Home > M Words > manifest function

manifest function

Definition of Manifest Function

(noun) The anticipated and intended goals of an action or social structure; the reason something is done.

Example of Manifest Function

Note: There is a latent function for each of these examples.

  • cell phones: Allow mobile communication between people.
  • clothing: Protects the wearer from the elements.
  • marriage ceremonies: Public acknowledgement of union between two or more people which legitimates sexual activity and subsequent children.
  • schooling: Transmits knowledge to the next generation.
  • war: Defend or claim territory, defeat an enemy.

Manifest Function Pronunciation

Pronunciation Usage Guide

Syllabification: man·i·fest func·tion

Audio Pronunciation

– American English
– British English

Phonetic Spelling

  • American English – /mAn-uh-fest fUHngkshUHn/
  • British English – /mAn-i-fest fUHngkshUHn/

International Phonetic Alphabet

  • American English – /ˈmænəˌfɛst ˈfʌŋkʃən/
  • British English – /ˈmænɪfɛst ˈfʌnŋkʃən/

Usage Notes

  • Plural: manifest functions
  • Manifest functions are a key aspect of functional analysis.
  • Manifest functions are easily observed.
  • Manifest functions are often positive and latent functions are often negative, but depending on the subject this distinction is not clear. One group’s positive outcome, maybe a negative outcome for another group.
  • Functions and dysfunctions along with latent and manifest functions were theorized by Robert Merton (1910–2003) in Social Theory and Social Structure (1949, revised in 1957 and 1968).

Related Videos

Related Online Discussions

Additional Information

Related Terms


Works Consulted

Brym, Robert J., and John Lie. 2007. Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. 3rd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Collins English Dictionary: Complete and Unabridged. 6th ed. 2003. Glasgow, Scotland: Collins.

Dillon, Michele. 2014. Introduction to Sociological Theory: Theorists, Concepts, and their Applicability to the Twenty-First Century. 2nd ed. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.

Ferrante, Joan. 2011a. Seeing Sociology: An Introduction. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Ferrante, Joan. 2011b. Sociology: A Global Perspective. 7th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Ferris, Kerry, and Jill Stein. 2010. The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology. 2nd ed. New York: Norton.

Griffiths, Heather, Nathan Keirns, Eric Strayer, Susan Cody-Rydzewski, Gail Scaramuzzo, Tommy Sadler, Sally Vyain, Jeff Bry, Faye Jones. 2016. Introduction to Sociology 2e. Houston, TX: OpenStax.

Henslin, James M. 2012. Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. 10th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Hughes, Michael, and Carolyn J. Kroehler. 2011. Sociology: The Core. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Jary, David, and Julia Jary. 2000. Collins Dictionary of Sociology. 3rd ed. Glasgow, Scotland: HarperCollins.

Kendall, Diana. 2011. Sociology in Our Times. 8th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Kimmel, Michael S., and Amy Aronson. 2012. Sociology Now. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Macionis, John. 2012. Sociology. 14th ed. Boston: Pearson.

Macionis, John, and Kenneth Plummer. 2012. Sociology: A Global Introduction. 4th ed. Harlow, England: Pearson Education.

Random House Webster’s College Dictionary. 1997. New York: Random House.

Ravelli, Bruce, and Michelle Webber. 2016. Exploring Sociology: A Canadian Perspective. 3rd ed. Toronto: Pearson.

Schaefer, Richard. 2013. Sociology: A Brief Introduction. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Scott, John, and Gordon Marshall. 2005. A Dictionary of Sociology. New York: Oxford University Press.

Shepard, Jon M. 2010. Sociology. 11th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Shepard, Jon M., and Robert W. Greene. 2003. Sociology and You. New York: Glencoe.

Stolley, Kathy S. 2005. The Basics of Sociology. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Thompson, William E., and Joseph V. Hickey. 2012. Society in Focus: An Introduction to Sociology. 7th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Tischler, Henry L. 2011. Introduction to Sociology. 10th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Turner, Bryan S., ed. 2006. The Cambridge Dictionary of Sociology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Cite the Definition of Manifest Function

ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2015. “manifest function.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved March 29, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/manifest-function/).

APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)

manifest function. (2015). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/manifest-function/

Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2015. “manifest function.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/manifest-function/.

MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)

“manifest function.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/manifest-function/>.