changes in family structure Flashcards
what did Parsons say changed family structure?
industrialisation
what are the 2 basic types of family structure?
extended and nuclear
what are the 2 basic types of society?
pre-industrial society and industrial society
what is pre-industrial society?
society before industrialisation. it is largely agricultural amd work centres on home, farm, village and market
what is industrial society?
society during and after industrialisation. work centres on factories and production of goods in cities
what does Parsons say becomes dominant in industrial society?
nuclear families
what family is most common in pre-industrial society?
the extended family
what family is most common in industrial society?
the nuclear family
what do functionalists say changed the function of the family?
industrialisation
why does Parsons think the dominant family structure changed?
because it was more useful for industrial society
what are functions of the family in pre-industrial society taken over by?
the state in industrial society e.g., policing, healthcare, education
what can the nuclear family focus on?
its functions of socialisation
what does the family socialise children into?
the roles, values and norms of industrialised society
what does Parsons describe the industrial nuclear family as?
isolated
what does it mean to be isolated?
it has few ties with local kinship and economic systems. this means the family can easily move to where the work is (geographical mobility)
what else do functionalists say industrialisation changed?
roles and status in the family
how was status given in pre-industrial society?
ascribed
what is an ascribed status?
status decided at birth by the family they were born into
how is status given in industrial society?
achieved
what is an achieved status?
status decided by their success outisde the family
how is greater social mobility achieved?
the nuclear family allows individuals to achieve status and position without conflict. it’s ok for an individual too achieve higher or lower status than previous generation
what role do men and women have according to Parsons?
instrumental and expressive
why do these roles come about according to Parsons?
they’re most effective for society
what are functionalists critised for?
seeing the modern nuclear family as superior
what are the 3 stages of family according to Willmott and Young?
- pre-industrial
- early industrial
- privatised nuclear
what is the pre-industrial stage?
family works together as an economic production unit. work and home are combine
what is the early industrial stage?
extended family is broken up as individuals leave home to work. women at home have strong extended kinship networks
what is the privatised nuclear stage?
family based on consumption, not production - buying things, not making things. nuclear family is focused on its personal relationships and lifestyle. called ‘the symmetrical family’ - husband and wife have joint roles
what is a key point of the symmetrical family?
the idea that both partners work either part-time or full-time. the econnomic contribution of men and women is equally important
what did Helen Wilkinson (1994) argue about the increasing numbers of women working?
an increasing number of women are working because the economy has moved away from the historically male-dominated industrial sector towards the traditionally female-dominated service sector
what has happened to women’s attitudes towards work and family?
they have undergone a ‘genderquake’
what did women between the ages of 16-35 see as more important than having children in the 90s?
work and education
what have women gained in the faimly through employment?
economic influence
how does women having economic influence change the structure of the family?
because the traditional gender roles within the family are broken down
in 2012, according to a survey of social attitudes what did 41% of women and 36% of men believe was the ideal way to structure a family with dependent children?
for men to work full-time and women to work part-time
what have Willmott and Young been criticised for?
assuming that family life has got better as structure adapts to modern society.
what is social policy?
a plan or action of government or institutional agencies which aim to imporive or reform society
what is legislation?
a law or set of laws that have been passed by parliament
what is a law?
a formal rule that applies to everyone
what is a direct social policy?
laws and policies that have been created to influence families and family life
what is an indirect social policy?
laws and policies that are aimed at other areas of society but have an influence on the family
what is the 1967 abortion act?
legalised abortion through the NHS up to 24 weeks
what government was the 1967 abortion act introduced by?
liberal democrats
is the 1967 abortion act a direct / indirect policy?
direct policy
what impact does the 1967 abortion act have on families?
increase in choice and decline in birth rates
what is compulsory education?
from age 5 up to 18 children are expected to be in full time education / training
what government was compulsory education introduced by?
liberal party
is compulsory education a direct / indirect policy?
indirect policy
what impact does compulsory education have on families?
- skills for the workplace
- secndary socialisation
- childcare
what is the equal marriage act 2014?
heterosexual and homosexual relationships are given the same status and legal rights in marriage
what governemt was the equal marriage act 2014 intrduced by?
labour partyi
is the equal marriage act 2014 a direct / indirect policy?
direct policy
what impact does the equal marriage act 2014 have on families?
- more marriages and same sex marriages
- greater diversity
- donors can be included so a child may have 3 parents
what is the divorce reform act 1969?
made divorce easier through the ‘irretrievable breakdown’ option. also made the divorce process cheaper
what government was the divorce reform act 1969 introduced by?
labour party
is the divorce reform act 1969 a direct / indirect policy?
direct policy
what impact does the divorce reform act 1969 have on families?
- easier to get a divorce so people don’t have to stay in an unhappy relationship
- don’t have to prove anything went wrong
- divorce takes months rather than years
what is the divorce, dissolution and separation act 2020?
removes the ability to make allegations; allowing couples to end their marriage jointly
what government was the divorce, dissolution and separation act 2020 introduced by?
conservative
is the the divorce, dissolution and separation act 2020 a direct / indirect policy?
direct policy
what impact does the divorce, dissolution and separation act 2020 have on families?
- make divorce easier for both people as they don’t have to place any blame
- children moving inbetween parents and households, could be disruptive and have an emotional impact
- more diverse family structures e.g., step families
what is the equal pay act 1970?
made it ilegal for employers to pay women less for the same job as men
what government was the equal pay act 1970 introduced by?
labour
is the equal pay act 1970 a direct / indirect policy?
indirect policy
what impact does the equal pay act 1970 have on families?
- financially dependent women, becoming breadwinners
what is the equality act 2010?
legally protects many characteristics at work and in wider society
what government was the equality act 2010 introduced by?
labour
is the equality act 2010 a direct / indirect policy?
indirect policy
what impact does the equality act 2010 have on families?
- more choice e.g., in relationships
what view have functionalists taken on social policy?
a positive view
what do functionalists say the welfare state takes pressure off?
the family with regard to education and health care, and allows the family to concentrate in socialisation and nurturing
what do functionalists say the welfare state allows the family to do?
concentrate on key functions
an example of the welfare state and the family working alongside each other?
when a family member becomes ill, they can be cured in hospital and then cared for in the family
what view does the new right take on the welfare state?
a negative view
why does the new right take a negative view on the welfare state?
they see them as undermining the traditional nuclear family
why are they critical of welfare benefits that are given to single-parent families?
they believe they encourage women to get pregnant, knowing the state will look after them and their child
why are the new right critical of divorce laws?
they believe divorce is too easy, and people need to be encouraged to work on their marriage and not take the ‘easy option’ of divorce
what view do feminists take on social policy?
a mixed view
why do feminists like social policies?
they welcome support for single parents as most of them are women. they may have left abusive marriages and should be supported by the state
why are divorce and domestic abuse laws welcomed by feminists?
they enable women to free themselves from patriarchal control
what do radical feminists see social policy as?
sexist and stereotypical
what is an example of social policy being sexist and stereotypical?
the payment of child benefit is usually to the women, which assumes they are the primary carer
what do marxists focus on when looking at social policies?
the inequalities
what do marxists have differing views on?
some social policies such as free education, health care and the welfare state are the result of class struggle
what do others see social policies as?
‘smokescreens’ to make life appear bettwe.
what does Jacques Donzelot see policy as?
a form of state power over families
what does Donzelot use Foucalt’s concept of?
surveillance
what does Donzelot interested in?
how professionals carry out surveillance of families, for example, social workers and doctors use their knowledge to control and change families
what are poor families more likely to be seen as?
problem families
