Działanie jednostek w perspektywie funkcjonalnej – na podstawie społeczno-regulacyjnej teorii kultury Jerzego Kmity i teorii struktury społecznej i anomii Roberta Mertona

Abstract

Olga Urban

Abstract

Action of Individuals in the Functional Perspective – Based on Jerzy Kmita’s Socio-Regulatory Theory of Culture and Robert Merton’s Theory of Social Structure and Anomie

The article presents the action of individuals in the functional perspective. The issue is recognized on the basis of the socio-regulatory theory of culture proposed by Jerzy Kmita and the theory of social structure and anomie of Robert Merton. The main theses of these theories are presented and compared. The theories are similar when they say that culture is considered as a set of norms and directives but they differently define the action of individuals. Kmita emphasizes that culture is primarily a stable and integrated whole, which determines the predictable action of its participants. In contrast, Merton is mainly interested in the situation of a cultural change, which determines various actions of individuals.

Keywords: functional perspective, action of individuals, Jerzy Kmita’s socio-regulatory theory of culture, Robert Merton's theory of social structure and anomie, cultural change.