Family 3 - Theories Of The Family

Question 1

George Peter Murdock (1949) theory?

Answer 1

Performs 4 functions:
-stable satisfaction of the sex drive
-reproduction of the next generation
-socialisation of the young
-meeting its members economic needs

Question 2

Why does Murdock believe this?

Answer 2

Although he recognises other institutions also do these functions, nuclear families existed in every society he studied (250) because of its ‘sheer practicality’ in performing these four functions

Question 3

Criticisms of Murdock’s theory?

Answer 3

Other institutions and family types can carry out these functions
His view is very ‘rose tinted’ and misses dysfunctional and abusive families
-Feminists: the family serves the needs of men and oppresses women
-Marxists: the family meets the needs of capitalism, not the needs of the family or society
Some cultures don’t have a nuclear family (e.g the Nayar)
His theory is ethnocentric and doesn’t match with new developments (women working, having children later, etc.)
Deterministic

Question 4

What are the benefits of Murdock’s four functions for the individual?

Answer 4

• individual sexual needs are met AND promotes emotional commitment
• symbolic of commitment AND stabilise family life
• learn to conform to rules, laws, social norms (helps them in society) which they learn from parental role models
• food and shelter (human survival)

Question 5

What are the benefits of Murdock’s four functions for society?

Answer 5

• avoids sexual ‘free-for-all’ (social disruption) e.g. STIs, unwanted pregnancies AND marriage sends a message that you aren’t sexually available (maintains social order)
• we need new members of society to insure human survival
• passing down culture (values, beliefs, traditions) making society consistent over time
• the state don’t have to ‘look after’ members AND children eventually become ‘good’ citizens

Question 6

What is Talcott Parsons ‘functional fit’ theory?

Answer 6

The functions a family performs will depend on the needs of society e.g. pre-industrial society = extended family, industrial society = nuclear family

Question 7

Why does Parson’s say the nuclear family was the best fit for industrial society?

Answer 7

It needs a:
-geographically mobile workforce (move because of the job)
-socially mobile workforce (the most skilled workers get the most important jobs, move between classes)

Question 8

What does Parson’s argue is the functions of the family now?

Answer 8

Lost many functions and is now a unit of consumption
Primary socialisation of children
Stabilisation of adults personalities (family is a safe haven where adults can relax and release tension to meet the demands of work, so important for economy)

Question 9

Criticisms of the nuclear family in Parson’s theory?

Answer 9

Young and Willmott (1973) and Laslett (1972) the pre-industrial family was nuclear, not extended
Young and Willmott and Anderson (1973) hardship of the early industrial period meant there was a ‘mum-centred’ working class extended family
Hareven (1999) extended family not the nuclear was best equipped to meet the needs of early industrial society
The extended family hasn’t disappeared, even if the nuclear family is dominant
Fletcher (1969) functions lost because of state assistance

Question 10

What is Oakley (1985) view on family?

Answer 10

Gender role socialisation can lead children to believe that men are dominant and women are subordinate (e.g. dress up, toys, etc)

Question 11

What are liberal feminists theory?

Answer 11

Women’s oppression is gradually being overcame by changing laws and attitudes (Sex Discrimination Act 1975). They think equality will come from further reforms

Question 12

March of progress evidence?

Answer 12

1870 - women given the same property and inheritance rights of men
1932 - all women given the vote
1970s - women enter the workforce (Sexual Discrimination Act 1970)
1970 - contraceptive pill available on NHS
1972 - divorce made more accessible
1990 - rape within marriage made illegal

Question 13

What are Marxist feminists theory?

Answer 13

Women’s oppression is caused by capitalism

Question 14

What are evidence for Marxist feminists theory on the family?

Answer 14

Women reproduce the work force and do unpaid labour
Ansley (1972) wives are ‘takers of shit’ because of the exploitation men suffer at work (absorb anger)
Are a reserve source of cheap labour

Question 15

What do Marxists feminists argue is the answer to family?

Answer 15

Womens oppression is an exploitation of the working class
They argue the family must be abolished and a socialist revolution must happen

Question 16

What are radical feminists theory?

Answer 16

Family and marriage are the key institutions in patriarchal society - men benefit from unpaid labour and sexual services and dominate it through domestic and sexual violence

Question 17

What do radical feminists argue is the answer to their theory?

Answer 17

The patriarchal system needs to be overturned
Women must live independently of men
Greer (2000) all female households should be created as an alternative to heterosexual family

Question 18

Criticism of radical feminists theory?

