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Understanding Merton's Functions in Sociology

Robert Merton distinguished between manifest and latent functions in sociology. Manifest functions are the intended and recognized consequences of social institutions, while latent functions are the unintended and unrecognized consequences. For example, the manifest function of schools is education, but a latent function is providing socialization and entertainment for youth. Latent functions can support or undermine manifest functions. Merton also discussed dysfunctions, which undermine social stability. Functions can be manifest for some and latent for others depending on perspective.

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Renz Carlo Buenaventura
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874 views11 pages

Understanding Merton's Functions in Sociology

Robert Merton distinguished between manifest and latent functions in sociology. Manifest functions are the intended and recognized consequences of social institutions, while latent functions are the unintended and unrecognized consequences. For example, the manifest function of schools is education, but a latent function is providing socialization and entertainment for youth. Latent functions can support or undermine manifest functions. Merton also discussed dysfunctions, which undermine social stability. Functions can be manifest for some and latent for others depending on perspective.

Uploaded by

Renz Carlo Buenaventura
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Robert Merton's Latent And

Manifest Functions
•Manifest Function Definition in
Sociology
•According to Robert Merton
manifest functions are those that
are intended and recognized.
These are functions which people
assume and expect the
institutions to fulfil.
•Examples of Manifest and latent
functions
For example schools are expected to
educate the children in the knowledge and
skills that they need. The manifest
functions are obvious, admitted and
generally applauded.
• Latent functions are unrecognized and
unintended functions
•These are the unforeseen consequences of
institutions.
•For example schools not only educate young they
also provide mass entertainment.
•Latent functions of an institution or partial
structure may support the manifest functions for
example the latent functions of religious
institutions in the modern society include offering
recreational activities and courtship opportunities
to young people.
•Latent functions may be irrelevant to manifest
functions for example the big functions
organized by schools may not impact the
purpose of the education.
•Latent functions may even undermine manifest
functions.
•For example the manifest function of civil
service regulations is to secure a competent
dedicated staff of civil servants to make
government more efficient
•But the civil service system may have the latent
function of establishing more rigid bureaucracy.

•The distinction between manifest and latent


functions is essentially relative and not absolute.

• A function may appear to be manifest for some


in the social system and latent for others.
•
CONCEPT OF DYSFUNCTION

What are Dysfunctions?

• Defined as the consequences of a social practice or behavior


pattern that undermines the stability of a social system.

• Merton paid especial attention to their existence.

• Important to be alert to and pay attention to the dysfunctional aspects of social


practices and institutions.

• Noticing dysfunctional aspects of society helps to explain the development and


persistence of alternatives, often initially seen
as problematical and or deviant.
MULTIPLE VARIABLES
TO CONSIDER SIMULTANEOUSLY

STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES


(ala Robert Merton)

Eufunctions Dysfunctions
Manifest Latent
Intended Unintended
Group Level Individual Level
A functional explanation…
In the 1980’s the average Indian male could expect a number of years of
unemployment when he got older. India had no social security program
and the typical worker did not earn enough to save for these unemployed
years.

His only hope, then, was to be provided for by his children. It took an
average of 1.1 wage earners to support one unemployed adult at minimum
subsistence, but because it takes two to produce a child, each family needed
at least 2.2 wage-earning children.

Because half the children born were female, and females were essentially
unemployable in India at the time, 4.4 children were required.
To cover infant and child mortality, this number had to be adjusted upward
to 4.6 children. Clearly, nobody was figuring this out on an explicit basis.
It represents a dramatic example of a latent social phenomenon, both
functional and dysfunctional.
ROLE-SET THEORY
• Begins with the concept that each social status involves
not a single associated role, but an array of roles (a role-
set).
•
• Example: A medical student plays not only the role of
student vis-à-vis the correlative status of his teachers
but also an array of other roles relating diversely to
others in the system: other medical students, physicians,
nurses, social workers, medical technicians, non-medical
students, university administrative personnel, and the
like.
• [Link]
[Link]

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