Family: Theories

Question 1

What is meant by a Beanpole family?

Answer 1

A multi generation extended family consisting of a grandparent, a parent and a child usually compatible for childcare or financial reasons

Question 2

What is meant by a Boomerang family?

Answer 2

When a family member returns to the household, usually a child returning from university

Question 3

What is a classic extended family?

Answer 3

An extended family sharing the same household or living nearby

Question 4

What is meant by cohabitation?

Answer 4

Living with someone but not being married to them

Question 5

What is an Extended family?

Answer 5

A member outside the nuclear family for example aunties, uncles, grandparents and cousins living in the family unit

Question 6

What is meant by a gay/lesbian family?

Answer 6

Where a same sex couple are living together with children

Question 7

What is a Lone Parent family?

Answer 7

A lone parent living with a dependent child

Question 8

What is a matriarchal family?

Answer 8

Where authority is held by females

Question 9

What is a modified extended family?

Answer 9

Where the extended family is close, but not geographically. They get in touch via email, letters and frequency visits

Question 10

What is meant by Monogamy?

Answer 10

The practise of being married to one person at a time

Question 11

What is meant by the Nuclear family?

Answer 11

A stereo typical family where there is a mother, a father and two biologically related siblings living in the same household

Question 12

What is meant by patriarchal family?

Answer 12

Where the authority is held by males

Question 13

What is a reconstituted family?

Answer 13

It is a step family where one or both parents have had previous marriages or previous children

Question 14

What is meant by a symmetrical family?

Answer 14

Where the authority and household chores are shared between the females and males

Question 15

What is a single person household?

Answer 15

An individual living alone

Question 16

What is meant by Value Consensus?

Answer 16

Where you have shared norms and values

Question 17

Who are the two theorists of the Functionalists view of family?

Answer 17

Murdoch (1949)

Parsons (1955)

Question 18

What are Murdoch’s (4) assumptions that the family provides?

Answer 18

Stabilisation of the sex drive
Reproduction of the sex drive
Primary socialisation of the young
Meet the economic needs I the family

Question 19

What are the criticisms of Murdochs importance of family?

Answer 19

Contraception wasn’t available at this time
It is now socially acceptable to have children outside of marriage
Norms and values are taught through education and the media
The welfare state should provide everyone’s security

Question 20

What is meant by the Warm Bath Theory?

Answer 20

Family provides a relaxing and supportive environment

Question 21

What are the two purposes of Parsons 1955 functionally fit family?

Answer 21

Primary socialisation

Stabilisation of adult personality

Question 22

What is the functional fit family?

Answer 22

The purpose of the family will depend on which society it is found in

Question 23

What society was functional for the Extended family?

Answer 23

Pre industrial revolution

Question 24

What are the (3) criticisms of the functional fit family?

Answer 24

Other institutions can perform these functions
It ignores violence and negative aspects of the family
The extended family is more common now because of cultural and financial reasons

Question 25

What are the four different Feminist perspectives?

Answer 25

Liberal Feminism
Radical Feminism
Marxist Feminism
Difference Feminism

Question 26

Overall why do feminists dislike the family?

Answer 26

Because it is patriarchal

Question 27

What are Liberal Feminists perspectives of the family?

Answer 27

Despite women doing the majority of household chores and childcare there is a move towards greater equality (March of Progress) - Somerville 2000

Question 28

What example is given for the March of Progress?

Answer 28

Somerville (2000)

Question 29

What are Marxist Feminists perspective of family?

Answer 29

Women are oppressed by capitalism in the family in three ways

Question 30

According to Marxist Feminists what are the three ways women are oppressed by capitalism in the family?

Answer 30

They reproduce the labour force
The absorb anger caused by the stress men face at work (Ainsley - “takers of Shit”)
Reserve armour of Labour (low paid jobs)

Question 31

What are Radical Feminists perspectives of family?

Answer 31

They believe the solution to patriarchy is political lesbianism, women should become lesbians to avoid male domination.

Question 32

Suggest a study for Radical Feminism

Answer 32

Greer (2000) believes the only way for people to be free is to live in a matrifocal / female dominated household

Question 33

What is the perspective of difference Feminists?

Answer 33

It is impossible to have one theory that explains every woman.

Question 34

What are the three major functions of the family according to Marxists?

Answer 34

• Inheritance of property:
• Ideological functions: socialising children into a false class consciousness and preparing them for work
• Unit of consumption, when families buy things

Question 35

What is meant by Primogenitive?

Answer 35

Where the eldest boy inherits all of the wealth and private property from the family, to maintain capitalism

Question 38

How many criticisms are there of Marxist Feminists?

Answer 38

3

Question 39

What is the case study for ideological functions in terms of the Marxist perspective of family?

Answer 39

Zaretsky (1976) says that family is a safe haven for people from the stress and oppression of capitalism, it brainwashed children to behave

Question 40

What is the case study for inheritance of property in terms of Marxist perspectives of family?

Answer 40

Engels - He says that to maintain capitalism people have to inherit private property and wealth of their family but it is primogenetive.

Question 41

What are the (3) criticisms of Marxists?

Answer 41

• Marxists focus primarily on the nuclear family and ignores other family types that are more common today
• Feminists say that Marxists focus too much on class and ignore patriarchy
• It is negative about the family and ignores the positive aspects like love and support (warm bath theory)

Question 42

According to to the personal life perspective what are the two weaknesses of the other theories?

Answer 42

• The other theories assume everyone lives in a nuclear family
• They say society is structural in that it is all about how society impacts on the individual rather than there being free will

Question 43

What does the personal life perspective say about the family?

Answer 43

It is influenced by interactionism as looks at how individuals perceive/ construct there own families. They believe in “fictive kin” such as godparents, pets, donor children, foster children etc. It accounts for the positive aspects of the family.

Question 44

Suggest a case study for the personal life perspective?

Answer 44

Nordquist and Smart (2014) - They did a study on donor families and found that people had very different ideas about the roles of mothers, fathers and siblings.