Family (Paper 1 - Section B) Flashcards
What would functionalists say about single-parent families?
That they can’t function properly
What are criticisms about the functionalist view on family?
That it’s outdated
Favours men over women (feminist view)
Parson’s work was on the White middle class, not representative of today’s society
Doesn’t touch on the dark side of the family
What is the functionalist view on the purpose of the family?
Families exist to socialise children into their role in society and provide essential information needed to function in society
What is the Marxist view on the purpose of the family?
They believe the family exists to participate in the capitalist system
They also saw it as a tool capitalist used to pass down assets such as money or land
Also seen as a way to socialise children into the world of work
What Is meant by the Marxist term ‘cushioning effect’?
Allows the effects of alienating work to be softened for working men
What is ‘alienating work’?
Unskilled and repetitive work
Usaly assembly line work
What are some criticisms of the Marxist view on family?
Ignores the positive side of the family
Claims family Is only for economic purpose
The views on women are now outdated as women are free to work
What are the 3 types of feminism?
Radical
Liberal
Marxist
What is the radical feminist views on family?
They believe that the nuclear family causes all men to actively oppress women
They support family diversity and divorce
What is the liberal feminist view on the family?
They see it as an institution that specialises in socialisation
What is the Marxist feminist view of the family?
They believe that society oppresses women through capitalism and the family
What are some criticisms on the feminist view of the family?
Feminists completely ignore any positives that family offers
It makes huge generalizations- all families are different
Outdated views in modern-day society
What is the New Right view on the purpose of the family?
They view the family as the most important part of society
However, they are very critical of anything that is not the nuclear family
They see the breakdown of the nuclear family as a terrible thing
What are the reasons for the breakdown of the nuclear family according to the new right?
Break down of traditional values
Influence of feminism
Increase of society being sexually promiscuous
Less judgement
Too generous with benefits to single mums
What is the new right view on the underclass?
They view them as drains on society
What some criticisms of the New right view on family?
Unrealistic
Biased towards Middle class
Shows bias towards economic factors
What is the postmodernist view on the family?
family is unique for everyone and family dynamics or interactions cannot (and should not) be generalised
Fluid
What is the negotiated family according to Beck?
Families that vary according to the wishes and expectation of their members
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the negotiated family?
They are more equal, however they are less stable as the individuals are free to leave if their needs aren’t met
What are some criticisms of the postmodernist view on society?
Very pessimistic
Overestimates individuals choice
What is the definition of Socialisation?
The life long process of learning the culture of any society
What is definition of Norms?
Social rules which define correct and acceptable behaviour
What is the definition of Values?
Beliefs of right and wrong and the important standards which are wort maintaining and achieving in any society or social group
What are the reasons for the increase in divorce over the past 40 years
Changes in law
Decline stigma and changing attitudes
Secularisation
Rising expectations
Feminism
What did Duncombe and Marsden (1995) write about regarding conjugal roles?
The triple shift
Employment
Domestic work
Emotional work
What did Aries (1973) say about contemporary childhood?
Our contemporary notion of childhood did not emerge until 16th and 17th centuries
What did Aries (1975) write about the 20th century and society in general?
Society has become child centred
What were the historical stages of childhood?
Pre-industrial society (pre-1760)
Industrial society (1760+)
Childhood today (1960+)
What did Postman (1994) say about childhood?
He claims that it’s disappearing at a dazzling rate
What was Postman’s (1994) reasoning for his claims about childhood?
The disappearance of childhood games
Increasing similarity between adult and children’s clothing
Children committing adult crimes
What claims that childhood is not disappearing?
Peter and Iona Opie (1993)
What is causing the increase in cohabitation?
Change in social attitudes
Secularisation
Fear of divorce
Previous divorce
Expense of marriage
Increased career opportunities for women
What did Mitchel and Goody (1997) about the attitudes toward divorce?
There has been a rapid decline in the stigma attached to divorce
What are four agents of socialisation?
Religion, mass media , family , education
