Introduction
Social science theories manage and summarize the social processes explored in sociological studies. Social systems philosophies help individuals in their immediate surroundings understand numerous social difficulties, including family complications, child exploitation, joint dysfunction, and matters affecting people such as nervousness, truncated self-esteem, and connection problems. However, through critical thinking, individuals can effectively address all their challenges. The social conflict and structural-functional theories are the emphases of this part. Theories help explain different behaviors, perspectives, or events, such as how people form societies, and how these societies exist and shape the behavior of the people. Theories allow people to explain different themes relating to organizational, social and personal behavior.
Summary of the Two Theories
Structural Functionalism Theory
The systems approach, frequently recognized as functionalism, sees community as a scheme composed of unified fragments organized to ensemble the physical and cultural requirements of the culture’s associates. According to research conducted by Siregar, conflicts and social changes influence each other. While conflicts inspire social changes, these modifications can contribute to conflicts (Siregar, 2022). The social cultures or systems of thoughts and values focus on addressing basic needs, including government, schooling, family, health, faith, and the market (Büchs & Koch, 2019). According to the Marxist-grounded sociological theory, People and families (socioeconomic groups) within civilization engage on the premise of dispute rather than agreement (Hayes, 2022). Parties will seek to take varying amounts of economic and nonphysical reserves from various conflicts.
The structural functionalism theory views societies through macro-level orientations, broadly emphasizing the communal structures that depict the community in general and believing that civilizations have developed like organisms. This approach considers social structure and functions (Siregar, 2022). Functionalism addresses a community regarding the function of constituent components, including institutions, norms, customs, and traditions (Balogun, 2021). In basic definitions, the functionalism theory focuses on the impute efforts as scrupulously as conceivable to each custom, feature, or practice and its impacts on the operating of supposedly steady, consistent systems.
Social Conflict Theory
The conflict theory is considered a tool for change by different conflict philosophers; the theory has shown the capacity to develop inconsistencies and civil unrest. According to Post et al., (2020), the social conflict perspective propagates that within a given society, people and organizations (socioeconomic classes) tend to base their communication on the premise of conflict instead of consensus (Post et al., 2020). The authors reveal that individuals will tend to take different levels of non-material and physical reserves due to various complications. Parties will seek to take varying quantities of physical and non-material reserves for various problems (including the wealthy and the poor). Conflict theorists perceive disagreement as a compound for modification because it produces inconsistencies occasionally determined, shadowed by discord within the society, and continued disparities (Post et al., 2020). According to the conflict perspective, class structure and inequality prevail as a result of the prevalence of contradictions and tensions.
When resources become scarce, conflict is inevitable as different groups strive to survive. The sociological theory emphasizes the discrepancies in objectives and disputes over limited resources among social groups (Hayes, 2022). The rich will try to preserve their rights, influence, reputation, and communal standing by manipulating key institutions pertaining to education, and politics, among other organizations in a bid to control resources like funds and capacity. People within different classes tend to posses different interests. Ordinary citizens do not have any unique assets to protect as they tend work for access to the upper class’s capital investment. The development of the constitutional systems is a tool for ensuring dominance over the ordinary citizens by the rich as they advance towards realizing their objectives. According to Marx, western civilization was based on the prevalence of capitalist societies, feudal states, primitive socialism and ancient humanity were the four primary epochs during which Western culture evolved (Den, 2022). Additionally, Zhao (2020) points out that the only depictions of a socialist economy refer to primitive Marxism steered by prehistoric societies (Zhao, 2020). Since then, recent civilizations have been grouped in two classes; the enslaved and the enslavers.
Reasons for Selecting the Theories and Why They Are Important
The social conflict and structural-functional theories were selected since they focus on addressing societies and the activities that influence their well-being. Both theories play various roles and are essential in several aspects. The social conflict model promotes societies in finding common grounds, forming alliances, defining core values, identifying viewpoints variances, setting boundaries, and informing techniques for attaining expected changes. Structural functionalism grasps those human civilizations that tend to change toward augmented diversity, in which organizations become progressively dedicated to the roles they make (Gangwar, 2021). The theory majors on social institutions, wide social structures, how they are interlinked and their impacts on society.
The structural-functionalist-functionalist methodology is critical as its analysis humanity in terms of different individual characteristics that enable a society to operate efficiently. The functionalist model asserts that communities today are more inclined towards differentiation, where institutions are also becoming highly focused on their core businesses (Duignan, 2022). Different social systems within religion, education sector, justice system, family structures and economic divisions each perform uniquely to create an efficient society. Systems theory is able to create values within the community by analyzing the social architecture and behavior patterns. Additionally, the structural functionalism theory further separates the vivid and obscured flaws within social institutions that need action. Structural functionalism theory elaborates on the society’s structure and encourages social inequity in matters of employment and positions.
