Sociological Theory Paper

Emile Durkeim was a French sociologist who helped shape one of the major theoretical frameworks of sociology, called Functionalism. He believed that "different parts of society are primarily composed of social institutions, each of which is designed to fill different needs, and each of which has particular consequences for the form and shape of society" (Crossman). Each part is dependent on the other and consist of several core institutions that define sociology. "The core institutions defined by sociology which are important to understand for this theory include: family, government, economy, media, education, and religion" (Crossman). Durkeim made it his life's goal to "prove that social facts exist and affect what we do" (Witt, 10). Durkeim

He came to the conclusion that because Denmark was largely a Protestant nation compared to France and England, their suicide rate was higher. It was the "social makeup of these nations that shaped their suicide rates" (Witt, 11). The textbook also explains that "more recent research focusing on individual rather than national rates continues to find this same relationship" (Witt, 11). In other words, the failure of society can create a feeling of uselessness or worthlessness and emptiness resulting in depression. Durkeim developed the term, anomie which describes a "loss of direction felt in a society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective" (Witt,

In the video, "Can Too Much Technology Hurt a Child's Developmental Growth?" the average teenager engages in more than 11 hours of technology based items per day. The video also mentions that in a 2012 study, half of all teenagers were sending 50 text messages per day including 34 texts at night when they are supposed to be in bed. These figures are astounding! Concentration, much needed sleep and one-on-one facial interaction is being lost. This demonstrates that our cognitive culture is being hindered. Children today, are not learning traditional social protocols, such as how to listen and communicate with others. I loved how the video makes clear that there is no substitute for the real world and that parents need to be proactive in limiting their children's screen-time. In the video "Put Down That Smartphone! Finding Ways to Disconnect," many people and companies are beginning to see the importance of technology free time periods. Some companies are giving workers a week off throughout the year to unplug and recharge. Other companies are providing an email-free evening to aid with this growing problem. By doing so, hopefully this will help somewhat aid in protecting future generations from the growing technology