Family Theorists (Paper 1 - Section B) Flashcards
What did Tallcot Parsons (1959) write about regarding the 2 functions of the family
He argued that families have 2 functions
Primary and secondary socialisation
Stabilisation of adult personality (warm bath theory)
What was Tallcot Parsons ‘warm bath theory’ talking about?
The family is used to relax members through 2 functions
Emotional support from married couples
Parents indulge their childish side (playing with their children)
What were George Murdocks 4 functions of the family?
Sexual
Reproduction
Economic
Education
What are criticisms of Murdocks work?
His stages are functions are unrealistic as all people are different
It sees infertility as a ‘dysfunction’
What were Engles comments on the purpose of the family?
He wrote that the nuclear family was set up to pass capital to heirs
As well as saying that monogamous marriage was made so that women became economically dependent on their husband
The only way to free women was to get them back into work
What were Zaretskys comments on the family?
Claims that the family provides a ‘cushion effect’ from the effects of the alienating work men undertake
He claims that productivity increases due to the cushioning effect
What did Firestone (radical feminist) write about Biology ?
She believed that women are chained due to biology and must be set free
What did Feeley write about the patriarchal family? (Marxist Feminist)
How a father-dominated family environment prepares children for work
What did Charles Murray (1989) write about?
The emergence of the British underclass and how a return to the traditional family unit is needed to combat this
What did Ulrich Beck (1992) write about? (Post-Modernist)
Risk society and the negotiated family
We live in a risk society where tradition has less influence and more choice Is available to us
What did Murdock (1949) write about regarding family across the world?
He said that the family was universal
How does Parsons describe eucation?
It acts as a bridge between the family and individualistic values and the wider world alongside its universal values
What did Durkhiem say about education?
Essentially for social cohesion
How do Giddens claims support Becks explination of low marriage rates?
Giddens claims that our search for ‘the perfect relationship’ keeps us unmarried, as we are very quick to move on
What do Wilmot and Young argue is happening to gender roles? (But they are contradicted by Oakely)
That a ‘march of progess’ is occuring, meaning that roles are becoming more equal
How are women seen according to Dobash and Dobash?
Wives and Mothers
How do Edgells (1980) findings suggest inequality for conjugal roles?
Men make the more important decisions and women make domestic ones
How do Laurie and Gurshunny’s (2000) findings on decision making differ from Edgells?
70% of families in 2000 had equal say in decision making - but higher earning women had a higher say
What piece of legislation would have dramtically decreased the amount of marriages?
The Divorce Act (1969)
What statistic from the ONS shows the decline in traditional marriages?
In 2022 - 17% of marriages were in the COFE , 83% were civil , decrease from half each in 1992
What theorists are associated with Functionalist views of the family?
Durkheim - socalisation
Parsons - roles
Murray - cycle of deprevation
Monghiam - martifocal
What theorists are associated with marxist views of the family
Zeretsky - cushioning effect
Engles - passing on capital
What theorists are associated with Feminist views of family?
Anne Oakley - duel burden
Dumcome and Marsden - triple shift
Greer - 75% of divorces
Ansley - takers of male shit
Benston - slaves of wage slaves
What did Monghiam say matricfocal households? (New Right)
Matrfocal households lead to children who are incorrectly socialised as a result they are entered into a cycle of deprivation that Murray writes about
