familly diversity

Question 1

functionalism ask the nuclear family - Parsons

Answer 1

Parsons - nuclear family is the uniquely suited for meeting the needs of society for geographically + socially mobile workforce so that socialisation of young + stabilisation of adult personalities

other family types of dysfunctional, abnormal, deviant as they do not meet functions required by uni

Question 2

the new eight and the nuclear family

Answer 2

expressive and industrial roles down by man and woman

nuclear family is natural + based on fundamental biological differences for a place of harmony + contentment

increase of family diversity will cause social problems

lone mothers cannot discipline children properly

like parent families leave boys without male role model leads to delinquency, educational failure

such fams are poorer so a burden on taxpayers

Question 3

what is the cause of societal collapse according to the New Right

Answer 3

Lone parents families

Question 4

who analysed data from parents with children and what did he find

Answer 4

Benson
analysed data from 15,000 babies , rate family breakdown much higher in cohabiting coupled compared to 6% of married couples

Question 5

why is marriage more stable according to Benson

Answer 5

marriage allows commitments so they have responsibility of family

Question 6

what is the only way to prevent social disintegration according to new right

Answer 6

to rerun to traditional values e.g a nuclear family

Question 7

what types of laws undermine the conventional family and how to fix this according to Benson

Answer 7

laws as easy access to divorce, wide availability of welfare benefits undermine the conventional family

benson - argue gov must encourage couples to marry by policies that supports marriage

Question 8

why does the feminist Oakley criticise the New Right

Answer 8

new right work guy assume that husband + wives roles are fixed by biology
cross cultural studies shows great variation in roles genders perils in family

Question 9

what do feminists argue about nuclear families

Answer 9

nuclear families allow the continual patriarchal oppression of women
it prevents women from working, keeps them financially dependent, denies them if equal decision making

Question 10

what is a criticism of Sewell

Answer 10

there are no studies that show that children of lone parent families more likely to be delinquent

Question 11

what is the cause of martial breakdown according to this sociologist

Answer 11

cohabitation amongst poorer social groups is higher

poverty causes breakdown in relationships rather than decision not to marry

Question 12

what is the neo conventional family

Answer 12

Chester - neo conventional family has a clear division of labour as Parsons said but they are dual - earners
people ignore that people have or may spend the rest of their lives in nuclear
family

most people live in a household headed by married couple

adults marry have children
most marriages continue to death, must divorces remarry

cohabitation increased but most couples it is a temporary place before marrying

births outside marriage have increased indicating that most people are committed to bringing up children as a couple

Question 13

the Rapoports - five types of family diversity

Answer 13

organisational diversity - joint conjugal + two wage earners etc

cultural diversity - cultural religious ethnic groups have diff family structure

social class diversity - income differences, class differences in childrearing

life stage diversity - young,retired,newlyweds

generational diversity- historical experiences differ

Question 14

Which postmodernist argues that family in society is not chaotic

Answer 14

Cheal - we have entered a new era society that is new + chaotic

no longer a single dominant family type, family structures are now fragmented into diff ones

Question 15

what is an advantage of family diversity

Answer 15

it gives individuals the chance to construct their families to meet their needs

Question 16

what is a disadvantage of family diversity

Answer 16

freedom of relationships means a greater risk of instability
these relationships are most likely to be broken up

Question 17

which sociologist argues that family diversity has benefited women

Answer 17

Stacey - family diversity has enabled them to be freed from patriarchal oppression to change family arrangements to their needs

history interviews of case studies in Silicon Valley California
women more than men were argents of changes in the family

women she interviewed rejected the traditional housewife- mother role. returned to education as adults, improved prospects, divorced and re- married to better suit their needs

Pam married young, divorced then re-married. she cohabited several years before re- marrying . she created a family type from divorced extended families

Question 18

what does this postmodernist argue about making generalisations

Answer 18

Morgan - it is pointless trying to make large scale generalisations about family
family is simply whatever arrangements those involved choose to make their own families

sociologists should focus attention on how people create their own diverse family types

Question 19

what sociologists explain the effects of increasing individual choice upon society

Answer 19

Giddens + Beck
the individualisation of thesis argues that social structures e.g class, gender, ethnicity
have lost influence on us

in the past people lives have lost influence on us . in the past we were defined as by their social roles

by individualisation we have become freed from social roles + structures to choose how we lead our lives

Question 20

how has the transformation of a more equal relationship between men and women happened

Answer 20

• contraception allowed sex + intimacy rather than the reproduction to become main reason for relationships existence
• women gained independence from feminism action because of greater opportunities in the workplace

Question 21

what were traditional families held by in the past according to Giddens

Answer 21

traditional families were held by external forces rather like the government, or marriage contract + norms against + sex outside of marriage

in contrast couples today are free to define their relationship themselves rather than acting out roles they are expected to do not a til death do us part mindset anymore

Question 22

what holds relationships together now according to Giddens

Answer 22

it is not social norms, traditions, religion, instead it is intimacy + choice + equality

this is the ‘pure relationship’. relationships no longer bound by traditional norms. they exist to solely meet needs of couples
they stay together for love, in their own interests, not for duty + sake of children

Question 23

why is the pure relationship causing more instable relationships

Answer 23

personal relationships is a rolling contract that causes them to be unstable, it can be ended by both partners rather than permanent commitment causes lone parent families

Question 24

why are same -sex relationships causing more democratic and equal relationships

Answer 24

same sex relationships do not have the stigmatisation of having to do roles as they are absent
enables them to serve their own needs

Question 25

sociologists idea on same sex couples creating family diversity

Answer 25

they create families of choice from friends, lovers, form lovers, biological kin

Question 26

what has the nuclear family been undermined by according to Beck

Answer 26

gender greater equality challenged male domination in all spheres of life. women are in work

greater individualisation - peoples actions are influenced by calculations of own special interest

Question 27

what is the zombie family according to Beck

Answer 27

family appears to be alive but in reality it is dead
greater risk to uncertainty than ever before

Question 28

personal life perspective of family diversity

Answer 28

Smart + May
agree that there is now family diversity but disagree with Beck + Giddens explanation of it

Question 29

what is a criticism of the individualisation thesis

Answer 29

peoples families are still restricted by social norms (Budgeon)

Question 30

what does the individualisation thesis ignore

Answer 30

ignores the importance of structural factors such as social class inequalities that limit in shaping our families

May notes that that family is the notion of a white MC man, they ignore the fact that not everyone is privileged to exercise their choices of relationships

Question 31

what is the alternative thesis if the individualisation thesis according to personal life perspectives

Answer 31

the connectedness thesis
we live in within networks of existing relationships + interwoven personal life histories, strongly influence choice in relationship

Question 32

what studies of the extended family depict negotiation in the making of our own families

Answer 32

Finch + Masons study of extended families found that some individuals negotiate the relationships they want to have, even friends + fictive kin

Question 33

after a divorce what do gender norms dictate

Answer 33

acter divorce they dictate who gets custody if child. this may limit opportunity to have own new partners whereas men do form new relationship

Question 34

why do men get more freedom in a relationship

Answer 34

they are paid more so they have more freedom + choice

Question 35

the relate powerlessness of men and women means what

Answer 35

lack of freedom to choose and so remain trapped in an abusive relationship

Question 36

what does May argue against Beck ang Giddens that structures are disappearing

Answer 36

May - they are not disappearing , they are being re shaped e.g women being given rights to vote, divorce education….

women can pesue masculine carrers

Question 37

Einasadottir - changes of structures in lesbianism

Answer 37

lesbians were before in the closet - they did not have the freedom of choice about relationships + lifestyles