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School Functions: Manifest vs Latent

Schools serve both manifest and latent functions in society. Manifest functions are the obvious purposes of schools, such as socializing students and transmitting cultural norms and values. Socialization involves students learning social skills and rules for interacting with others. Schools also teach cultural transmission by molding students into citizens with a shared national identity through lessons on laws, politics, patriotism and capitalism.

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259 views1 page

School Functions: Manifest vs Latent

Schools serve both manifest and latent functions in society. Manifest functions are the obvious purposes of schools, such as socializing students and transmitting cultural norms and values. Socialization involves students learning social skills and rules for interacting with others. Schools also teach cultural transmission by molding students into citizens with a shared national identity through lessons on laws, politics, patriotism and capitalism.

Uploaded by

MAHALAXMI HS
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Schools serve a number of functions in our society beyond just transmitting academic

knowledge and skills. In this lesson, we differentiate between manifest and latent functions
of schools and discuss examples of each.

Functions of School
If I were to ask you 'What did you learn in school?' what would you say? Would you tell me
about the subject knowledge you gained and the classes you attended? Would you talk
about the time you spent with friends and your participation in extracurricular activities?
Schools certainly act as a transmitter of knowledge and academic skills like reading, writing,
and arithmetic. But they also serve other functions in our society as well, and these can be
categorized as manifest or latent functions.
A manifest function of school is a function that people believe is the obvious purpose of
school and education. Manifest functions of education are those that are intended and that
most people think about. For example, in elementary school, parents expect their children to
learn new information but also how to 'get along' with other children and begin to
understand how society works. So, two of the most significant manifest functions of schools
beyond teaching subject knowledge are socialization and the transmission of cultural
norms and values.

Manifest Function: Socialization


Socialization refers to a process by which individuals acquire a personal identity and learn
the knowledge, language, and social skills required to interact with others. Again, students
don't only learn from the academic curriculum prepared by teachers and school
administrators. They also learn social rules and expectations from interactions with others.
Students in America receive rewards for following schedules and directions, meeting
deadlines, and obeying authority. They learn how to avoid punishment by reducing
undesirable behaviors like offensive language. They also figure out that to be successful
socially, they must learn to be quiet, to wait, to act interested even when they're not, and to
please their teachers without alienating their peers.

Manifest Function: Cultural Transmission


Besides socialization, another significant manifest function of school is the transmission of
cultural norms and values to new generations. Schools help to mold a diverse population
into one society with a shared national identity and prepare future generations for their
citizenship roles. Students are taught about laws and our political way of life through civic
lessons, and they're taught patriotism through rituals such as saluting the flag. Students
must also learn the Pledge of Allegiance and the stories of the nation's heroes and exploits.
Because America is a capitalist nation, students also quickly learn the importance of both
teamwork and competition through learning games in the classroom as well as activities
and athletics outside the classroom.

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