Families & Households - Functionalist Perspectives On The Family Flashcards
SOCIOLOGIST: What does Murdock say about the family?
Looked at 200 different societies & found nuclear was universal.
Said there are 4 ‘essential functions’ of the nuclear family
What are the 4 ‘essential functions’ of the nuclear family?
Educational
Economic
Reproductive
Sexual
What is the educational function of the family?
Children are taught norms & values of society ( primary socialisation)
What is the economic function of the family?
Pooling resources & ensuring all have what they need
What is the reproductive function of the family?
Provides society’s next generation.
What is the sexual function of the family?
Ensures adults’ sexual relationships are controlled & stable
AO3: What are criticisms of Murdock’s theory?
Feminist sociologists argue that the family is essential to the patriarchy & is ideological - traditional families usually disadvantage women
Feasible - other institutions could perform the same functions
Anthropological research shows some cultures don’t have ‘families’ e.g. Nayar
SOCIOLOGIST: What does Parsons say about the family?
He updated Murdocks theory and said that in modern, western societies that the state could provide the education & economic function (benefits) but the family still had irreducible functions.
What were the 2 irreducible functions that Parsons said about the family?
Primary socialisation
Stabilisation of adult personalities
What is the primary socialisation function as said by Parsons?
He agreed that children are taught social norms & values but they were specifically within the family/community as the school/media/religion teaches universal norms & values of wider society (primary & secondary socialisation)
What is the stabilisation of adult personalities function as said by Parsons?
He said that the family helps prevent adults from behaving in disruptive/dysfunctional ways by conforming to social norms in times of stress
What is the warm bath theory proposed by Parsons?
Said that the man comes from work to relax into his family like a warm bath
What are the 2 biological sex roles in the family proposed by Parsons?
The Expressive role (mother) - nurturing & caring
The Instrumental role (father) - breadwinner, disciplinarian & practical decision maker
What are the criticisms of Parsons theory?
Conflict theorists argue functionalists paint an idealistic picture of family life - divorce, child abuse & domestic violence
Conflict theorists question if family roles benefit the whole society or just the powerful groups (men & the rich)
Fran Ansley (Marxist-feminist) - different perspective of warm bath theory - said women are ‘takers of shit’ from their husbands & family stress is dumped on the wife)
Outdated? - suggests the traditional nuclear family
The New Right - many families today dont conform to the ideal functional family - Charles Murray (welfare state provide ‘perverse incentive’ for people to form lone-parent families & creates an underclass with deviant norms & values)
