Family theories Flashcards
what is the functionalist belief about society?
it is based on a value consensus ( shared set of normals and values) into which society socialises its members.
how does functionalists believe society socialising members does?
enables people to cooperate harmoniously to meet society’s needs and achieve shared goals
what does murdock believe ONE of the four essential functions that the family performs to meet the needs of society and its members?
1) STABLE SATISFACTION OF SEX DRIVE- with same partner, preventing the social disruption caused by sexual “free-for-all”
what does murdock believe another essential function that the family performs is?
2) REPRODUCTION OF THE NEXT GENERATION- without which society could not continue
what does murdock believe is another of the essential functions that the family performs
3) SOCIALISATION OF THE YOUNG- into society’s shared norms and values
what does murdock believe is another essential function performed by the family?
4) MEETING ITS MEMBERS ECONOMIC NEEDS’- for example providing food and shelter
what are other sociologists criticisms of murdock?
other sociologists argue these functions can be performed as equally as well by other institutions
what are feminists criticisms of murdock?
feminists see the family as serving needs of men and oppressing women
what are the marxists criticism of murdock?
they argue that this meets the needs of capitalism, not those of family members or society as a whole
How do marxists view the family
Marxists see all society’s institutions as helping to maintain class inequality and capitalism
For Marxists, the functions of the family are performed purely for the benefit of the capitalist system
Frederich Engels-
Inheritance of private property- family developed so that men could control children and women
Allow them to pass property to their biological offspring
Monogamy became essential for this- men had to be certain paternity of their children
Evaluation- not all men in a position to pass down property
Eli Zaretsky-
Unit of consumption- family is a prop to the capitalist system.
Unpaid work of housewives support future generations of workers
Family consumes the products produced by the bourgeoisie to make profits
Family supports workers to help them carry on working
PESTER POWER- media target children to persuade parents to spend more
Children who lack latest clothes or must have gadgets are often mocked or stigmatised
Advertisers urge families to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ by consuming all latest products
Nicos Poulantzas-
Idealogical function- family is part of a superstructure, part of idealogical state apparatus, used to control and create values to support capitalism
Family nothing more than an idealogical conditioning device
Children learn to conform and become cooperative and exploited workers
Evaluation-
- assume nuclear family is dominant and ignores wide variety of family structures in todays society
Feminists- marxists emphasis on capitalism and social class underestimates importance of gender inequalities
Functionalists- Marxists ignore very real benefits that family provides such as intimacy, mutual support
Useful for highlighting importance of economic influences on family life
Liberal feminists approach to family life
Saw a ‘march of progress’ towards gender equality at home and in wider society through reforming existing laws
Marxist feminists approach to family life
Challenged traditional gender roles at home, examining the unpaid labour of women and expectations of society on women to look after their husband
Radical feminist approach to family life
Critical of marriage- seeing it as an unequal institution that was patriarchal in nature and where men used financial and physical power to control women
Liberal feminism
Changes to social policies that have impacted the role of the family- encouraging employment: Equal pay act, sex discrimination act, equality act
Control over reproductive rights- family planning act
Marital rights- divorce reform, Exclusion of marital rape clause
Radical feminism
Men’s use of coercive power- domestic violence: physical, pyschological, sexual, financial
Social expectation for women to be housewife and mother, dual burden, triple shift
Evaluation of feminist ideas
Agreed to somr of critics to lack of coherent approach to the role of women in contemporary society, under-mining the choice of some women to adapt to traditional values
Intersectionality of womens experiences-feminists criticised for focusing on experiences of white middle class women, ignoring difference of POC, disability, lower social classes
