Functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism

In an era where technology dominates daily life, Kristina opts to work from the comfort of her home. For lunch, she frequently relies on delivery services like Grubhub or UberEats. Ross and Kristina have fully embraced online shopping, benefitting from discounts offered by various stores through reward programs. This digital lifestyle characterizes an evolving economy, creating distinct groups of digital "haves" and "have nots". Kristina's cyber identity, represented by her usernames and passwords, holds significant importance in this digital realm, shaping her experiences and interactions.

Instructions
Your task is to create a comparative chart illustrating Kristina's life from the perspectives of functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. Begin by selecting excerpts from the scenario that represent each perspective. Then, elaborate on how each perspective applies to Kristina's life, drawing insights from the chosen excerpts.

Full Answer Section

        Symbolic Interactionism"Ross and Kristina Brown, who met on a dating website, have come a long way since their initial online connection." <br> "Kristina's cyber identity—those usernames and passwords that have become her digital persona in the vast online realm... The reliance on digital platforms has intricately woven a complex web of cyber identities, bringing forth both new realities and consequences." <br> "She struggled to recall the numerous usernames and passwords associated with different websites. Fortunately, with the help of each site's login assistance feature and occasional support from customer service, she managed to retrieve her credentials. This process often entailed verifying her identity through personal details such as her date of birth and social security number."Symbolic interactionism focuses on meaning-making through social interaction, symbols, and shared interpretations. Kristina's life demonstrates how individuals construct meaning and identity within a digitally mediated world. <br><br> Her relationship with Ross, starting on a "dating website," highlights how the symbolic meaning of "meeting someone" has been transformed. The website itself is a symbol of modern courtship, and their journey from online connection to marriage involves shared interpretations of digital cues and interactions that lead to a real-world bond. <br><br> Crucially, Kristina's "cyber identity" is a central concept. Her "usernames and passwords" are not just technical access keys but symbols of her digital self or persona. The process of retrieving credentials, involving personal details like DOB and SSN, shows how abstract digital symbols (passwords) are intertwined with tangible, physical identifiers to verify "who she is" in the online realm. The struggle to recall them, and the reliance on "login assistance" or "customer service," illustrates the fragility of this constructed identity and the constant work involved in maintaining her online self through digital interactions. Her "digital fingerprint" becomes a symbolic representation of her unique online existence, defined by her actions and data within various digital platforms.

Sample Answer

       

Comparative Chart: Kristina's Life Through Sociological Lenses

Sociological Perspective Selected Excerpt(s) from Scenario How it Applies to Kristina's Life
Functionalism "Kristina opts to work from the comfort of her home. For lunch, she frequently relies on delivery services like Grubhub or UberEats." <br> "Ross and Kristina have fully embraced online shopping, benefitting from discounts offered by various stores through reward programs." <br> "Her company has embraced remote work for several departments, leading to cost savings in terms of office space." From a functionalist perspective, Kristina's integration into the digital economy reflects the interconnectedness and functional benefits of various social institutions working together to maintain social order and stability. <br><br> Her remote work arrangement (workplace institution) allows her company to save costs and likely increases her productivity and work-life balance, contributing to the smooth functioning of the economic system. <br><br> Her use of food delivery services and online shopping (economic institution/market) demonstrates a specialization of labor where different sectors (tech, logistics, retail) provide convenient services that meet societal needs (food, goods access) for individuals like Kristina. These services streamline daily tasks, allowing individuals to contribute more efficiently in other areas (like work), thus maintaining societal equilibrium. The reward programs also serve a function by incentivizing consumer loyalty, which benefits businesses and provides perceived value to consumers. <br><br> The "digital haves" (like Kristina) are seen as benefiting from and contributing to this functional differentiation, suggesting that the digital economy is an adaptive response to societal needs for efficiency and convenience.
Conflict Theory "This digital lifestyle characterizes an evolving economy, creating distinct groups of digital 'haves' and 'have nots'." <br> "However, amidst this convenience, Kristina is mindful of the challenges faced by traditional industry workers, particularly waitstaff, who are at risk of job loss due to the shift towards online ordering and delivery." <br> "What Kristina doesn't fully grasp is the significance of her cyber identity—those usernames and passwords that have become her digital persona... The reliance on digital platforms has intricately woven a complex web of cyber identities, bringing forth both new realities and consequences." Conflict theory focuses on power differentials, inequality, and competition over scarce resources. Kristina's life, while convenient, is situated within a broader system where power is unevenly distributed. <br><br> The emergence of "digital haves" and "have nots" explicitly highlights social stratification based on access to and proficiency with technology. Kristina, as a "have," benefits from this system, while traditional workers (e.g., waitstaff) face exploitation and displacement as capital (companies embracing remote work, online delivery platforms) seeks to maximize profits by reducing labor costs, leading to job insecurity and widening economic inequality. <br><br> Furthermore, Kristina's "cyber identity" becomes a new site of power and c