The early functionalists often drew 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, of its contribution towards the maintenance of the organism.

In the same way, an understanding of any part of society requires an analysis of its relationship to other parts and most importantly, of its contribution to the maintenance of society. Continuing this analogy, they argued that just as an organism has certain basic needs which must be satisfied if it is to survive, so society has basic needs which must be met if it is to continue to exist.