Manifest and Latent Funtions (Group 9)

Paragraphs 1-4

Nicole Lau

Merton first introduces the subject of manifest and latent functions by pointing to the need to develop differentiating vocabulary. He says that there is often confusion among sociologists in terming “motives” and “functions” and clarifies that motives are subjective categories while functions are objective categories. Merton acknowledges that he has adapted the terms “manifest” and “latent” from Freud; he then points out that the distinction has been made throughout time by those who conduct functional analysis. For example, Mead identifies the latent functions of hostility towards law-breakers as a form of emotional solidarity that unites a community against a common enemy. Durkheim also looks at the functions of punishment; the manifest function being consequences for the criminal and latent functions being consequences for the community.

This idea of punishment certainly is present in many contexts and often, the latent function of punishment that sociologists observe is that of social regulation. Punishment defines what is undesirable and therefore reinforces the idea of what is expected. For example, social sanctions such as ridicule and exclusion that come with the breaking of social norms affirm normal actions. One observable consequence of this is the norms that teenagers are subjected too and social punishment such as bullying that are a consequence of breaking those norms. Besides social regulation and social norms, how can we relate the functions of punishment to other sociological concepts such as Durkheim’s collective consciousness?

Paragraphs 5-7

Francisco

In this part, Thomas and Znaniecki believed that even though the institutions regardless of what they are, were created for one purpose, its scope doesn't end there and they also become an association for the members. According to the text, these institutions promote the social contact between its members. In a sense they help people pursuing their goals and they are a key middle point between the peasants and the national system. They considered that there are many factors involved in this process, which is why the text gives us this rationale as an example to understand the roles of latent and manifest functions.

In a way the text is referring to the bureaucratic machine as proposed by Weber. Which outlines the need for a system that helps people with their everyday tasks. So essentially what we have to deal with today when we go to do anything at government institutions, banks, universities, shops, and many more.

Purposes of Distinction

Paragraphs 1-3: Crystal Lau

In the beginning paragraphs of this section, Merton makes an argument for why it is important to distinguish between manifest and latent functions when looking at social practices. He uses the example of a Hopi ceremony to produce more rain as an example: while the apparent (manifest) function may seem “irrational” as the ceremony could not possibly bring about increased rainfall, the more implicit, latent function of the social practice pertains not to the weather, but to the people themselves by “providing a periodic occasional on which scattered members of a group assemble to engage in a common activity” (244). In other words, Merton argues if not for the distinction between manifest and latent functions, the ceremony would be dismissed as a mere superstition; but when we methodically consider the latent function of social practices, we can see that in the case of the Hopi people, the rain ceremony reinforces group unity and identity. It is also important to note Merton’s reference to Durkheim in arguing that ceremonies are a way to collectively assert ideas that reinforce group unity.
Merton emphasizes the importance of analyzing a social practice in sociology not only for its explicitly stated purposes, as they often seem irrational or are not achieved, but to examine purposes that are implicit, unintended, and seemingly irrelevant. To draw on a more contemporary example for this distinction, take university for example. The manifest function would be to acquire more education and learn, however the latent function of university could be to make friends, find lifelong partners, or racial integration. If we could bring Merton and Marx’s ideas together, what would you say are the manifest and latent functions of a capitalist economic system?

Paragraphs 4-7 Amaury Dorin-Blanchard

Within those paragraphs Melton is really putting an emphasis on the distinction between latent and manifest functions. How by realizing that there is an actual difference between manifest and latent and only by “shifting from the plane of manifest to the plane of latent” do they make a “distinctive and major contribution”. The reason for that is that as sociologists, studying quantitative, manifest data is not right; Melton uses the example of exploring the effects of setting up a new system of wage-payment originally designed to reduce labor turnover or to increase output, studying the manifest functions set by the men of affairs is not enough because sticking to manifest functions results in the sociologists drifting away from the discipline to simply become a “recorder” for the resulting behaviours. Therefore sociologists need to shift to the latent plane because by doing so they “extend their inquiry in those directions which promise most for the theoretic development of the discipline” and what this means is that by following the concept of latent function they can appropriately do in-depth research about a behaviour and further advance the field of sociology and not simply look at the surface results that the manifest function offers.

Paragraphs 8-10 Siyuan(Sunny) Chen

In the early times, illumination is very necessary in the factory and people begin to worry that whether the strength of illumination will affect workers’ working efficiency or not. After 2 years investigation, it is said that there is no direct relation between illumination and output. However, investigators realize that they need to put a sociological frame into the experiment. Therefore, they add the worker's’ self-image and self-conception into the frame. They make an observation everyday and this log take down what happen in these actual events. The experiment begins to change its original direction and character. Investigators are no longer not just focus on one variable; they begin to focus on other areas, such as informal organization, wise administrators and workers interview. Then, experimenters relate the observation result with the sociological knowledge. In additional, they are also focus on psychological area. After a long observation time, they realize that life is not as easy as first seen. Based on the specific observation, it tends to say that moral judgment and social engineering will influence the decision-making and the experiment result. Last but not least, the opinion for latent consequence will make the experiment process (picture) more difficult to realize.