Social Psychology Theory and Roles of Social Psychologist

DISCUSSING THE THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE OF SOCIALIZATION

Socialization has different perspectives for viewing the social world Perspective is how the world is looked at and theory consists of principles or propositions that are interrelated and give explanation or an answer to a phenomenon . Sociological theories explain about the social world where we live in . theoretical perspective of socialization explain the causes and possible solutions to social problems

Structural-functionalist perspective

Society is considered as a system of parts that are interconnected and work to maintain state of social equilibrium and balance for everybody

br For example , every social institution have an important function to the society , a family participates in reproducing , socializing children and nurturing them . Education provides knowledge , skills and shared beliefs to the youths . Politics governs the society and economics helps in production and consumption of goods (Bacal , 1985 pp20-27

Structural-functionalist lay emphasis on interconnectedness of every society by looking at how different parts influence and are influenced by others . For example , number of children who do not perform well in school has increased due to the increase in number of single parents and families who are dual earners because parents are not available to supervise their children as they do their homework . Change in technology has resulted to colleges offering technical programs where many adults go to learn new skills required in their place of work . When number of women increase in the work place , there are policies formed against discrimination in jobs and sexual harassment

There is use of functional and dysfunctional in describing effects social elements have on the society . Functional elements make contribution to social stability and it is dysfunctional if there is disruption to social stability . Society may have aspects that are functional and dysfunctional . For example , crime is considered as dysfunctional because of being involved with fear and physical violence but Durkheim consider it as functional because of creating heightened awareness of moral bonds that are shared and social cohesion

According to social pathology , when there is sickness in the society social problems arises just the way body of human being become ill when systems and organs are not functioning normally . When the structure and culture of society do not perform properly , society becomes ill . For example , crime , poverty and violence break families and leads to decline in religious institutions (Baker , 1995 pp19-23

According to social disorganization , society norms are disrupted by rapid social change . When norms conflict or become weak , society becomes anomie and people may engage in drug abuse , rape and deviant behavior because of the weak and conflicting norms that regards their behavior The pace of social change should be slowed down and strengthen social norms to solve the social problem . For example , when teenage use alcohol it violates social norm in society . The media show young people taking alcohol which make teenagers buy it using identification cards that are fake and parents make their children drink alcohol by drinking after work . Norms should be strengthened against taking alcohol through public education...