Functionalist theory views society as an organized system of interrelated parts, with sport contributing to positive outcomes.

• A. Internationalist theory
• B. Functionalist theory
• C. Feminist theory
• D. Conflict theory

Answer: (B)

Functionalist theory treats society as an organized system of interdependent parts that work together to maintain social order. Applied to sport, this perspective sees athletic activity as contributing to positive outcomes by teaching cooperation, teamwork, discipline, and fair play, while also promoting physical health and providing entertainment. Sport can generate manifest functions like skill development and competitive success, and latent functions such as social integration, shared values, and a sense of collective identity that help bind communities and stabilize society. Other theoretical lenses focus more on micro-level interactions (how individuals interpret and give meaning to sport), on persistent gender inequalities, or on power struggles and how sport reproduces social hierarchies. The functionalist view uniquely emphasizes sport as a component that supports social equilibrium through its multiple, reinforcing functions.