Families and households

Question 1

Parsons two main functions? (functionalist)

Answer 1

• Primary socialisation

- Stabilisation

Question 2

Criticisms of functionalist perspective on family?

Answer 2

• Downplaying conflict
• Out of date
• Ignores exploitation of women
• Ignoring harmful effects of family

Question 3

Marxist perspective on family?

Answer 3

• Likes the Nuclear family
• Acceptance of hierarchy
• Family pass down wealth

Question 4

3 Key Marxist sociologists?

Answer 4

• Engels
• Althusser
• Zaretsky

Question 5

Criticisms of marxist perspective on family?

Answer 5

• Deterministic
• Ignores family diversity in capitalist society
• Ignores inequality between men and women.

Question 6

Impacts of gay marriage on the family?

Answer 6

• Reduces stigma around gay relationships which encourages it
• Rise in adoption, IVF, fertility clinics
• Undermines nuclear family

Question 7

What are Murdocks 4 functions? (functionalism)

Answer 7

• Sexual
• Reproduction
• Socialisation/ educational
• Economic

Question 8

Functionalist perspective on family?

Answer 8

• See family as a ‘basic building block’ to society

- Family helps prepare children to adult society

Question 9

Impacts of maternity/paternity act on the family? (social policy)

Answer 9

• Makes gender roles equal

- Expressive and instrumental roles shared

Question 10

Impact of the divorce act on the family? (social policy)

Answer 10

• Easier to divorce which increases it
• More single parent & reconstituted families
• Benefits abusive relationships
• Undermines nuclear family

Question 11

Polygamy

Answer 11

Having more than one partner

Question 12

Lone parent families

Answer 12

Family that consists one parent and 1 or more biological or adopted children

Question 13

Infant mortality rate

Answer 13

The number of deaths in the first year of life for every 1,000 live births

Question 14

Fertility rate

Answer 14

total number of live births per 1000 women aged 15-44.

Question 15

Birth rate

Answer 15

ratio of live births in an area to the population of the area.

Question 16

life expectancy

Answer 16

average number of years an individual can be expected to live.

Question 17

Ageing population

Answer 17

population in which the percentage of those over 65 years increasing.

Question 18

serial monogamy

Answer 18

someone who has had multiple divorces.

Question 19

conjugal roles

Answer 19

roles played by a man and woman in a domestic setting.

Question 20

symmetrical family

Answer 20

both partners take on both roles in the households

Question 21

cereal packet family

Answer 21

ideological happy nuclear family

Question 22

triple shift

Answer 22

role of women: paid work, unpaid and work and emotional work

Question 23

plastic sexuality

Answer 23

sex for purely pleasure not for children

Question 24

confluent love

Answer 24

love that doesn’t last

Question 25

Giddens

Answer 25

postmodernist, confluent love, plastic sexuality.

Question 26

radical feminism

Answer 26

everything is patriarchal

Question 27

marxist feminism

Answer 27

capitalism causes patriarchy

Question 28

liberal feminism

Answer 28

patriarchy stems for history and culture

Question 29

patriarchy

Answer 29

male dominance

Question 30

functions of the family according to Murdock

Answer 30

sexual, economic, reproduction and educational

Question 31

functions of family according to Parsons

Answer 31

primary socialisation, stabilisation of adult personalities.

Question 32

empty shall marriage

Answer 32

a couple continue to live under the same roof but remain married in name only.

Question 33

Child centred society

Answer 33

A society focusing on the safety and education of children

Question 34

postman

Answer 34

1994, childhood is disappearing due to new technology

Question 35

3 critics of theories examine the dark side of families

Answer 35

child abuse, domestic violence, mental illness