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Sociology year 1 > 4.3 theories of the family > Flashcards

4.3 theories of the family Flashcards

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Sociology 101 flashcards
1
Q

6 perspectives on the family

A
  • marxism
  • functionalism
  • feminism
  • personal life perspective
  • the new right
  • post-modernism
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2
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

what 4 essential functions does murdock argue that the family performs to meet the needs if society and it’s members?

A
  • stable satisfication of the sex drive- with the same partner, prevents social disruption caused by a ‘free for all’
  • reproduction of the next generation- without which society wouldnt continue
  • socialisation of the young
  • meeting it’s members economic needs-e.g. food and shelter
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3
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

criticism of murdock: these functions the family perform can by perfromed…

A

equally as well by other institutions or by non-nuclear family structures

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4
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

how do feminists criticise murdock?

A
  • see the family as serving the needs of men and opressing women
    *
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5
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

how do marxists criticise murdock?

A
  • see families as serving the needs of capitalism not family members or society
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6
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

what is parsons’ “functional fit” theory?

A

the idea that family structures change along with society of that time

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7
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

what is the difference between the nuclear family and the extended family?

A
  • nuclear- just parents and their dependant children
  • extended- three generations living under 1 roof
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8
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

what 2 basic types of society does Parson identify?

A
  • modern industrial society
  • pre-industrial society
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9
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

which type of family does parsons think suits which type of society?

A
  • nuclear- industrial
  • extended- pre industrial
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10
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

what 2 essentials needs does parsons believe that industrial society has?

A
  • a geographically mobile workforce
  • a socially mobile workforce
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11
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

in what way is the modern nuclear family a more geographically mobile workforce?

A
  • it is easier for a compact 2 generation family to move than for the three generation extended family
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12
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

how is the modern nuclear family a socially mobile workforce?

A
  • in the original extended family, if a son overtook his father in work, it would cause household tensions
  • instead, the son can do so whilst living in his own family
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13
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

the family is no longer a unit of …. but now only ….

A
  • production
  • consumption
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14
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

what functions does the nuclear family perform nowadays?

A
  • the primary socialisation of children
  • the stabalisation of adult personalities (the family is a place where adults can relax and release tensions, returning to the workplace to fulfill their roles there).
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15
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

evidence against parsons: was the extended family dominant in pre-industrial society?

A
  • young and willmott found that the pre-industrial family was nuclear, not extended
  • with parents and children working together
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16
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

evidence against parsons: is the extended family no longer needed in modern society?

A
  • continues to exist and perfom important functions: with finacial help, childcare and emotional support
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17
Q

the functionalist perspective on the family

evidence against parsons: what other functions does the family perform today?

A
  • supports economic growth
  • emotional support
18
Q

the marxist perspective on the family

what 3 functions of the family do marxists believe support capitalism?

A
  • inheritance of property
  • ideological functions
  • a unit of consumption
19
Q

the marxist perspective on the family

how does the inheritace of property fulfill capitalism?

A
  • inheritance of pprivate property has made monogamy essential so that fathers would be sure they had a son to inherit their property
  • this serves capitalism as it turns women into a mere instrument for production, defeating the female sex
20
Q

the marxist perspective on the family

why is engels view not applicable today?

A

he lived from 1820-1895

21
Q

the marxist perspective on the family

how do ideological functions fulfill capitalism?

A
  • socialises children into the idea that hierarchy and inequality are inevitable (e.g. through dad always being in control) and that someone is always in charge:prepares them for life as workers
  • zaretsky sees the family as a haven, where the workers can “be themselves” from outside forces of capitalism
22
Q

the marxist perspective on the family

how does the family as a unit of consumption fulfill capitalism?

A
  • capitalism exploits its workers-the family plays a major part in this as it is an important market for the sale of consumer goods:
  • e.g.food and clothing
  • advertisers urge families to buby the latest products e.g. airfryers
  • media target children who use “pester power”
  • children who lack latest items are mocked and stigmatised by peers
23
Q

the marxist perspective on the family

criticisms of the marxist view

A
  • marxist assume the nuclear family is dominant- ignores the variation in society
  • feminists argue that the marxist explanation pushes social class and capitalism and ignores ender differences
  • functionalists argue that marxists ignore the benefits that the family provides for one another
24
Q

feminist perspective on the family

what 4 feminist perspectives is there

A
  • liberal
  • marxist
  • radical
  • difference
25
Q

feminist perspective on the family

key points of liberal feminism

A
  • womens opression becoming overcome through changes such as sex discrimination act 1975
  • believe we are moving towards gender equality but further reforms and changes in attitudes and socialisation patterns are needed
26
Q

feminist perspective on the family

what do other feminists criticise liberal feminists for?

A
  • not doing enough- believe that changes in the law will not be enough
27
Q

feminist perspective on the family

key points of marxist feminism

A
  • womens opression in family is due to capitalism not men
  • women reproduce the labour force through unpaid domestic labour, by socialising the next generation to do the same
  • women absorb anger that would otherwise be directed at capitalism
  • women are a reserve army of cheap labour
28
Q

feminist perspective on the family

criticism of the marxist feminist perspective on the family

A
  • victim blames women and ignores that men are the perpurtartors: by saying that women reproduce labour force through unpaid labour and socialisting the next generation
29
Q

feminist perspective on the family

radical feminist perspective on the family key points

A
  • all of society has been founded on patriarchy
  • men are the enemy- the source of womens exploitation and opression
  • marriage and family are institutions that support the patriarchy
  • political lesbianism
30
Q

feminist perspective on the family

what is political lesbianism?

A

the idea that hetrosexual relationships are inherantly sexist as they involve “sleeping with the enemy”

31
Q

the personal life perspective on families

the the personal life perspective on families argues that the other perspectives have two weaknesses:

A
  • they assume nuclear is the dominant family type
  • they are all structural (assume family and the members are manipulated passively by society)
32
Q

the personal life perspective on families

personal life perspective says we miust understand…

A

the meanings we give to our relationships

33
Q

the personal life perspective on families

who might the the personal life perspective define as family?

A
  • friends
  • fictive kin
  • gay and lesbian chosen family
  • relationships with dead family
  • pets
34
Q

the personal life perspective on families

who researches donor conceived children?

A

nordqvist and smart

35
Q

the personal life perspective on families

nordqvist and smart found many parents emphasised what?

A
  • the importance of social relationships over genetic ones
36
Q

the personal life perspective on families

erin example

A
  • she is the mother of a donor concieved child, believes that putting time and effort into being a mother makes a mother not the cell that starts it off
37
Q

the personal life perspective on families

what leads to problems in donor concieved families?

A
  • difficult feelings could flare up if somebody remarked that the child looked like them
  • difference in appearence may lead the family to wonder about the donors identity, and if “donor siblings” counted as family
  • if the parents knew the donor, may be difficulties
38
Q

the personal life perspective on families

what questions do donor families have to resolve?

A
  • do the donor’s parents count as grandparents?
  • does the child have half siblings?
  • in lesbian couples- might the donor be seen as a “real” second parent?
39
Q

the personal life perspective on families

evaluation: advantage of nordqvist and smart’s study

A
  • shows benefit of “bottom up” approach as it helps us to see how people construct family
  • traditional perspectives don’t do this
40
Q
A

Sociology year 1 (12 decks)

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