family diversity Flashcards
How do functionalists view family diversity?
Parsons- ‘functional fit’= best fit for society (geographically and socially mobile)- perform 2 irreducible functions- primary socialisation, stabilisation of adult personalities
-> Other family types are dysfunctional, abnormal, deviant- less able to perform functions
How do NR support functionalist view of the family?
- Support Funcs view, opposed to family diversity, support instrumental vs expressive, Family= ‘natural’- biological differences, f= cornerstone of society
- Against cohabitation, same sex marriage (align with conservative views), LP families- ‘welfare scroungers’ ‘perverse incentives’, cannot socialise adequately, boys lack male role model-> fail in education
What was Benson’s study? How did he use this to support NR ideas?
- 15,000 babies- in first 3 years of baby’s life-> rate of family breakdown was much higher among cohabiting couples-> NR- NF + marriage is only stable way to bring up children (marriage= commitment, cohabitation doesn’t)
-> Govs must encourage couples to marry through policies that support/benefit marriage
4 criticisms of the NR:
- Oakley- NR assume husbands and wife’s roles are fixed by biology, subordinates women, promotes financial dependency on men
- No evidence to support that children in LP families are more likely to be delinquent
- NR argue cohabitation does not require commitment BUT depends on meaning of relationship of those involved-> Giddens- pure relationship
- Smart- cohabitation is higher among poorer groups, might be poverty that causes breakdown of relationships not decision not to marry
what does Chester argue about the neo-conventional family?
- Extent and importance of family diversity has been exaggerated-> nf is still dominant BUT is changing towards ‘neo-conventional’- both men and women work (similar to Y+W symmetrical)
- People who are not in NF is d2 life cycle e.g. widowed, recently divorced etc-> were once or might be part of NF again= stats on household comparisons are misleading
What does Rappoport argue about family diversity in Britain?
- Families in Britain have adapted to a pluralistic society- varying cultures and lifestyles are more diverse d2 greater freedom of choice and acceptance of diff cultures
What are the 5 different types of family diversity Rappoport identifies?
- Organizational diversity (differences in ways families are organised- Bott joint-conjugal, segregated conjugal)
- Cultural diversity (different cultures, religions and ethnic groups have diff family structures)
- Social class diversity (differences between wc and mc family structure)
- Life stage diversity (family structures differ depending on life cycle e.g. young newlyweds, retired couples, widowed etc)
- Generational diversity (older vs younger gens perceptions of the family e.g. diff views on divorce/cohabitation)
What is Cheal’s postmodernist view of the family?
Cheal- no longer live in ‘modern society’ with predictable structures e.g. NF- faced with greater choice= family structure is fragmented-> individuals have greater freedom to plot life choices, choice in relationships
What was Stacey’s study on postmodern families?
How is this supported by Morgan?
STUDY- California, interviews-> many women have been the main agents of change in the family, rejected housewife-mother role
- New family structures e.g. ‘divorce-extended family’-> members are connected by Divorce, not marriage- supported by Morgan- cannot make large generalisations ab fam-> fam= whatever arrangements those involved call ‘family’
What is Beck and Giddens’ ‘the individualisation thesis’?
traditional social structures have lost influence, fewer certainties/fixed roles to follow, trad roles are disembedded from soci
According to Giddens, how have the basis of family and marriage changed?
- contraception allows sex and intimacy not just reproduction, women gained more independence= breadwinners
- before- trad family relas were heled together by external forces e.g. laws governing marriage, powerful influence of church etc
- now- couples can define marriage themselves, freedom to divorce etc
What is ‘the pure relationship’ according to Giddens? How does he link this to same sex relas, supported by Weston?
relas now exist soley to satisfy eachothers needs and no longer bound by traditional norms
intimate relas are now based on individual choice and equality, people are free to enter/leave relationship
BUT- more choice-> personal relationships are less stable= more diversity d2 incr LP families, one person households, reconstituted etc
THUS, same sex relas lead the way towards new family types, not influenced by tradition- Weston-> same-sex couples created supportive ‘families of choice’
According to Beck, how do we live in a risk society- how has this impacted family structures?
- Today we live in a ‘risk society’- tradition has less influence, people have more choice- less stability esp in family= ‘the zombie family’- haven and security of families is no longer possible
What is ‘the negotiated family’ argued by Beck?
The negotiated family- NOW d2 greater gender equality, individualism-> family types varu according to wishes and expectations of members-> less stable-> greater fam diversity (incr LP, reconstituted etc)
Criticisms of Beck and Giddens ‘the individualisation thesis’
- Budgeon- exaggerates how much choice people have in family relationships-> trad norms still influence, our decisions are made within a social context
- Ignores the importance pf structural factors e.g. social class inequalities, patriarchy-> impacts gender norms- May- Beck and Giddens’ view is idealised, view of a ‘middle class white man’- not everyone has this priv
-> May- women can now pursue traditionally male careers/goals BUT are still expected to be heterosexual
What is ‘the connectedness thesis’ according to Smart?
‘the connectedness thesis’- we are social beings whose choices are made within a web of connectedness-> strong influences on choice in relas e.g. Mason’s study of extended families shows people are embedded in family connections, reliance on kin
Emphasises the role of the class and gender structured embedded in society-> limit our choices, arguably unavoidable e.g. men are paid better than women-> influences female’s financial stability/dependency
