Structural functionalism, or simply
functionalism, is a framework for building theory that sees society as a
complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation, which is a broad focus on the social structures that shape society as a whole, and believes that society has evolved like organisms. This approach looks at both
social structure and social functions. Functionalism addresses society as a whole in terms of the function of its constituent elements; namely
norms,
customs,
traditions, and
institutions. A common analogy, popularized by
Herbert Spencer, presents these parts of society as "organs" that work toward the proper functioning of the "body" as a whole. In the most basic terms, it simply emphasizes "the effort to impute, as rigorously as possible, to each feature, custom, or practice, its effect on the functioning of a supposedly stable, cohesive system". For
Talcott Parsons, "structural-functionalism" came to describe a particular stage in the methodological development of
social science, rather than a specific school of thought. The structural functionalism approach is a
macrosociological analysis, with a broad focus on social structures that shape society as a whole.
