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April 28, 2018 / C H Thompson

Functionalist perspective of education-revision notes

  • Like Davis and Moore, Parsons’ argued the education system functions to put the right people in the right jobs through a meritocratic system of role allocation
  • it also passes on society’s culture – education helps establish a value consensus through the hidden curriculum (the hidden curriculum – how students learn behaviours, values, beliefs, and attitudes)
  • socialization – Parsons argues how the function of school is to take over the role of parents as sites of secondary socialization.
  • it also provides a bridge between particularistic values and universalistic values
  • schools also function to equips individuals with with the skills needed to achieve their status rather than rely on ascribed status
  • provides a trained and qualified labour force – schooling equips people in society with the right skills needed to do their jobs creating a division of labour
  • meritocracy – Davis and Moore said the education system becomes the best mechanism for rewarding individual effort legitimising social inequalities
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