Family and Households - Sociological theories Flashcards
Who are the Functionalists?
Murdock and Parsons
What did Murdock find on his studies?
-family is vital in 250 societies
-family is universal
-nuclear family, mans works, woman domestic
What are Murdock’s 4 family FUNCTIONS?
1= Economic
-man is ‘breadwinner’, woman has domestic role
-independent, self sufficient, financially stable.
2= Sexual Regulation
-stress relief, regulates sexual urges
-heterosexuality, monogamous (stops sexual freeforall)
-socialisation of gender appropriate roles.
3=Education
-primary socialisation
-learn norms and values to help consensus in society
4=Reproduction
-keeps family and human race going
-gender socialisation
-without= society would stagnate, strain on elderly.
What are the criticisms on Murdock’s 4 functions.
1= outdated, both genders bring money in, welfare state, food banks for economic support.
2=outdated, fails to consider homosexual relationships, which has not led to a sexual freeforall.
3= replaced by media, nursery, norms and values have changed.
4=outdated, does not consider families who cannot or decide not to have children, neglects same sex couples.
What is Parsons FUNCTIONAL FIT theory?
-functions of family must change to fit the needs of society.
-family exists to benefit society
-change between pre-industrial times to inducsstrial times (extended to nuclear, producers to consumers/geographically mobile)
What are Parson’s 2 functions that are irreducible?
1= Agent of Primary Socialisation
2=Stabilisation of Adult Personalities
Agent of Primary Socialisation
-family passes down shared culture, norms and vlaues.
-effective = both gender roles present.
-man= INSTRUMENTAL, financially supportive, discipline
-woman=EXPRESSIVE, nurturing, caring, emotional
-impact= maintain value consensus, smooth society
Stabilisation of Adult Personalities
-SOAP
-family= where man can relax, release frustrations
-women and children help this.
-impact, man can work sufficiently (self-sufficient unit), positive role model for children
-family is like a ‘warm bath’
How do Marxists see the family?
As benefiting capitalism.
It serves to SUPPORT,PROMOTE,MAINTAIN it.
What are the two things that Zaretsky said?
1= ‘family props up capitalism.’
2= ‘nuclear family acted as a safe haven.’
What did Ansley say?
‘Women are takers of shit.’
-women have to deal with men’s behaviour, getting what capitalism has caused.
When thinking of marxism and the family, a house is used, what are the two parts?
1= Superstructure, maintains and legitimises base, institutions
2= Infrastructure, shapes the superstructure, economic base and capitalism.
What are the Marxist 3 functions of the family?
1= Inheritance of Property
-fathers pass down property to appropriate heirs, monogamous marriage(stops promiscuous horde), nuclear family, women were ‘baby makers’.
2= Ideological Control
-controls mind/ideas, socialisation, capitalist norms and values passed down, home is ‘safe-haven’ (illusion), false class consciousness.
3= Unit of Consumption
-workers exploited with little pay, spend money on capitalist products, ‘pester power’ children can bribe parents who give in, media stigmatisation.
What are some arguments against Marxist views on family?
-outdated, women choose not to have children, not babymakers.
-ignore free-will/love, people get married for love
-feminists, only based on class, ignores gender inequalities.
-too deterministic, people reject these functions
-ignores family diversity
-
What are the 4 branches of feminism?
1= Liberal
2= Radical
3= Marxist
4= Difference
What do liberal feminists think about the family?
-gender discrimination, society caused by mistaken biological differences.
-gender role socialisation, each gender behave differently.
-manipulation, parents encourage/discourage behaviour, due to child’s gender
-canalisation- way parents channel child’s interests into toys/activities.
What did liberal feminist Ann Oakley say?
-people are trained to conform to social expectations.
-males = hegemonic masculinity
-females - hegemonic femininity
What do radical feminists think about the family?
-nuclear family functions = benefit heterosexual man
-Delphy and Leonard, women support men, men to do support women.
-domestic violence, men believe they have more power than women.
-women should SEPARATENESS, live alone and create new culture.
What did radical feminist Greer say?
-abolish monogamous nuclear family to get equality.
-political lesbianism
What do marxist feminists believe about the family?
-patriarchy caused by capitalism.
-women expected to produce/bring up next generation of workers.
-housework/sexual services= man is fit and healthy
-women = reserve army of female labour.
-women do unpaid work, childcare
What did marxist feminist Ansley say?
-‘women are takers of shit.’
-men frustrations (from being exploited), absorbed by family, wife, leads to domestic violence.
What do difference feminists believe about the family?
-women = heterogenous, experience patriarchy differently.
-women not equally exploited in all family types
-lesbian women not exploited, patriarchy in family does not exist.
-social class, ethnicity, sexuality all impact experience
What are some examples of difference feminism?
-working class = higher levels of abuse, stress of economic hardship
-black women = single parents (12 percent), matriarchal.
Evaluation of liberal feminists?
-still relevant, discrimination still occurs.
-social attitudes have changed about family life, gradually overcoming inequalities (the march of progress)
Evaluation of radical?
-harsh
-outdated, not accurate
Evaluation of marxist?
-unrealistic solution of abolishing nuclear family
-outdated, 72% of women now employed
Evaluation of difference?
-relevant to society
-unrealistic to create policies that benefit all different
What family does New Rights love and why?
-TRADITIONAL NUCLEAR FAMILY
-best to socialise children correctly
-not reliant on welfare state, father contributes financially, and the state, being a good role model for children
-family should care for children
What will the traditional nuclear family lead to according to New Right?
There will be a society filled with traditional core values, helping society to remain independent, self sufficient, and reducing the underclass.
What two family types do New Rights not like?
1= single parent families
2=same sex families
What do New Right say about single mothers?
‘single mothers breed delinquents’ (Dr Morgan)
-not taught correct norms and values without father.
‘single mothers are married to the state’ (Charles Murray)
-cannot provide a stable income, so have to use governments money.
What do New Right say about same sex couples?
-unnatural
-cannot socialise children correctly, as both genders must be present, and gay parents ‘normalise being gay’.
What do New Right ignore?
-family diversity
-women can discipline, be a positive role model and breadwinner
-feminism = genderblind and malestream perspective
What do postmodernists believe about the family?
-society consists of more diverse family types.
-parents both work and look after children
-tech assists in primary socialisation
-children= more exposure to different cultures, taught mixture of norms and values
-people choose own identity.
What do the RAPOPARTS say about about family diversity?
-diversity is the heart of family life
-argue that diversity is central importance in understanding today’s family life.
What does Stacey say? (postmodernism)
-‘we are no longer controlled by traditional relationship norms.’
—> we now have a choice, society has changed.
-‘love is now conditional. The needs for both partners must be fulfilled. We no longer settle for mediocre relationships.’
—> confluent love,relationships are a choice, not a necessity.
What does postmodernist MORGAN say?
-pointless to make generalisations like Functionalists and Marxists.
-a family is any arrangement that people choose to call their family.
