Do more people tend to agree with structural functional theory or conflict theory?

Question

and why?

Answer 1

conflict theory

Answer 2

I don't know of any scientific studies in which they asked this question, so it is open to dispute, but Sociology, as a discipline, has been far more heavily influenced by conflict theory than structural functionalism.  Conflict theorists include Karl Marx and Max Weber.  Structural functionalism is a biological metaphor from Emile Durkheim. The influence of structural functionalism has probably declined since the 1970s, while conflict theory is still kicking.  The reason that it has declined is that Durkheim believed in finding the "sick" elements of society and curing those sick elements - since the 1980s, Americans are less inclined to accept rehabilitation as an answer. In the 1970s, criminals needed to be rehabilitated. In the 1990s, criminals needed to have those privileges taken away. Republicans/conservatives don't want people to be cured. I think structural functionalism continues to hold a modest influence in darker popular culture as a bastardized understanding of anomie. This theme will only gain resonance as the American Empire continues to crumble.

Conflict theories are still influential, because they define some group or state of affairs that we are opposed to in some way, and posit a counter-group that will combat this unacceptable state of affairs.  Everyone wants to make a better world, and everyone wants an enemy to defeat - and conflict theory supplies that enemy for them. Capitalism and bureaucracy are clearly our enemies - whatever advantages they may have conferred to us in the past - and the conflict theorists want to put a stop to them.  Conflict theory also exists in popular culture as bastardized forms of "alienation" and the "iron cage" ("gridlock," perhaps).

By the way, Marx, Weber and Durkheim gave social-structural theories for anomie, alienation, and the iron cage - American pop culture dilutes them into psychological/individualistic "feelings" of angst, discontent.