Answer 18

Somerville (2000) radical feminists fail to recognise how far women’s position has changed positively and that heterosexual attraction means separatism wouldn’t work
Somerville does recognise women are yet to achieve full equality

Question 19

What are difference feminists theory?

Answer 19

Not all women live in a nuclear family so women’s experiences can’t be generalised
Black feminists view the black family as a positive support against racism

Question 20

What are the criticisms of liberal feminists?

Answer 20

Overestimate positive change in domestic life

Question 21

What are the criticism of Marxist feminists?

Answer 21

Ignore the role men play in oppression of women

Question 22

What are the criticisms of difference feminists?

Answer 22

Fail to recognise some women share many experiences e.g. gender pay gap

Question 23

What is other evidence for Murdock’s theory?

Answer 23

When divorce, abortion and women’s rights became the same as men in Russia (1920s to free up women to work) there ended up with nearly 7 million homeless children and dramatic crime rises
Children raised in communes in Israel by carers would often run off to be with their parents or the parents wouldn’t cooperate with the children’s house

Question 24

Who are the key Marxist theorists?

Answer 24

Friedrich Engels
Eli Zaretsky
Nicos Poulantza

Question 25

What does Friedrich Engels believe about the functions of family?

Answer 25

Men could control women and children and allows them to pass property to their offspring

Question 26

Why does Engels believe inheritance of property is a big reason for family?

Answer 26

As capitalist society emerged, private property became a thing forming a patriarchal monogamous nuclear family (monogamous so men are certain of their children’s paternity)

Question 27

What does Engels say this had meant for women?

Answer 27

‘World historical defeat of the female sex’ as women have to produce children

Question 28

What does Eli Zaretsky argue about the family?

Answer 28

Family consumes products made by the bourgeoisie (unit of consumption)
Family and unpaid domestic work supports workers and future workers to be exploited by the capitalist system

Question 29

What is Zaretsky’s evidence for the unit of consumption theory?

Answer 29

Pester power by children
Children are mocked for not having the latest clothes
Advertisers urge families to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ by consuming the latest products

Question 30

What is Nicos Poulantzas theory on family?

Answer 30

Part of the state apparatus used to support capitalist values as children learn to conform within them (future workers)

Question 31

What is Poulantzas evidence?

Answer 31

Hierarchy and inequality in families to teach children it is ‘inevitable’

Question 32

Who disagrees with Poulantza?

Answer 32

Eli Zaretsky (1976) (family is a ‘haven from the harsh world’ of capitalism, although it is an illusion and based upon womens unpaid domestic labour)

Question 33

What are the three main Marxist functions of the family?

Answer 33

Inheritance of property
Unit of consumption
Ideological functions

Question 34

What are the criticisms of Marxist theories?

Answer 34

Ignores the increasing variety of family structures
Downplays the role of patriarchy, and ignores that sex inequalities exist within all social class families
Ignores the benefits of families (security, nuclear family exists all around the world)
Zaretsky ignores abusive families and exaggerates how family can escape work
It is very deterministic - some families socialise their children to be critical of the ruling class

Question 35

What is a strength of Marxists theory?

Answer 35

Highlights the importance of family life and says family can benefit some social groups (higher classes) more than others
Explains the ‘dark side of the family’

Question 36

What is the Personal Life Perspective?

Answer 36

Carol Smart - family has moved away from traditional ideology so should be studied from the point of the individuals and what family means to them (‘bottom up’ interactionist approach)

Question 37

What do Personal Life Perspective sociologists criticise about other theories?

Answer 37

Ignore family diversity
Making generalisations of family that are outdated
They believe a ‘top down’ approach (family members are manipulated by society to perform certain functions)

Question 38

What do Personal Life Perspective sociologists regard as family?

Answer 38

Relationships individuals see as significant and give a sense of identity, belonging and relatedness (e.g. friends, fictive kin, LGBTQ+ ‘chosen families’, dead relatives, pets)

Question 39

What is a positive about the Personal Life Perspective view?

Answer 39

Recognises people are active in constructing family lives

Question 40

What is the criticism of the Personal Life Perspective?

Answer 40

It takes too broad a definition of family
Ignores what’s special about relationships that are based on blood or marriage

Question 41

How do Personal Life Perspective sociologists argue people chose their family?

Answer 41

1. Past experiences
2. Society they live in
3. Structural factors such as social class, gender, ethnicity, etc.