Family And Households: Key Terms Flashcards
Nuclear Family
A stereotypical family form. It consists of two (heterosexual) parents and their biological children. Functionalists see these as the misty beneficial family form because they provide more financial and emotional stability. There is a decrease in this family form in modern society due to changing laws and values.
Extended family
A family and their extended relatives, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Consensus
Agreement; functionalists see society as based on an agreement of norms and values.
Social systems
The organisations in society that make up and aid individuals and groups, and help society run. These include systems such as the family, the education system, the legal system, media, and religion.
Functions
A consequence of social systems that affects society and impacts structural continuity. Functionalists argue everything in society helps it function.
Primary socialisation
The act of socialising children in the home and teaching/instilling in them social norms and values.
Stabilisation of adult personalities
Talcott Parsons proposes that this is achieved when adults receive emotional security in the home. Working is stressful, and the family is a safe place for the worker to go and de-stress. This is also known as the warm bath theory and links to the idea that men fufill the instrumental role and women fulfil the expressive role.
Conflict
Disagreement; conflict sociologists focus on the conflict of interest between two or more groups in society. This happens when there is a power imbalance, oppression/exploitation of one group to another, and one group exerting authority over others. E.g: Marxists and feminists.
Monogamy
The act of being married to one person, and it being recognised legally in court.
Ideology
A system of ideas that forms an ideology that is often shared between a group of people. It is usually economical or political.
Unit of consumption
This usually refers to the family who work and earn money, and then spend their wages on necessities and nonessentials. It is the idea that the economy is a cycle. Zaretsky sees the family as a unit of consumption.
Capitalism
An economic and political system defined by industry being privately owned and controlled for profit. The bourgeoisie own the means of production, and the proletariat work for them.
Communism
An economic and political system where all property is owned by the public and each person contributes and receives and equal amount according to their ability and requirements.
Socialism
An economic and political ideology which is defined by its advocation that the means of production should be regulated by a community. It puts peoples needs before the economy.
Bourgeoise
The upper and middle class people who are defined by owning businesses and the means of production.
