Key features of social theories

​Criticism of Conflict Theory

​Conflict theory is criticised for making broad and sometimes inaccurate predictions about society. It assumes that social change mainly happens through class struggles and revolutions, ignoring gradual reforms and cooperation. While it predicts growing inequality under capitalism, it struggles to explain cases where inequality has decreased through policies or social movements. Many capitalist societies have adapted rather than collapsed, which challenges the theory’s claims. It also overlooks how culture and ideology can maintain social order without direct conflict, making its predictions less reliable in some cases.

Multiple Choice

What is the main focus of Conflict Theory?

• Social harmony and cooperation

• Ongoing competition between groups with conflicting interests

• Social equilibrium and interconnectedness

• The role of individuals in maintaining peace

Multiple Choice

What is the main idea of Conflict Theory in sociology?

• Society is composed of different groups that cooperate to maintain social stability.

• Society is harmonious and stable, with little to no conflict between groups.

• Society is characterized by ongoing conflict and competition due to power inequalities.

• Social inequality is a temporary issue that will resolve itself over time.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an assumption of Conflict Theory?

• Cooperation is the default mode of human interaction.

• Social organizations create a balanced and equal society.

• Structural inequality exists in all human relationships and benefits certain groups.

• Social conflict is a rare and unusual phenomenon.

Open Ended

Explain how Conflict Theory views social change and provide an example from history.

Open Ended

Outline one criticism of conflict theory.

​Evolutionary social theory is criticised for being overly simplistic and assuming that societies always progress in a straight line from "primitive" to "advanced" stages. It often ignores the impact of culture, human choices, and unexpected events in shaping societies. Critics argue that not all societies follow the same path of development, and some may decline or change in unpredictable ways. The theory can also be seen as biased, sometimes justifying inequality by suggesting that some groups are more "evolved" than others. Lastly, it struggles to explain sudden social changes, revolutions, or the role of conflict in shaping history.

​Criticism of Evolutionary Theory

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an assumption of evolutionary theory?

• Individuals act according to their interpretations of the world.

• Society functions more effectively with clear social order and with individual parts of society work in harmony with each other

• Societies will reach newer and higher levels of development over time.

• Inequalities of power are built into all social structures

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a critique of Evolutionary theory?

• Can interpret bad things in society as functional to society and thus should not be changed.

• Ignores the effect of social institutions and forces on individual actions.

• Equates change with progress.

• Does not account for incremental change

Multiple Choice

"inequalities are built into all social structures" is an assumption of what theory?

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Structural Functionalism

• Conflict Theory

• Social Theory of Evolution

Open Ended

Using the data in the table, explain how this society has undergone evolutionary change.

Criticism of Functionalism

Functionalist social theory is criticised for viewing society as too stable and orderly, often ignoring conflict, inequality, and rapid social change. It assumes that all social institutions serve a necessary purpose, which can justify harmful structures like discrimination or poverty as "functional." Critics argue that it overlooks power struggles and how elites shape society for their own benefit. The theory also struggles to explain sudden disruptions like revolutions or economic crises, as it assumes societies naturally move toward balance. Lastly, it tends to downplay individual agency, treating people as passive participants rather than active shapers of society.

Multiple Choice

"abrupt and revolutionary change occurs as a result of conflict" is an assumption of what theory?

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Structural Functionalism

• Conflict Theory

• Social Theory of Evolution

Multiple Choice

"society is an organism with different parts that all work together to keep it alive and in good health. Things could go wrong, but this is a malfunction." is a summary of which theory?

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Structural Functionalism

• Conflict Theory

• Social Theory of Evolution

Open Ended

How does the Evolutionary Theory of social change compare to the Functionalist Theory?

Multiple Choice

"a micro focus where society is created through everyday social interactions. Shared reality is created through peoples interactions" is a summary of which theory?

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Structural Functionalism

• Conflict Theory

• Social Theory of Evolution

Multiple Choice

"How societies develop from small, simple entities to complex, post industrial societies." is a summary of which theory?

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Structural Functionalism

• Conflict Theory

• Social Theory of Evolution

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an assumption of structural functionalism?

• Individuals act according to their interpretations of the world.

• Society functions more effectively with clear social order and with individual parts of society work in harmony with each other

• Societies will reach newer and higher levels of development over time.

• Inequalities of power are built into all social structures

Open Ended

What role do individuals play as agents of social change? Provide an example.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an assumption of Symbolic Interactionism?

• Individuals act according to their interpretations of the world.

• Society functions more effectively with clear social order and with individual parts of society work in harmony with each other

• Societies will reach newer and higher levels of development over time.

• Inequalities of power are built into all social structures

Open Ended

Describe a scenario where technology has led to both progressive and regressive social change.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an assumption of conflict theory?

• Individuals act according to their interpretations of the world.

• Society functions more effectively with clear social order and with individual parts of society work in harmony with each other

• Societies will reach newer and higher levels of development over time.

• Inequalities of power are built into all social structures

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an assumption of evolutionary theory?

• Individuals act according to their interpretations of the world.

• Society functions more effectively with clear social order and with individual parts of society work in harmony with each other

• Societies will reach newer and higher levels of development over time.

• Inequalities of power are built into all social structures

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a main point of conflict theory?

• Society is made up of groups who compete for resources and POWER.

• Class exists in society

• Social structures have manifest (intended consequences) and latent (unintended consequences) functions.

• The working class is coerced and constrained by the ruling class and does not have access to power

Multiple Choice

Which of the following IS a main point of Structural Functionalism?

• People are cooperative and society is held together by people agreeing on what is good and worthwhile.

• People help shape the world.

• Individuals act according to their interpretations of the world.

• Each society develops over time in a linear process through the phrases

Multiple Choice

Which of the following IS a main point of symbolic interactionism?

• People are cooperative and society is held together by people agreeing on what is good and worthwhile.

• Change will be sudden when the working class revolt.

• Individuals act according to their interpretations of the world.

• Each society develops over time in a linear process through the phrases

Multiple Choice

This image is a good metaphor for which theory?

• Conflict theory

• Structural Functionalism

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Evolutionary theory

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a critique of conflict theory?

• Can interpret bad things in society as functional to society and thus should not be changed.

• Ignores the effect of social institutions and forces on individual actions.

• Equates change with progress.

• Does not account for incremental change

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a critique of Social Interactionism?

• Can interpret bad things in society as functional to society and thus should not be changed.

• Ignores the effect of social institutions and forces on individual actions.

• Equates change with progress.

• Does not account for incremental change

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a critique of Structural Functionalism?

• Can interpret bad things in society as functional to society and thus should not be changed.

• Ignores the effect of social institutions and forces on individual actions.

• Equates change with progress.

• Does not account for incremental change

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a critique of Evolutionary theory?

• Can interpret bad things in society as functional to society and thus should not be changed.

• Ignores the effect of social institutions and forces on individual actions.

• Equates change with progress.

• Does not account for incremental change

Multiple Choice

If I were trying to understand the Arab Spring, which theory would be the most useful lens to use?

• Structural Functionalism

• Conflict Theory

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Evolutionary Theory

Multiple Choice

If I were trying to understand how people decided what to post about themselves on social media, which theory would be the most useful lens to use?

• Structural Functionalism

• Conflict Theory

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Evolutionary Theory

Multiple Choice

If I were trying to understand the role of religion in society, which theory would be the most useful lens to use?

• Structural Functionalism

• Conflict Theory

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Evolutionary Theory