1.2 Functionalists on the family Flashcards
(Functionalism) what do functionalists believe society is based on?
Value consensus
(Functionalism) what is value consensus?
Agreement over shared norms and values
(Functionalism) who did Murdock study? And what did he say he found?
250 societies from industrial to hunter gatherers
Found nuclear family in all arguing it is a universal institution
What did Murdock say were the 4 functions of the family?
Sexual
Reproductive (next gen of workers)
Economic
Education (socialisation)
(Functionalism) how is the family economic?
Unit of consumption buying goods and services
(Functionalism) parsons argues the family has become increasingly specialised what is this referred to as?
Structural differentiation
(Functionalism) what is structural differentiation?
as societies become more complex institutions perform more specialist functions - like cells in the body
(Functionalism) give examples of some functions which have been taken over:
care of the elderly
educating children
taken over by carers, social services and schools
(Functionalism) what did parsons say the two functions of the family were?
primary socialisation of children
stabilisation of adult personalities
(Functionalism) what happens in primary socialisation?
children learn the norms and values of the society in which they live and internalise them
(Functionalism) why is primary socialisation important?
without it there would be no consensus/agreement
(Functionalism) what can unstable personalities threaten?
stability and smooth running of society
(Functionalism) what are the two ways the family helps stabilise adult personalities?
marital partners provide each other with emotional support
enable to indulge in childish side of personality as parents
(Functionalism) what does the family provide for adults?
release from strains and stresses
emotional security and support
(Functionalism) parsons what were the two roles parsons talked about?
instrumental and expressive
(Functionalism) men take on the instrumental role, what is this?
responsible for economic welfare of family
practical
(Functionalism) women take on expressive role, what is this?
caring
emotional role
(Functionalism) why do men and women have these separate roles?
biologically determined e.g. women have maternal instincts
(Functionalism) how is popenoe’s view similar to funcitonalists - what did he argue underlines the way the family is organised?
biological imperatives
(Functionalism) Popenoe says men and women are biologically different so women are better suited to what?
nurturing children
(Functionalism) what did Chester talk about?
the neoconventional family
(Functionalism) how does chester describe the neo-conventional family?
typical nuclear family with 2 parents and a child, but both parents go to work
(Functionalism) why does Chester say that statistics on the nuclear family are misleading?
most people spend a major part of their life in a nuclear family - only significant change has been women working
(Functionalism) what can functionalists be criticised for ignoring?
dark side of family life -abuse, neglect, conflict
diversity of family life - assume nuclear is dominant and the best
(Functionalism) functionalists can be criticised as the cereal packet image they create of the family supports what?
the ideology of the nuclear family
(Functionalism) why do some feminists criticise Parsons view?
say its sexist - mother should be primary caregiver who has to care for children and distress her husband
(Functionalism) how did the Kibbutz represent an alternative to the nuclear family?
communal living
children raised in childrens houses
men and women worked equally
no private property
(Functionalism) how can the Gough be used to criticise the idea the nuclear family is universal?
wives didn’t live with husbands
men had several wives
no family structure
