Family Theory

Question 1

Functionalism - Murdock - Functions of the Family - 4

Answer 1

• Sexual –> Stable satisfaction of sex drive with same partner - prevents social disruption
• Reproductive –> Reproducing next generation
• Educational –> Socialising young into shared norms + values
• Economic –> Meeting economic needs

Question 2

Functionalism - Evaluating Murdock

Answer 2

• Marxists –> Family exists to meet needs of capitalism not indiv members
• Feminism –> Family serve men’s needs at expense of women - maintains patriarchy

Question 3

Functionalism - Parsons - Functional Fit Theory

Answer 3

• Family function depends on location + time
Functional Fit Theory = each family type played a specific role in function of soc
• Pre-industrial soc –> most live in same village - extended family met needs
• Industrial soc –> Soc evolving with technology - nuclear family meets mobility needs

Question 4

Functionalism - Parsons - Loss of Functions

Answer 4

• Extended family was multi-functional
• Nuclear family lost these functions + has new ones
- Primaru socialisation of children
- Stabilises adult personalities - Release tension from work

Question 5

Marxism - Function of Family - Engles - Inheritance of Property

Answer 5

• Fanily exist so bourgeoisie can pass on private property
- ensures wealth + property/businesses stays within their class
• Monogamous nuclear family maintains this system–> brings women’s sexuality under men’s control + women become instrument to produce children

Question 6

Marxism - Function of Family - Zaretsky - Ideological

Answer 6

• Family spreads capitalist ideology –> unconsciously learn capitalism I’d fair + natural
• Family structures reflect capitalisms hierarchy–> Parents have power over children (learn to be subservient ready for work)
• Presents illusion of respite from capitalism –> Families can’t meet members needs

Question 7

Marxism - Function of Family - A Unit of Consumption

Answer 7

• Family is a source of profit for bourgeoisie
- Creates comp between families (neighbours)
- children targeted for products by media–> pester power
- Children lack latest are bullied

Question 8

Marxism - Criticisms

Answer 8

• Assume NF is dominant
• Focuses too much on class conflict - gender?
• Ignores positive functions of family

Question 9

New Right - Traditional Values - Social Conservatism, Family values + local gov act

Answer 9

• Wanted to return to traditional values - social conservatism:
- Victorian values - hard work ethic, personal improvements, religion
- Family Values - Promote NF - best, natural model
• Local Gov Act –> Schools can’t teach/promote homosexuality

Question 10

New Right - Decline of Family

Answer 10

• Increase in divorce rate
- Average marriage lasts 12 years
• Child born out of wedlock
- 48.1%
• Leads to unsocialised children + decaying morals

Question 11

New Right - Who’s to blame? - Murray

Answer 11

• Single parents –> Soc too dependent on welfare state
• The New Rabble –> Long term unemployed, welfare dep, single mums (extremely dangerous, can’t socialise, lack male role model = young boy crime)

Question 12

New Right - Who can resolve the situation?

Answer 12

• The New Victorians –> Respectable mc who marry, socialise properly, work + pay taxes

Question 13

New Right - Criticisms - Feminists + Marxists

Answer 13

• Decline of NF is exaggerated
- Even with increasing divorce, most marry + have kids or remarry
• Feminists –> gender roles are socially determined not biological
- expect women to be housewives = oppressive
• Marxists –> Single parents aren’t welfare dependent

Question 14

Feminism - Liberal - Young + Willmott

Answer 14

• Fight for equal rights + opportunities within legal systems
- laws can change attitudes to women’s role in family
- gender equality only won through legal reforms
• March of Progress –> change will cone gradually
- men do more domestic work
- children socialised with equal aspirations

Question 15

Feminism - Liveral Criticism - Marxist/Radical Feminists

Answer 15

• Marxist/Radical Feminists –>
- Law doesn’t change soc attitudes
• Equal Pay Act not always followed (actors)
- Don’t address causes

Question 16

Feninism - Marxist Feminists - women cause capitalism survival

Answer 16

• Capitalism is to blame for women’s weaker role in family
• Women perform key functions for capitalism to survive:
- Reproduce labour force –> socialise to accept capitalism
- Absorb anger (Ainsley)
- Source of Cheap Labour –> employed when short staffed + sacked when not needed

Question 17

Feminism - Marxist Feminist Criticism- Postmodern

Answer 17

• Postmodern –>
- women have more choice over family types
- women can assert themselves in their relationships

Question 18

Feminists - Radical Feminists

Answer 18

• All soc founded on patriarchy
- men are source of womens exploitation
- Family + marriage are patriarchal
• Men benefit from unpaid domestic work + sexual services
• Women can be dominated through violence
• Girls socialised to accept male dominance

Question 19

Feminism - Radical Criticism - Liberal

Answer 19

• Liberal –>
- fail to recognise women’s positions have improved
- women have better access to divorce, jobs + fertility control

Question 20

Feminism - Difference

Answer 20

• Other approaches generalise women’s experience of family
- Not all women in NF
- Neglect family as a pos experience –> black families can be source of support + resistance to racism

Question 21

Feminism - Postmodern

Answer 21

• Other Feminists are out of date
• Women have more choice over relationships + identity
• Women have option to resist oppression

Question 22

Interactionism - Personal Life Perspective

Answer 22

• Structuralist theories ignore increase in diversity (NF no longer most dom)
• Looks beyond traditional family relationships
- focuses on wider relationships individuals see as significant

Question 23

Interactionism - Smart - Constructing meaning

Answer 23

• Focuses on how individuals families construct meaning: emotional responses, family culture
• Example - donee conception children

Question 24

Interactionist - Evaluations

Answer 24

• Helps us understand how people shape family
- doesn’t rely on imposed definitions
• Too broad
- ignores strength of conventional family structures
• Agrees with Functionalism
- Intimate relationships perform important functions (belonging + relatedness)
- BUT recognises relatedness isn’t always positive