Structural functional theory and the interpretation of social behavior according to Talcott Parsons and Robert Merton

Abstract

The research aims to study and explain social behavior through the constructivist-functional theory between Talcon Parsons and Robert Merton. The research was based on the following research hypotheses: “The constructivist-functionalist trend is characterized by providing many explanations for social behavior, between Parsons and Merton.” “Parsons’ contributions had an impact.” The greatest in explaining social behavior, and then Merton came to renew the theory and clarify its ideas. “Both Parsons and Merton explained social behavior by analyzing apparent social patterns, patterns, and behaviors.” The research concluded that Parsons was interested in studying the social system in modern societies, and he studied The functions of the social system through the concept of “adaptation” or “harmonization”, and the human being is considered a miniature model of the institution, and the individual and the group are an integral part of it with the desires and needs that he possesses and seeks to achieve, and human and social relations through the means of communication, communication and knowledge constitute an important role in achieving these. Desires, which satisfy the needs of the individual and contribute to the organization of social life in accordance with the theory of needs and satisfactions, which is part of Parsons’ thinking in understanding the social system.

On the other hand, Parsons presented an integrated social view of social action or social behavior, which is linked to the social system to which this individual belongs or the apparent content of this system. He distinguished between systems and their contents, and each system is linked to one of the four functions of action through interconnected sub-systems as an integrated social system. Each of its elements constitutes the action in a different way, namely the organic, personal, social, and cultural, and behavior is ultimately the result of the interaction of the four components. As for Merton, he explains that in social behavior, humans assume different adaptive positions ranging from positivity, such as compliance and creativity, to negativity, such as withdrawal, rebellion, and opposition. These positions seek either to achieve the goals of the group and adapt to them or to oppose and change them, which focuses on analyzing how social behavior affects job performance and the extent of its compatibility with the goals of the organization or the challenges it faces, which represents an important aspect in understanding the role of the individual within the social structure and his contribution to its development or development. Its challenges, and that understanding an individual's responses to stress, refers to the individual's behavior in specific situations and not to his personality traits in general, as two individuals of the same economic and social level can show different responses and conflicting behaviors at times.

In interpreting human behavior, each of them has a specific model for that interpretation, as patterns, factors, and patterns are used to analyze social behavior. Parsons expressed them as stereotypical patterns and behaviors, and Merton expressed them as adaptive behaviors, according to the constructivist-functional theory, which is based on the idea of this behavior achieving goals. Collectivism achieves these goals as a kind of satisfaction of the needs of individuals in society, but credit is due to Parsons in laying the first foundations for analyzing the functional structure of society, and interpreting social behavior in a way that led to the construction of functional theory, and credit is due to Merton in reformulating the theory again and ridding it of the criticisms that It threatened its existence and history, and returned it to its context among social theories. What distinguished Parsons from Merton is that he pointed out the role of socialization in building social behavior and transmitting culture and values among members of society and pointed out the importance of the role of communication between them in relation to it, and in solving problems that could arise.