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Robert K. Merton was an American sociologist whose diverse interests included the sociology of science and the professions, sociological theory, and mass communication. After receiving a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1936, Merton joined the school’s faculty. In his first work in the sociology of.
- Robert C. Merton
Robert C. Merton (born July 31, 1944, New York City, New...
- Robert C. Merton
1. R.K. Merton’s middle-range theories came as a rejection of Parsonian sociology’s giant theory. His theory says that academic speculation and intellectual violence should not be used to build sociology theories. Sociological ideas can’t be random, unrealistic, based on jargon, or just plain logical.
- Indispensability
- Functional Unity
- Universal Functionalism
- Manifest and Latent Functions.
- Signposting and Related Posts
Parsons assumes that everything in society – the family, religion and so on – is functionally indispensable in its existing form. Merton argues this is an untested assumption and he points to the possibility of functional alternatives. For example, Parsons assumes that primary socialisation is best performed by the nuclear family, but one-parent fa...
Parsons assumes that all parts of society are tightly integrated into a single whole or ‘unity’ and that each part is functional for all the rest. Similarly, he argues that if one part changes, it will have a knock on effect for the others. However, Merton argues that some parts of society may be relatively independent from others – maybe society w...
Parsons seems to assume that everything in society performs positive functions for society as a whole. However, Merton argues that some aspects of society may be dysfunctional for certain groups, which relates to Conflict perspectives.
Merton also contributes a useful distinction between ‘manifest’ and ‘latent’ functions. He cites the example of the Hopi Indians who, in times of drought, perform a rain-dance with the aim of magically producing rain. This is its manifest, or intended function. From a scientific viewpoint, however, this goal is unlikely to be achieved. However, the...
You might also like to read this post on The Functionalist Theory of Society. Parsons’ system theory is summarised in the second half of the post. This post has mainly been written for students studying A-level Sociology. It should be useful as part of the compulsory Theory and Methods module, usually studied in the second year. Robert Merton was a...
Jan 8, 2024 · Robert Merton was a prominent sociologist who made significant contributions to the field of sociology, particularly in the area of functionalism. Born on July 4, 1910, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Merton’s work has had a lasting impact on our understanding of social structures and the functioning of society. Early Life and Education
Robert King Merton (born Meyer Robert Schkolnick; July 4, 1910 – February 23, 2003) was an American sociologist who is considered a founding father of modern sociology, and a major contributor to the subfield of criminology. He served as the 47th president of the American Sociological Association. [ 1 ] He spent most of his career teaching at ...
Robert K. Merton, 1910Œ2003 JONATHAN R. COLE Columbia University, New York (USA) Robert K. Merton was a giant among 20th century social scientists. Both in print and in person, he had a profound influence on modern social science, and particularly on the study of bureaucracy, deviance, mass communications, social stratification, and
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Yet, Merton is a. theorist particularly concerned with the essential properties and types of social. structure, as well as the detailed ways in which they work. The exposition of Merton's theory of social structure, which follows, is intended to complement and extend the basic insights laid out by Stinchcombe.
