Family- Functions and Changing Funcions Flashcards
In depth functionalism and why it's different or sucks
Murdock’s 4 functions
Sexual= keeps individuals sex-happy, keeps the sex-crazed out of society
Educational = teaches the individual
Reproductive = keeps society blooming
Economic = people are happiest when they specialize (male/female) in labour, and society is happy too.
Who critiques Murdock? (1 person, 2 points)
DHJ Morgan= “too harmonious”
=”functions are not necessarily linked with a (nuclear) family.
Parsons “basic and irreducible functions”
“Primary Socialization” = through individual sturcturing of personality and internalization of societal values
“Stabilization of adult personalities” = through emotional support and playing child-like roles
Parsons critics?
Murdock= too american, no family alternatives are considered
What does Parsons say about changing functions?
Macro functions have disappeared: individuals partake in the economy and in education not as “Family roles” but as individuals
However, its two functions are still important and even more vital.
Fletcher on loss of functions
Social = still socializes
Welfare of members = aided by state, but still mostly family
Economic functions = unit of consumption, motivation for workers to work
Feminists and functions?
Economic function still exists, unpaid labour of housewives (Delphy and Leonard)
