Tiffany Tsai

Sociology 1, CRN #51095

Sociological Perspectives
Functionalist perspective/paradigm sees the world or society and
community as a whole. This entirety is made up of different
functional groups that make the society work in harmony e.g.
governors, doctors, laborers, professors, students, artists all
contribute to influencing one another and helping one another.
Governors maintain order in the society by passing laws, doctors
maintain health in individuals, laborers build infrastructures for
better living conditions, professors teach for better education,
students learn for better future, and artists entertain the society,
and etc. Every individual will master something and contribute to
the society as a whole. Also what the society needs and wants will
influence an individuals decisions e.g. promoting more
environmental engineers due to excessive waste and harmful
byproducts from factories, the community, farmland, etc. So if a
group which specializes in a certain area essential for society to be
maintained, such as politics, decided to change the law, then the
entire society will change with the law.
Conflict perspective/paradigm sees the society as being controlled
by those with power. Those with power arise when they have
resources such has money, land, and property, have social status
and authority, and cultural resources such as knowledge, beliefs,
and taste. Those with power will always stay and the top controlling
those without. For example, the king and his family will always stay
at the top of the social status. He has power to enforce laws and
control over the people. Peasants will always stay at the bottom of
social class. They are not as respected as the king is, and they have
to work hard for their money and food. But without peasants
working and growing crops, the king will not have food either. So if
the peasants are unhappy with their king, they can stop working or
even team up with the rest of the kingdom and strike to bring down
the king. Then a new king with new principles will arise.
Interactionist perspective/paradigm sees society as a buildup and
representation of the interactions and relationships of each
individual. Each individual influences another and it will eventually
lead to a common belief and custom. Individuals feel connected to
another when they have something in common to share with. For
example, a musician can start making a new genre of music other
than whats popular at the moment. This musician has influence
over his/her musician friends. Hardcore fans of this musician will
support him/her all the way. So the belief of this new genre of music
is amazing and worth listening and supporting will be passed on
through social media, commercial and propaganda, and people

interactions in general. Eventually, this genre of music will be loved

and supported by the majority of the people in the city. And this
music will bring the society together, because everyone will sing
together and feel connected when the music is playing. The music
becomes a representation of this society. Its a ripple effect; an
individual can make something big out of one single action. So as
long as this individual has a way of telling others his/her opinion and
can persuade others to believe in him/her, he/she can create a
situation that can change the entire society.