Evaluate Rge Functionalist View Of The Family Flashcards
Paragraph 1
Functionalists believe that… this is known as…
these norms…, which enables them to..
this creates…
it offers a ..
Functionalists believe that society is based on a set of shared values and norms; this is known as a value consensus.
these norms and values socialise its members, which enables them to cooperate with each other so society’s needs are met,
this creates social order.
it offers a structural and macro view of the family which is top-down.
Paragraph 2
functionalists see society as being …
this is called the …
the human body is made…
society is made..
functionalist believe that …
functionalists see society as being similar to a biological organism for example the human body.
this is called the organic analogy.
the human body is made up of various different parts that function together, each part is necessary for the normal functioning of the whole body
society is made up of various institutions for example education or family
functionalist believe that these institutions rely on each other for which helps maintain social order
Paragraph 2 part two
if one institution is quickly…
.functionalists compare this with…
functionalist believe that the..
functionalist believe that the…
Paragraph 2 part two
if one institution is quickly modified or fails to work with other institutions, society would be dysfunctional and would end up in anarchy
.functionalists compare this with the human body because if one component is unable unable to work, this often affects other components in the body, which could result in death.
functionalist believe that the family is vital institution which contributes to maintaining social order because it meets the needs of other institutions such as the education system, which enables society to function in a unified manner.
functionalist believe that the nuclear family fits societies needs, however several alternative theories such as feminism contradict functionalist ideology.
Paragraph 3
Murdoch believes that the nuclear…
he claims that he found ..
The first function…
the 2 function…
the third function is …
The final function …
this suggests the ..
Paragraph 3
Murdoch believes that the nuclear family performs 4 essential functions for society and its members however he acknowledges that other institutions can perform these functions.
he claims that he found evidence of a nuclear family in 250 different societies so he argues that a nuclear family is universal as it fulfils societies needs.
The first function is sexual, Murdoch believes a sexual intercourse with the same marital partner can prevent social disruption and can strengthen the tie between husband-and-wife.
the 2 function is reproduction; this allows new members of society to be born which is essential for society because if reproduction did not continue then society would cease to exist
the third function is economical so the family can provide for its members for example food and shelter.
The final function is the education system,
This enables the young to be socialised and educated into societies norms and values and this suggests the family as a positive future of society
Paragraph 4
however Murdochs..
his research is based on a nuclear…
the post-modernist view believes that…
another criticism,…
on the other hand, a strength…
another positive to murdochs …
however Murdochs research is limited because he ignores diversity
his research is based on a nuclear family, yet in modern society there are many different family types, for example homosexual couples/lone parents.
the post-modernist view believes that the nuclear family is no longer the norm and therefore the functionalist theory is not relevant to today’s society.
another criticism would be that functionalist do not consider the validity of other family structures such as the Nayar or the Kibbuts who can also perform the four functions.
on the other hand, a strength of Murdochs work is it provides an insight of the families’ importance to society, because they examine how a family functions in society.
another positive to murdochs interpretations of family life would be that Murdoch could generalises his research because he has studied 250 different societies, which demonstrates how a nuclear family can fit societal needs around the world.
Paragraph 5
another functionalists explanation of the family comes from Parsons who..
Parsons identifies two type…
Parsons argues that the..
The geographical mobility industries often…
the social mobile workforce implied…
also individual …
Parsons argues that the…
another functionalists explanation of the family comes from Parsons who believes that the functions a family has to perform, will affect its shape or structure.
Parsons identifies two types of family structure of the nuclear family, which fits the needs of modern industrial society and the extended family, which fits the needs of preindustrial society
Parsons argues that the extended family was multi functional so it was a unit of consumption and production whilst the nuclear family fits the key needs of modern industrial society: geographically mobile workforce and the socially mobile workforce.
the geographical mobility industries often require people to move to where the jobs were, Parsons argued that nuclear family (Two generations) would find it more straightforward to move than the extended family (three generations) so the nuclear family is better fitted to the needs of modern industrial society.
the social mobile workforce implied that modern society is constantly changing with technology and science
also individual status is often achieved (using their own efforts) rather than ascribed
Parsons argues that the nuclear family is better equipped than the extended family to meet societies needs.
Paragraph 6
Parsons argues that…
Parsons argues that the nuclear family specialises in..
the stabilisation of adu…
Parsons identifies …
Parsons argues that the nuclear family fits modern society also notices that the changing functions of the family are socially advanced so the family have to fulfil fewer functions For its members
Parsons argues that the nuclear family specialises in two functions: the primary socialisation of children which educate the next generation with basic skills and societies values
The stabilisation of adult personalities is the second function, this enables adults to release tension so they can return to their place of work and perform their roles efficiently.
Parsons identifies segregated conjugal roles between a husband and wife that the husband has an instrumental role so it’s expected to provide for his family whilst the wife as the expressive role and is expected to nurture her children
Paragraph 7
there are many negatives with..
he idolises..
another criticism would be that Peter Laslett..
there are many negatives with Parsons ideology for instance
he idolises the nuclear family and ignores diversity, as there is more than just nuclear and extended family in modern society.
another criticism would be that Peter Laslett studied the preindustrial society and concluded that in this society, the common family was nuclear and not extended as parsons claimed that this was because many families decided to have their children when they were old and short life expectancy expectancy conveyed that grandparents were not alive when their first grandchild was born
Paragraph 7 part two
however there are some positive…
the first will be that…
another reason would be that Parsons…
however there are some positives about Parsons research,
the first will be that Parsons identifies how families change in society,
another reason would be that Parsons research shows how families can adopt to meet societies needs so a more stable society is created and he argues that family life fits and benefits society for example reproduction
allows new members of society to be created so societies norms and values are passed on to the next generation, which helps create a stable society and social order
Paragraph 8
More broadly, some feminists such…
many feminists also…
More broadly, some feminists such as Oakley argues that Murdoch and other functionalists and neglect conflict and exploitation in a family for example domestic violence,
many feminists also believe that within the family, women are serving the needs of men and they are oppressed, they suggest that the family is not functional for women as argued by the functionalists
Paragraph 9 marxists have a similar ..
Marxists engles and Zaretsky however..
Paragraph 9 marxists have a similar conflict point of view as they believe that murdock ignores the negatives in a family life, as murdock has an extremely positive view on family life.
Marxists engles and Zaretsky however argue that the family meet the needs of capitalism and not those of family members of society in general, which conflicts with Murdochs ideology.
Paragraph 10
furthermore the radical…
the new right however supports th…
furthermore the radical psychiatrists such as Lang argues that the family is dysfunctional as it damages the individual and can lead to mental illness, they argue that the nuclear family is not productive to its members.
the new right however supports the functionalists view of the nuclear family and suggest that they help society to function however they are an extreme view and have themselves been criticised
Last paragraph
to conclude, functionalists …
it offers a …
however…
they also ignore ..
to understand…
to conclude, functionalists all agree that the nuclear family is the best fit to societies needs,
it offers a positive consensus view,
however ignores women’s positions and ignores how a family feeds capitalism
they also ignore family diversity
to understand the family unit, one must look at all the theoretical views as functionalism on its own is too limited a view
