE Values and norms are social constructions that may vary over time and in different contexts; meaning is created, maintained and change through ongoing social interaction. CASE STUDY: RELIGION Religion consists of beliefs and rituals that are part of the interaction among followers. Reciting the Lord's Prayer, bowing toward Mecca, and keeping a kosher home are meaningful displays of different religious values and norms. Leaders may play a role in creating social change.

Structural Functionalism

APPROACH TO CULTURE Values and norms are widely shared and agreed upon; they contribute to social stability by reinforcing common bonds and constraining individual behavior. CASE STUDY: RELIGION Religion is an important social institution that functions as the basis for the morals and ethics that followers embrace and that are applied to both society and the individual, thus promoting social order.