How the Theories Have Impacted My Life and Changed Me in Some Way
The conflict theory enabled me to establish positive changes and comprehension by acknowledging how oppression exists in society and the provision of resources and advocacy as a remedy for the disequilibrium. It enabled me to recognize how I should relate to and solve conflicts with my friends. For instance, I had weaknesses in paying attention to my friends, especially when they were in conflict. Through the social conflict theory, I have understood that every individual has struggled amid social inequalities. In contrast, Structural functionalism theory enabled me to create positive change, self-awareness, and understanding by focusing on the associations between numerous organizations that constitute a society. It further enabled me to understand that every individual has to play a role in society. For instance, it helped me to realize the importance of engaging in community activities, including strengthening my interaction with others. These theories guided me in knowing my strengths and weaknesses. For instance, I realized that I am socially better than my management colleagues and other users, an attribute that allows me to make new friends in a new setting.
These theories changed me in some way because they helped me realize my weaknesses and how to approach them, including interacting with people of different classes. Social science theories play vital roles in creating foundations that help understand the early stages and effects of democratic organizations, the elaboration of conflict, the persistence of social networks as well as government agency objectives. Significantly, collaborative scientific practices frequently contest “common sense” or conservative interpretations, whether these models submerge investigators in new opinions or methodically assess institutions and occurrences. Therefore, social science theories deliver a supplementary evidence-based groundwork for evaluating modern sociopolitical environments.
How I Will Apply the Theories
I will use the conflict theory when competing with other people since it can help me recognize that overwhelming factors exist in every human. I must not win in every situation; any other person can defeat me. Competitions exist due to inadequate materials, including commodities, money, and properties; therefore, I should not use conflict as the solution to everything. The structural-functionalism theory will aid me in understanding the various values and norms I should adhere to feel part of society. Norms referee to the rules or the expectations that are communally enforced, including avoiding stealing from neighbors or recognizing how to behave during a gathering. Values are the desirability principles that include integrity or honesty. Therefore, I will use these theories in the future to eliminate my weaknesses and threats. They will further help me develop my strengths and utilize the opportunities I encounter.
How the Theories Help Shape the Conducted SWOT Analysis
Both theories played significant roles in shaping the individual SWOT analysis by enabling the determination of strengths, core values, opportunities, weaknesses, threats, and self-awareness. For instance, these theories helped me realize my aptitude to learn quickly and adapt to various circumstances. These theories further helped me understand my strong communication skills and patience, especially when approaching or solving conflicts. In addition, the theories shaped my realization of my weaknesses, including my lack of attention and technical skills when handling conflicts.
Conclusion
Individuals who apply social science theories obtain the foundation for learning about numerous events, including how individuals create institutions in numerous cultures. Theories play significant roles in allowing community members to observe the major topics in a broad range of civil and individual actions. People should use SWOT analysis to examine themselves since it offers a clear picture of numerous career progression strategies. The conclusions of the analysis were reflected by friends’ and family members’ reactions, and their support strengthened the determination to overcome the obstacles and achieve the SWOT analysis goal. The SWOT analysis proved to be a valuable tool for selecting a professional development strategy. Putting the information into practice as a business plan will help achieve goals and establish oneself as a valuable specialist. Perceived lack of responsibility could create new opportunities for individuals to pursue their dream.
References
Balogun, O. I. (2021). Exploring the theatrical elements of Lisabi festival of the Egba people in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Ede: Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(2).
Büchs, M., & Koch, M. (2019). Challenges for the degrowth transition: The debate about wellbeing. Futures, 105, 155-165.
Den, A. C. (2022). The routledge companion to historical theory (1st ed.). Routledge.
Duignan, B. (2022).Civil union. Britannica.
Gangwar, S. (2021). Structural functionalism: Definition, theories and criticism.
Hayes, A. (2022). Conflict theory: A guide with examples.
Post, C., Sarala, R., Gatrell, C., & Prescott, J. E. (2020). Advancing theory with review articles.Journal of Management Studies, 57(2), 351-376.
Siregar, I. (2022). The Relationship between Conflict and Social Change in the Perspective of Expert Theory: A Literature Review. International Journal of Arts and Humanities Studies, 2(1), 09-16.
Zhao, J. (2020). Historical Evolution of the Eastern Mode of Production. Routledge.
Appendix
Individual SWOT Analysis Table