Soc 316 - Durkheim's Functionalist Model

Durkheim's functionalist model depicts the concept regarding the correlation between culture and body image in society. The theory states, because of cultures predestined beliefs and values, females are at a cross road to fulfill those expectations or reap the wrath of societies criticisms. Women are dying-figuratively and literally- to fit the idealist image of the "successful" woman. Feeling the intense pressures to fit into the designers "acceptable" clothing size often leads to adverse affects; some even as extreme as death. In preparation for a photo shoot "Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston died due to complications of anorexia nervosa" (Bender, 2007). This example furthers Durkheim's theories concerning the sociological theory of "social currents." Social currents are fads and fashions that are consistently changing to fit the popular demands of society in which individuals are expected to keep up with (Kiser, 2011). On the contrary, why thin becomes the new trend, a woman's figure has always been depicted as a sex symbol. Durkheim better explains this in terms of "social facts." We are born into society with particular norms that are prior and external to us" (Kiser, 2011). Simply meaning the values instilled are predetermined before there is a chance for individual choice. We are born into society knowing a woman's body is the symbol of sex appeal, although the image may change, the value stays the same (Feldberg, 2010). Durkheim's functionalist model takes consideration to the media, television, and magazines which all contribute to a women's perceptions that you must be thin in order to be successful

Durkheim's functionalist model is a representation of macro level entities in the sociological world. He explains culture as a main aspect that determines and creates the actions of society (Kiser, 2011). Individual's actions can be predicted as a result of cultural norms and values within a greater context (Kiser, 2011). Because of the expectations and pressures put on an individual they, more often than not, feel the need to live up to those standards to gain the respect from society. Societal members are offered choices on how to act and how not to act; those decisions derive from the culture not from an individual's original thought process. Technically citizens are only making decisions that society has already planned out for them to make. Durkheim states an individual's behavior can be predicted based off the dynamics and traditions of the culture (Kiser, 2011). His theory understands that humans come into the world as blank slates and our behavior is determined by culture (Kiser, 2011).

Concerning the theories, Durkheim's model suggests different cultures expect different standards. For example, in many cultures, women are more respected not by how skinny they are but rather how big they are. In Tuareg, a women's size symbolizes upper-class and wealth, while the exact opposite ideology lingers in America. (Feldberg, 2010). In fact, the pressure to be thin in America increases with status and class.

"African Americans, and Native Americans are more tolerant of larger women than the middle and upper class white women are. White women are more prone to developing eating disorders than African American women. Furthermore, white women encounter more social pressure than black women do. White men desire to date thin females than black men do. Moreover, white men even admit to being embarrassed to date a large woman" (Feldberg, 2010).

Different cultures have different "fads" and standard for acceptance varies depending on the society in which you live. While time is an essential indicator of Durkheim's "social currents," culture is just as, or more important, to fit in with the rest of society. Because of the pressures that have been embedded into women, they are afraid of steering away from the norms in fear of the repercussions and consequences. No matter if the idealistic images is fat or thin, women will strive to fulfill the expectations of their culture to create a sense of cohesion and/or approval.

Durkheim's model further alludes to the idea that society is viewed with "core sets of values that are unified through socialization" (Kiser, 2011). In other words, society's values become our values. Citizens internalize society's idealistic image of thinness and start to believe it is normal. Most people are not questioned for being thin they are merely expected to be. Our behavior is the result of internalizing these values of society: if you know the culture, you can predict the resulting behavior (Kiser, 2011). For example, in a society obsessed with thinness, individuals will undoubtedly take preliminary precautions to achieve the ultimate goal, and that is fitting the image society has so clearly drawn out for us.

More specifically, Durkheim states the effects of the functionalist model and how it dictates our responses to being thin and successful. "Individuals become inflections of the culture in which they live. Choices are limited to one, society thinks they are making decisions when really larger society is telling them what they like" (Kiser, 2011). Therefore, victims of this socialization see there is only one solution and that is to do anything it takes to fit the mold of societies expectations.

The workplace is one aspect where being thin is crucial if you want to achieve economic success. Factual evidence supports the claim that overweight people are vulnerable for discrimination based on the way they look. Employers treat women the same way the fashion industry does; rewarding thin females with an increase opportunity to climb the career ladder resulting in a higher salary, and penalizing overweight women with smaller paychecks (P.A.O.S.S.S., 2007). There is weight discrimination in almost every aspect of the employment relationship, from hiring, to wages, to benefits. According to the article Prejudice Against the Obese and Some of its Situational Sources, "weight appears to elicit more pervasive discrimination than all other appearance related factors like gender, age or race" (P.A.O.S.SS., 2007). Researchers found that weight of an applicant accounted for 34.6% of hiring, whereas sex explained only 10.4%. Another studied found that employer's expressed more negative attitude to those participants who were overweight than those who were ex-mental patients or ex-felons (P.A.O.S.S.S., 2007). Morbidly obese white woman have salaries 24.1% lower than their standards weight counterparts. These findings found that the net worth for an obese woman fifty-seven to sixty-seven years of age was 60% less than a woman of normal weight in 1998 (P.A.O.S.S.S., 2007). These statistics