Hypothesis

Students with more effort and determination are likely to have better academic performance.

Independent Variable

Effort – average hours spent studying per week

Response categories are 0-40+ hours week

Dependent Variable

Academic performance – GPA

Response categories are 0-4.0

Structural-Functional Theory – Society is a relatively stable system of interrelated parts. Each of the interconnected components functions in a way that ensures that the society operates in a normal way. Members of the community must be in consensus on what is morally acceptable and that which is not acceptable at all.  The structural-functional theory would explain this hypothesis by saying that we as a society recognize that education performs the function of training members of society to succeed in the workplace. Those who work the hardest are the most successful in school and therefore will get the best jobs. Consequently, the lazy and non-hardworking people in the society are likely not to get the desired employments.

Conflict Theory – Society is a system that represents social inequalities defined by gender, class or race. The different variations in the social setup seem to benefit a particular category of the above classifications at the expense of others.  Social inequality causes conflict that leads to social change. Conflict theory would argue that the society benefits more from students with efforts and pleasant academic achievements as opposed to slow learners. This implies that even those with efforts that don’t translate to academic excellence are vulnerable and may not be able to secure good jobs. The theory fails to understand that there are possibilities that hardworking students may fail to get good grades and consequently be locked out of the better employment opportunity. It is worth pointing out that there are those students who put a lot of effort in their academics and this effort fails to yield desired results due to different capabilities. The theory of conflicts gets into the action as the less gifted people in academics will end up not being absorbed in successful careers.

Symbolic Interaction – Society is a product of an ongoing process. People in these social settings interact in different settings via symbolic communications.  The reality people experience variable and changing.   This theory would explain the hypothesis by stating that the hardworking students have had an opportunity to interact with people who have undergone the same learning process and have acquired good jobs. Interactions with such people serve as a real motivation for such people, and this is transferred to their classes. Positive interactions with career individuals and scholars will play a significant role in academic achievement. On the other hand, students with less effort could have interacted with non-scholars who have also been successful in their non-academic efforts.

In my opinion, Structural Functionalist Theory offers the best explanation because of it emphasis on the need for the society to act in an orderly way. In most cases, those people in the community with significant academic achievements are known to have the best careers and consequently live useful lives. It is on this premise that every another person is determined to realize academic success. The members of the society will see it normal having a good career. Therefore, they will be relentless in pursuing academic success that will only be achieved through tremendous efforts. This makes it essential to note that this theory offers the best explanation to the hypotheses.

 
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