Introduction
The scientific reading of human behavior and the social order is known as sociology. It is examined from one of three primary points of view: social conflict, structural functionalism, and symbolic interactionism. The structural functionalism viewpoint understands humanity as a multifarious system with interconnected pieces that work together to generate stability and order (Ritzer & Stepnisky, 2022).
The concept of social conflict sees society as a structure of power interactions in which some groups have a superior right to use their incomes, tools, and possibilities than others (Ritzer & Stepnisky, 2022). Symbolic interactionism sees society as the result of ordinary human interactions (Van Den Scott, 2020). Using personal experiences as examples, this paper investigates how these viewpoints might help one comprehend many elements of human behavior.
Personal Opinion on Sociological Perspectives
Structural Functionalism
In my own experience, I have learned that these three perspectives may be applied to a wide range of circumstances, helping me better comprehend the world around me. Taking a structural functionalism perspective, for example, can aid me in being aware of how my family works as a unit, with different members doing different responsibilities to preserve stability and order. Knowing these roles has helped me appreciate the members of my household, how their connections alternate, and how to keep a strong relationship with each member.
Social Conflict
Next, social conflict theory assists me primarily in thinking about the power that affects my interactions with others, especially during work. For instance, I have seen that top management in my enterprise has more access to decision-making than others, which affects how we assign jobs and communicate.
Symbolic Interactionism
Finally, symbolic interactionism assists me in comprehending the meanings and symbols and their impact on my relationships. I apply this method to express my thoughts and goals successfully and resolve queries among my friends.
Conclusion
As a result, knowing how people behave requires a knowledge of the three sociological perspectives. As such, functionalists emphasize the importance of societal order to people’s overall well-being. Power dynamics and their effects on society and its many components are important to the conflict perspective. Finally, the symbolic interactionist viewpoint investigates how people generate meaning and manage their social positions via interactions. Despite their variations, these viewpoints all provide valuable insights into the intricacies of the social environment and may be utilized to better understand many parts of life.
References
Ritzer, G., & Stepnisky, J. (2022). Contemporary sociological theory and its classical roots: The basics. SAGE Publications.
Van Den Scott, L. K. (2020). Symbolic interactionism. SAGE Publications.