Main Ideas Shared values help maintain social order . Society is viewed as a stable, orderly system. This stable system is in equilibrium and reflects societal concensus where the majority of members share a common set of values, beliefs, and social expectations. Society consists of interrelated parts, each part serves a function and contributes to the stability of the society. As a result, they establish social institutions.
Manifest functions are intended consequences that are recognized by the participants.
Latent functions are unintended consequences that are hidden and remain unacknowledged by participants. Dysfunctions are undesirable consequences of any element of society.