How do the functional, ecological, evolutionary, conflict and symbolic interactionist approaches explain cultural variation?
The functional approach suggests that a functional cultural trait has a positive consequence for the society and will probably not be adopted unless it fits well with the existing culture and contributes to the well-being of the society. The ecological approach shows how societies adapt culture to their physical environment in order to survive thus making it a sub form of the functional approach. The evolutionary approach views culture as developing through a series of stages toward forms that are increasingly well suited to the environment based on changes in the culture’s basic tools or technology. The conflict approach points out that prevailing definition of beauty, justice and truth may serve the elites at the expense of the masses with culture being created and imposed on the masses by the ruling class. The symbolic interactionist approach highlights the importance of symbols in understanding culture and the social behavior it shapes, suggesting that symbols are the major agent f
