Final answer:
The statement is true; functionalists, such as Durkheim, believe that deviance and its sanctioning are pivotal in maintaining and reinforcing group boundaries and societal norms, as well as instigating social change by challenging the status quo.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that institutional sanctioning of deviance serves to maintain group boundaries from a functionalist perspective is TRUE. According to Émile Durkheim, one of the founding figures of functionalist theory in sociology, deviance plays a vital role in society. It not only challenges existing viewpoints and norms, but when it is punished, it also reaffirms the social norms within a community. For instance, Durkheim noted that societal reactions to deviant behavior, such as giving detention to a student for skipping class, serve to reinforce established norms and remind others of the consequences of deviance.
Furthermore, functionalists believe that social changes, like protests or acts of civil disobedience, can be seen as undesirable because they disrupt the consensus and order desired in society. However, such deviance can lead to positive social change by highlighting dysfunctions and prompting society to address and rectify them.