FAMILY Flashcards
COUPLES
DOMESTIC DIVISION OF LABOUR
PARSONS:
Men and women have biologically suited roles that are functional for society:
Expressive role - Women = Homemaker (involves cooking, cleaning and looking after children)
Instrumental role - Men = Breadwinner (involves paid work, earning the income for the family)
COUPLES
DOMESTIC DIVISION OF LABOUR
BOTT:
Segregated conjugal roles - Division of labour between men and women, couple spends leisure time separately
Joint conjugal roles - couples share domestic tasks and leisure time.
COUPLES
DOMESTIC DIVISION OF LABOUR
WILLMOTT AND YOUNG:
There are now more symmetrical families as a result of increased joint conjugal roles
COUPLES
ARE COUPLES MORE EQUAL?
MARCH OF PROGRESS
The ‘new man’ means couples have an equal share of housework and childcare
COUPLES
ARE COUPLES MORE EQUAL?
DUAL BURDEN
(Feri and Smith).
Women now do paid work and domestic work
COUPLES
ARE COUPLES MORE EQUAL?
TRIPLE SHIFT
(Duncombe and Marsden).
Women not only carry the dual burden of paid and domestic work, but also have to do the emotional work
COUPLES
DECISION MAKING
MATERIAL EXPLANATION
Men have more power in decision making because they earn more.
COUPLES
DECISION MAKING
CULTURAL EXPLANATION
Gender role socialisation instils the view that men are the primary decision makers.
COUPLES
DOMESTIC ABUSE
DOBASH AND DOBASH:
Marriage and the nuclear family is the key institution of patriarchy, and the main source of women’s oppression. Domestic violence is inevitable because it serves to preserve the power men have over women.
COUPLES
DOMESTIC ABUSE
ANSLEY:
Domestic violence is the product of capitalism: males workers are exploited at work and take their frustration out on their wives.
COUPLES
DOMESTIC ABUSE
WILKINSON:
Domestic violence is the result of stress on the family caused by social inequality.
CHILDHOOD
CHANGES TO CHILDHOOD OVER TIME
ARIES:
In the middle ages, the idea of childhood did not exist. Children had the same responsibilities, rights and skills as adults - in turn, they were considered economic assets. However, as the modern notion of childhood began to emerge, there became a profound distinction between children in adults in terms of clothing, rights and responsibilities.
CHILDHOOD
CHANGES TO CHILDHOOD OVER TIME
POSTMAN:
In modern society, childhood is ‘disappearing’. Children and adults have some of the same rights, children’s unsupervised traditional games are disappearing, children are committing ‘adult’ crimes. The printed word created a hierarchy between adults, who can read, and children, who cannot - this gave adults the power to keep ‘adult matters’ private. However, TV blurs the distinction and information hierarchy; TV does not require special skills to access it.
CHILDHOOD
CHANGES TO CHILDHOOD OVER TIME
SHORTER:
In the middle ages, the high death rate of children encouraged indifference and neglect. For example, parents referred to their child as “it” or gave the child a name of a recently dead sibling.
CHILDHOOD
HAS CHILDHOOD IMPROVED?
THE MARCH OF PROGRESS VIEW
Childhood has improved significantly, due to how children are now perceived as vulnerable people who need taking care of. In addition, there has been an introduction of laws which improve the experience of childhood (Eg. laws banning child labour).
CHILDHOOD
HAS CHILDHOOD IMPROVED?
PALMER:
‘Toxic childhood’ - Rapid technological and cultural changes have damaged children’s physical, emotional and intellectual development. This is the result of intensive marketing to children, parents working long hours and testing in education.
CHILDHOOD
HAS CHILDHOOD IMPROVED?
GITTINS:
‘Age patriarchy’ - There is an age patriarchy of adult domination and child dependency. This may assert itself in the form of violence against children.
THEORIES OF THE FAMILY
FUNCTIONALISTS
THE ORGANIC ANALOGY
The human body is made up of different parts that function together to meet its needs and maintain it. Functionalists believe society does the same, in which it is made up of interdependent parts (eg. the education system, the government, religion etc) that work together to maintain the social system as a whole.
THEORIES OF THE FAMILY
FUNCTIONALISTS
MURDOCK:
The nuclear family performs four essential functions:
Socialisation of the young
Satisfaction of the member’s economic needs
Reproduction of the next generation
Stable satisfaction of the sex drive
THEORIES OF THE FAMILY
FUNCTIONALISTS
PARSONS - THE FUNCTIONAL FIT
The functions that the family perform depend on the type of society in which they are found:
Pre-industrial society - extended family - had the function of production and consumption
Modern society - nuclear family - have the function of social and geographical mobility
The nuclear family has two irreducible functions:
Primary socialisation of the young - equipping the next generation with basic skills and society’s values.
Stabilisation of adult personalities - enabling adults to relax so they can return to the workplace and perform their roles effectively.
THEORIES OF THE FAMILY
MARXISTS
ENGELS:
The family exists so men can pass their private property onto their biological offspring, notably a son.
