This theoretical tenet has been applied in classic anthropological studies of rural
societies (Arensberg and Kimball, 1940; Firth, 1957) and in sociological classics on
modern communities (Lynd and Lynd, 1929; Davis et al., 1941; Warner and Lunt,
1941; Hollingshead, 1949; Whyte, 1981). These studies presented social integration
as a core feature of functional societies. Social integration was operationalized as
consistent patterns of thought and action internalized by the citizens. The greater the
consistency and extent of internalization, the more integrated the community.