davies jones Flashcards
What do functionalists want to know
They want to work out the functions of things and why they exist
What are the key assumptions of functionalists
Social order and stability
Name some parts of society
Education Jobs Rules Media Religion Culture
What is social solidarity
When a group/community is solid, integrated, cohesive, united and members have a sense of togetherness and belonging
what is value consensus
shared argreement of norms and values between a group, society or community
what is equilibrium
stability and balance between groups, society or communmities
what is nature
biological, genetic, innate, natural, instinctive, pre-programmed
what is nurture
learning, cultivated, environmental, influences
what is a status
a position in society, some are given to us and some are achieved
what is a social role
the expectations and obligations attached to a status
what is role conflict
describes a situation where the demands of our various social roles clash or cause strain
what is culture
includes all the things which society regards important such as language, customs, traditions, knowledge, skills, norms and values
what are values
general principles or goals which tell us what is good and what we should aim for and can influence are beleifs
What are the four essential functions that the family performs to meet the needs of society and its members argued by Murdock
sexual
Reproductions
Socialization
Economic
How does the family meet the function of sexual
Stable satisfaction of the sex drive with the same partner, preventing the social disruption caused by a sexual free for all
How does the family meet the function of reproduction
Reproduction of the next generation, without which society could not continue
How does the family meet the function of socialization
Socialization of the young into societys shared norms and values
How does family meet the function of economic
Meeting its members economic needs such as food clothes and shelter
What criticisms can be made of Murdocks argument about family functions
A) other non nuclear family structures are just as capable of fulfilling these functions
B) they question his ‘rose tinted’ consensus assumption that all nuclear families are able to successfully carry out these functions
How does durkheim argue that family’s are linked to other parts of society
Involved in schools, parents evenings , paying for trips , signing homeworks
Religion- go to church
Jobs/ economy
What is Durkheims theory
Organic analogy- society is composed of different parts and each part performs a function to enable society to achieve and maintain social order and stability. Like organs in the human body
How does the family change when society changed from a traditional pre-industrialised to a modern industrial
A) it’s structure changes from extended to nuclear
B) it loses many of its functions
Why did the structure of family’s change due to the change to a modern industrial society
The emerging industrial society had different needs from pre industrial society and the family adapted to those needs
How did the family structure adapt to the needs of a modern industrial society
A) a geographically mobile workforce - easier for a nuclear family to move about a country for work.
B) a socially mobile workforce- tensions and conflicts would emerge if a socially mobile younger generation, achieving higher status than their parents lived at home
How did the functions of a family change when society changed to a modern industrial society
The evolution of society involves a process of specialisation and structural differentiation. Society develops and becomes increasingly complex- institutions take over the need of family functions
Name some institutions which have taken over functions previously performed by families
Hospitals Schools Nurseries Carehomes Counsellor
Explain the primary socialisation of children
Children’s personalities are structured through the internalisation of their society’s culture.
They absorb the norms and values to the point where they become a part of them- mounded in terms of the central value system of society
What is the stabilisation of adult personalities
Once the personality is established it must be kept stable. Need emotional security
How is emotional stability for the stabilisation of adults personalities established
A) marital relationship- gender roles are clearly defined and complimentary, male performs instrumental role and woman plays the expressive role
B) parenting roles- being a parent is cathartic, soothing from stresses and responsibilities in adult life can release their inner child (warm bath theory)
What are the criticisms of the marital relationship for the stabilisation of adult personalities
Not all marriages are male-female
Both genders can be expressive and instrumental
Feminists would argue many people who aren’t in a family and are independent are still happy
What are the criticisms of parenting roles for the stabilisation of adult personalities
Not all couples have children
Not all parents have the same bond with their children
Don’t need to have children to be happy fulfilled and stable- can get stability elsewhere
Parents can argue because of children
How can family’s contribute to the creation of social solidarity
Offer a strong support system Role models Family activities Can rely on each other Sense of belonging Sharing a surname
How can family’s contribute to the creation of value consensus
Teach what’s right and wrong
Teach children how to behave and what is appropriate
Value the same things- traditions opinions values
Children copy what their family members do
Create order/routine
No division between family members
Show children it’s important to follow authorities
How can family’s contribute to the creation of equilibrium
Family’s have their own support system
If one partner is struggling the other partners there for emotional support to stabilise the household
What is promiscuity
Having a lot of sex with a lot of people
What is monogamy
Committed to one person at a time
What is bigamy
Married to more than one person
What is serial monogamy
Committed to more than one person but at different times
What is polygamy
2 or more partners at the same time
What is celibacy
Choosing not to have sex
What is capitalism
A society which is based on individual and private ownership of wealth. It is an economic system in which trade and industry are privately owned rather than owned by the state
What are the two class system categories
A class of owners
A class of non owners
What is the A class of owners
The capitalists- the owners of industry
Are the rich wealthy powerful and dominant ruling class
The bourgeoisie
A ruling elite but the minority
What is the a class of non owners
The workers / labouring class Lack power and wealth all they possess are their labouring skills Are the subordinate/ subject class The proletariat The majority
What is hierarchy
Refers to different layers where those at the top have more power and those at the bottom lack power
How are the two classes dependant on each other
The lower class works for the higher class in order to make money, the higher class depends on the lower classes labouring skills for their industries to keep their industries going
How can the dependancy of the two classes lead to exploitation
Workers do long hours but wages are kept low so industries can make more profit.
Don’t invest in working conditions
Workers need their jobs but owners can always get new workers
What is false class consciousness
Where the true nature of their exploitive situation is distorted- they are deluded and blinded to the real nature of their problems
Which ideology is the ruling ideology
The ruling classes ideas are the dominant ones
What has Marx predicted will happen in the future
Predicted that over time the proletariat would gain full class consciousness And they would unite and engage in a proletarian revolution
Would would a proletariat revolution lead to
Would lead to the downfall of capitalism and the creation of Marxutopian society ( communism )
What is the Marx perspective on the family
Marxists critique the family because they function in a way which preserve the patterns of capitalism. Stops society from becoming more enriched because of the way the family functions and how it protects capitalism
How do families encourage and reproduce hierarchical in-egalitarian relationships
A) children are socialised to accept patterns of authority obedience and power.
B) children observe and accept hierarchy. In-egalitarian relationships between family members
How do families act as a safety valve dampening down discontentment
capitalist society’s work is alienating and exploitive- leads to feelings of discontentment
Family becomes more important because it ideologically functions to cushion the effects of capitalism.
The less fulfilling the work is the more people cling on to their family as their only hope and source of being valued and satisfied.
