A common critique of Durkheim's functionalism is that it fails to account for which of the following?

• A. It ignores social class
• B. It fails to consider different cultures and norms
• C. It overemphasizes economic determinants
• D. It neglects the role of media

Answer: (B)

Durkheim’s functionalism explains how social institutions operate to maintain social order through shared norms and values. A key critique of this approach is that it tends to treat those norms as if they were universal, glossing over how different cultures develop distinct beliefs, practices, and ways of organizing society. Because of that emphasis on a common moral order, the theory can overlook cultural variation and the ways norms differ across societies. In cross-cultural contexts, what counts as a function of an institution in one culture might not hold in another, so important differences can be missed or misinterpreted.

That’s why this item’s best answer points to a neglect of different cultures and norms. Other options—like overemphasizing economic determinants or neglecting the media—reflect critiques from other theoretical perspectives rather than the central limitation of Durkheimian functionalism.