families and households Flashcards
what were murdocks 4 functions of the family?
reproduce
educational
economic
sexual
what are criticisms of Murdock?
out of date
not all families want to reproduce
what are parsons 2 irreducible functions of the family?
primary socialisation
soap
what are criticisms of parsons?
benefits powerful groups (men and bourgeoisie)
Fran Ansley-women are takers if shit
Peter Laslett-pre industrial families were already nuclear
Michael Anderson- significant increase in number of extended families
Armchair theorists
Why did Engels say monogamy is essential?
inheritance of private property
What is Engels primitive communism?
classless society- pre industrial
What is Engels promiscuous hordes?
multiple sex partners to reproduce
What does zaretsky say about the family being a safe haven?
It’s a safe haven for capitalism to grow
How does Marx say the family acts as a means of consumption?
Pester Power
Keeping up with the Joneses
What did Arlie Hochschild say about emotional life in the family?
social life is commodified, people are emotionally detached from others and alienated from their own feelings and connections (dating apps, party planners, care workers)
what are the criticisms of Engels?
not romantic (death)
people live in families and don’t have properties
what are criticisms of Zaretsky?
outdated
ignored benefits of the family
What are criticisms of Feminism?
Too oassive
out of date
some families are equal
What does Giddens say about the family (Late Modernist)?
confluent love- lasts as long as it benefits both, society has moved away from long romance
reflexivity- no single right way to live your life (questions if sex, marriage and childbirth are connected)
plastic sexuality- sex become a leisure activity and is no longer linked to childbirth
Pure relationship- not built on obligation to stay together
Ends in greater respects within relationships
Evaluation of Giddens
pure relationships- higher divorce rate
women struggle to get equality in sexual relationships
What do Beck and Beck Gernshein say about the family? (late modernist)
individualisation- more choice about how to run lives due to geographical and social mobility
Leads to greater uncertainty and people creating own social structures
Love is no longer built on norms and traditions making it harder to find so people try different arrangements
New types of conflict due to both men and women working
What does Judith Stacey say about the family? (post modernity)
Due to diversity of families there is no norm so institutions need to stop forcing people to be conventional
Studied families in Silicon Valley as ur has more exaggerated family trends
Studied gay and lesbian families- crucial role in changes in family life due to their flexibility
What does the personal life perspective focus on?
Look at the meanings of relationships rather than the functions
Influenced by interactionists and post modernists
What are functionalist views on social policies?
state benefits family
Helps provide its functions
What are Donzelots views on social policy?
policy is a form of state power and control
What are New right views on social policy?
Government weakens families self resilience
what are explanations for an increases in divorce?
changes in law
declining stigma
secularisation
expectation of marriage
women’s financial independence
feminist explanation
modernity/individualisation
What do functionalists say the meaning of a high divorce rate is?
As a result of higher expectations
Still lots of marriage
What do New Right say the meaning of a high divorce rate is?
undermined marriage and the nuclear family leadings to an underclass
What do feminists say the meaning of a high divorce rate is?
Desirable, women breaking free from patriarchy and oppression
What do Interactionists say the meaning of a high divorce rate is?
cant generalise the meaning of high divorce rate as each individual experience is different
What do Post modernists say the meaning of a high divorce rate is?
greater family diversity
freedom to end relationships
What do personal life perspectives say the meaning of a high divorce rate is?
causes problems (financial difficulties)
normalised- families can adapt
What are reasons for changing patterns in marriage?
changing attitudes
secularisation
fear of divorce
declining stigma to cohabitation
changing position of women
age of marriage
re marriages
What have changes in patterns of marriage led to?
increase in:
same-sex couples
cohabitation
one-person household
What are the patterns in childbearing?
women having children later
women having fewer children
1/4 of women not having children
40% of children born outside of marriage
What are the reasons for a decrease in childbearing?
Declining stigma
changing social attitudes
secularisation
liberal feminist achievements
changing position of women
contraception
What does Murray say about family diversity? (New Right)
biological differences determine family roles
decline in the nuclear family leads to social problems
What did Chester say about family diversity? (Functionalist)
family is changing from nuclear to neo conventional
other family types are nuclear in different forms
What does Carol Smart say about family diversity?
(personal life perspective)
individuals have more choice to plan their life course
conectedness thesis- personal histories which strongly influence and shape our range of options and choices
What does Beck say about the family?
(post modernism)
negotiated families- varies due to the wishes of its members
we live in a risk society as it is constantly changing
zombie families- unstable
what does beck say about families?
(postmodernism)
negotiated families- varies due to the wishes of its members
live in a risk society- constantly changing
zombie family- unstable
Who came up with the term divorce extended families and what does it mean?
Judith Stacey
families connected through divorce
Who came up with segregated and joint roles?
Elizabeth Bott
What did Rushing and Powell say about parent roles?
Working mum and stay at home dad creates a positive parent child relationship
What strategies that men use to avoid work does Francine Deutsch identify?
passive resistance
pleading incompetence
praise women
different standards
denial
What are Crompton and Lyonettes explanation for unequal division of labour?
cultural- socialised into traditional, patriarchal values creating expected gender roles
economic- women used to earn less so stayed at home and men maximised earnings
What is Man Yee Kans discovery about pay and working hours?
Every £10 000 per year earned by women leads to 2 hours less housework per week
What does Diane Bell identify?
The economy of emotions
What statistics did Oakley uncover about men help in domestic work?
15% of men had high levels of help in housework
25% of men had high levels of help in childcare
what do pahl and volger say about decision making ?
even when couples are pooling men make financial decisions
what did Hardill say about decision making?
30 dual career couples
men’s careers take priority when moving house
what does Edgell say about decision making?
women control minor decisions
What did Barrett and Mclntosh say about money management?
men make decisions about spending money on important items
what did kempson say about money management ?
women in low income families deny their own needs
Who came up with the two types of money control and what are they?
Pahl and Vogler
allowance system
pooling
What does Smart say about the meanings people give to who controls money?
same sex couples don’t see control of money at equality or inequality
What does Weeks say about money control?
pooling is most common but couples hold separate personal accounts
what do Dobash and Dobash say about domestic violence?
When men believe wives are not performing their roles correctly they become victims of domestic abuse
1/3 of women interviewed thought they deserved this
1/4 responded with violence
Evaluation of Dobash and Dobash
women also attack men
most male victims don’t report and there are little shelters/help for them
study is out of date 1980
What is the cultural explanation for domestic violence?
social behaviour is learnt due to the patriarchy
millet- men are the enemy of women, marriage is still patriarchal (honour and obey her husband)
police fail to help as many are men