wˌaɪl tˈælkɑːt pˈɑːɹsənz tˈɛndz tʊ ˈɛmfɐsˌaɪz ðə mˈænɪfˌɛst fˈʌŋkʃənz ʌv sˈoʊʃəl bᵻhˈeɪvjɚ, mˈɜːtən sˈiːz ɐtˈɛnʃən tə lˈeɪtənt fˈʌŋkʃənz æz ɪŋkɹˈiːsɪŋ ðɪ ˌʌndɚstˈændɪŋ ʌv səsˈaɪəɾi: ðə dɪstˈɪŋkʃən bᵻtwˌiːn mˈænɪfˌɛst ænd lˈeɪtənt fˈoːɹsᵻz ðə sˌoʊsɪˈɑːlədʒˌɪst tə ɡˌoʊ bᵻjˌɔnd ðə ɹˈiːzənz ˌɪndᵻvˈɪdʒuːəlz ɡˈɪv fɔːɹ ðɛɹ ˈækʃənz ɔːɹ fɚðɪ ɛɡzˈɪstəns ʌv kˈʌstəmz ænd ˌɪnstɪtˈuːʃənz; ɪt mˌeɪks ðˌɛm lˈʊk fɔːɹ ˈʌðɚ sˈoʊʃəl kˈɑːnsɪkwənsᵻz ðæt ɐlˈaʊ ðiːz pɹˈæktɪsᵻz sɚvˈaɪvəl ænd ɪlˈuːmᵻnˌeɪt ðə wˈeɪ səsˈaɪəɾi wˈɜːks.
While Talcott Parsons tends to emphasize the manifest functions of social behavior, Merton sees attention to latent functions as increasing the understanding of society: the distinction between manifest and latent forces the sociologist to go beyond the reasons individuals give for their actions or for the existence of customs and institutions; it makes them look for other social consequences that allow these practices’ survival and illuminate the way society works.