Family Diversity Flashcards
What do Functionalists think about family diversity?
Parsons
Parsons suggests that there is functional agreement between the nuclear family and our modern society today.
The nuclear family performs two irreducible functions: 1. Primary socialisation. 2. Stabilisation of adult personalities (the warm bath analogy).
The nuclear family, with a clear division of labour is the most effective family type for society. Other family types are dysfunctional.
What do the New Right think about family diversity?
Charles Murray
Conservative, anti-feminist views - are opposed to any sort of family diversity. The conventional, patriarchal, nuclear family is the only one that can provide for society effectively.
The family offers respite and contentment. The division between expressive and instrumental is due to biological differences.
They oppose civil partnerships, lone parenthood, cohabitation etc.
What do the New Right believe the issue is with lone parent families?
- Single mums cannot discipline their children.
- No adult male role model leading to delinquent behaviour.
- These families are poorer and rely on the welfare state .
Rapoports five types of family diversity.
Organisational - how the roles are organised within the family e.g. dual earners etc.
Cultural - different cultures + ethnicities have different structures e.g. higher proportion of vertically extended families among asians.
Social Class - family structures are reflected in the income the family receives. Working class parents are more likely to discipline physically.
Life stage - family structures differ among different life stages e.g. young fertile newlyweds, retired couple.
Generational - older + younger generations have different attitudes that reflect the period of time in which they have lived e.g. morality surrounding abortion etc.
What do postmodernists believe about family diversity?
Stacey
Morgan
S - there is greater freedom and choice which has benefitted women significantly.
There are opportunities to free yourself from oppression.
Women are the main agents of change within the family.
Women rejected the expressive housewife role, and created families that reflected their own needs.
M - you cannot generalise the family because many different people have many different definitions of what family means to them. Life course analysis would be useful to see the overview of their lives.
Individualisation thesis
Beck + Giddens (exploration to the effects creating individual choice upon families and their relationships).
Traditional social structures e.g. class, gender have lost their importance in society. Previously, people’s lives were determined by these which prevented people from living for themselves.
We are freed from these traditional roles which gives us the opportunity to live our lives as we now have a ‘do it yourself biography’ where we do not follow what is set out for us.
Giddens and choice/equality:
Contraception and women’s independence has created greater choice and more gender equality.
Relationships are now held together by the definition the couple give the relationship.
