family Flashcards
family
a couple who are married, civil partners or cohabiting with or without dependent children who are related by blood
a lone parent with there children or child
household
one person or a group of people living together or alone who can be related or not
e.g. family, care homes, students in uni
nuclear family
a two generational family containing a heterosexual married couple with their children or child who live together
the ‘conventional’ family
cohabitation
when a couple live together but are not married
extended family (classic and modified)
a group or relatives extending beyond the nuclear family
e.g. aunts and cousins
classic : three generations live together or nearby
modified : members live apart geographically by have regular contact and support
reconstituted family
a blended or step family in which one or both partners have a child or children from a previous relation living with them
lone parent family
a family which only one parent lives with their child or children
same sex family
a family which is gay or lesbian (married, civil partners, cohabiting) live together with child or children
what were rapoport and rapoport 5 types of diversity
organisational
cultural
social class
life course
cohort
what is organisational diversity according to rapoport and rapoport
family vary in structure, the way they organise their domestic division of labour and their social networks such as their links to their extended family
e.g. nuclear family, reconstituted
what is cultural diversity according to rapoport and rapoport
families differ in their cultural values and beliefs.
different minority ethnic groups heritage illustrate diversity in beliefs and values.
these different beliefs and values can affect people’s lifestyles and ideas about gender roles, child rearing, education and paid work
what is social class diversity according to rapoport and rapoport
a family’s social class position affects the resources available to its members, role relationships between partners, and childrearing practices such as discipline
what is life course diversity according to rapoport and rapoport
the different stages of your life where your in different family types
e.g. brought up in nuclear, then parent left and became lone parent, then household at uni, cohabitation with first boyfriend
what is cohort diversity according to rapoport and rapoport
the particular period of time in which a family passed through different stages of the life cycle.
e.g. divorce has lost its social stigma
commune
a group of people who share living accommodation, possessions, wealth and property
kibbutz
consists of a group of people who live together communally, and value equality and cooperation between members
what is the functionalist approach focused on
positive functions that the nuclear family (the most functional family type) performs for individuals and for society
what perspective was murdock
functionalist
what was murdocks 4 essential functions
sexual
reproductive
economic
educational
what is the sexual function according to murdock
society needs to regulate sexual activity
the nuclear family regulates a married couples sexual behaviour and helps to maintain their relationship
what is the reproductive function according to murdock
society needs a new members if it is to survive over time
the nuclear family produces the next generation of society’s members
what is the economic function according to murdock
society need a way of providing people with financial support
economic cooperation is based on a division of labour between the husband and wife within the nuclear family
what is the educational function according to murdock
society needs to ensure that new members learn its culture
this learning takes place through socialisation within the nuclear family
what perspective is parsons
functionalist
what did parsons identify (2)
agency of primary socialisation
stabilisation of adult personalities
what is agency of primary socialisation
children learn the culture of their society, the family is vital because it socialises children so that they learn and accept society’s shared values and roles
helps maintain the stability of society
what is the stabilisation of adult personalities
everyday life outside the family can be stressful for adults and can put them under pressure
wife relieves the pressure emotionally
family is a safe haven and plays a key role in maintaining the emotional stability of adults
as well as living with children, adults can also act out their childish elements
critics of functionalism
(murdock and parsons)
1) outdated, unrealistic, sexist
2) parsons focuses on american middle class - ignores social class
3) idealisation from parsons
4) marxists are critical of the nuclear family so functionalists are criticised too
5) feminists see it as female oppression
what is the marxist approach to families
critical of the nuclear family and its role in maintaining capitalism
recreates inequalities between social classes over time
through socialisation, working class people accept their lower position in an unequal society and see the system as fair
what perspective is zaretsky from
marxism
what is zareskys account of family
before the 19th century the family was a unit of production
the rise in capitalism and factory based production led to a split between family life and work
the economy are now see the family as 2 spheres (private and public)
nuclear family has an economic function and serves economic function that severs the interests of capitalism
bourgeoise : transmits private property
proletariat : transmits public property
criticisms of the marxist approach
1) ignore people are satisfied with family life and marriage
2) feminists : marxists work with the traditional model of the nuclear family
3) feminists see female oppression as linked to patriarchy rather than to capitalism
4) focus on nuclear family as a negative whereas functionalism see it as a positive
what is the feminist perspective and focus on family
focus on gender relations, critical of the role of family in society and its negative impact on women
family actively contribute to the construction of gender differences through primary socialisation process
canalisation
the way parents channel their children’s interest into toys, games and other activists that are seen as gender appropriate, helps to reproduce gender inequalities over time
what perspective are delphy and leonard
radical feminists