REVIEW OF THEORIES ON MARITAL INSTABILITY IN NIGERIA



he following theories will be reviewed in this study:
i.       Functional theory
ii.       Conflict theory
iii.     Anomie theory

FUNCTIONAL THEORY
Talcott parsons (1902 - 1979) a Harvard University sociologist was a key figure in the development of functionalist theory (Schaefer and Lamm 1997).

He saw any society as a vast network of connected parts, each of which contributes to the maintenance of the system as a whole. In line with the above, Haralambos and Holborn (2000) View society as a system, that is as a set of interconnected parts, which together form a whole. The early functionalists often draw an analogy between society and an organism such as the human body. They argued that an understanding of any organ in the body, such as the heart or lungs, involves an understanding of its relationship to other organs and, in particular, its contribution towards the maintenance of the organism. According to him an understanding of any part of society requires an analysis of its relationship to other parts and most importantly its contribution to the maintenance of society.
In continuing this analogy, functionalists argued that just as an organism has certain basic needs that must be satisfied if it is to survive, so society has basic needs that must be met if it is to continue to exist. Thus social institutions such as the family and religion are analyzed as a part of the social system rather than as isolated units. In particular they are understood with reference to the contribution they make to the system as a, whole. In the family, the husband/father, wife/mother and children are its parts that function to maintain the whole.

CONFLICT THEORY
According to Ntunde (2003) the chief exponent of conflict theory is Ralf Dahrendorf. Like functionalist, conflict theories are oriented toward the study of social structures and institutions. In this theory, I will like to review the conflict theory. The conflict perspective assumes that social behaviour is best understood in terms of conflict or tension between competing groups. According to him, every social institution has two classes - the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Karl Marx viewed struggle between social classes as inevitable, given the exploitation of workers under capitalism (Schaefer and Lamm 1997).
Owo (1994) observed that there is a continuous state of conflict between the classes. They have conflicting interest which results in societal disequilibrium.

ANOMIE THEORY
Robert Merton's Theory of Anomie will be reviewed here. Merton's has the reputation of being pre-eminently sociological theory of deviant behaviour. In line with Durkheim, he argued that all social structures have two characteristics. That is goals and means (norms). The goals are those things that are worth striving for. The means are the approved methods for achieving the goals. So when the goals are accepted while the means is rejected. It result to deviant behaviour (Onu, 2003).
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