functionalism

Question 1

what type of theory is functionalism?

Answer 1

structural
right wing
consensus theory
macro

Question 2

what do functionalists think of the family?

Answer 2

Functionalists view the family as one of the corner stones of society.

It is a vital and positive institution that performs essential functions for society.

These include socialising children and providing emotional security for parents, which supports social stability and social cohesion

Question 3

murdock - study

Answer 3

• carried out a cross-cultural survey which examined a total of 250 societies of various kinds, from hunters and gatherers to large-scale industrial societies.
• he concluded that the nuclear family is so important that it is universal: it exists in all societies and therefore must serve essential functions for society and the individual
• he claims the family performs four important functions.

Question 4

murdock - 4 functions

Answer 4

• economic - the family as a collective resource is able to satisfy the economic needs (e.g. security, food, home, money) of its members better than an individual living alone
• sexual - family allows adults to fulfill their sexual needs, thus preventing deviant sexual behaviour (e.g. rape)
• reproduction - provides a stable environment for producing and looking after children, which is essential for society to exist
• educational - the family teaches children the values and norms of acceptable behaviour in society

Question 5

parsons - warm bath theory

Answer 5

Parsons described the nuclear family as being fulfilling and has described it as a warm bath

This was the idea that when a man came home from a hard day at work in industrial society, he could relax into is family like a warm bath and it would take away the stress and refresh him for the next day’s work

Question 6

parsons - functional fit theory

Answer 6

claims that the structure of the family changes over time to suit the type of society that exists at that time. he argues that the extended family was normal in pre-industrialisation times, as it ideally suited this type of society, whereas the nuclear family is more suited to industrial society.

nuclear family was more suitable for an industrialised society because:
* a nuclear family is geographically mobile. it was easier for the nuclear family to move for work than for the whole of the extended family to be uprooted
* allows for social mobility - allows an opportunity for a person’s social status to rise through their merit

Question 7

parsons - two basic and irreducible functions

Answer 7

sees the modern family as “stripped” to just two ‘basic and irreducible’ functions:

• primary socialisation
• stabilisation of adult personalities

Question 8

parsons - primary socialisation

two basic and irreducible functions

Answer 8

specifically teaches children the norms and values that the family or local community hold

Parsons argued that families are ‘factories’ which produce human personalities. He believed that the family was the only institution which provides the warmth, security and support to perform this function.

Question 9

parsons - stabilisation of adult personalities

two basic and irreducible functions

Answer 9

Refers to the emotional security which is achieved within a marital relationship between two adults.

According to Parsons working life in Industrial society is stressful and the family is a place where the working man can return and be ‘de-stressed’ by his wife, which reduces conflict in society.

also known as the ‘warm bath theory.’

Question 10

parsons - types of gender roles

Answer 10

Suggested that roles in the family were divided based upon biological characterstics and gendered socialisation
* Men take on an instrumental role (breadwinner).
* Women take on expressive role, nurturing the family.

For Parsons this division of labour, whilst unequal, works for the family and society

Question 11

chester

Answer 11

• Argues most people still choose the nuclear family, family diversity is exaggerated.
• Only important change is move from conventional nuclear family to neo-conventional family - dual earner family where both spouses go to work

Question 12

durkheim - organic analogy

Answer 12

saw society as working like a human body, arguing that institutions in society were like organs in the body – each performing specific functions which were necessary to the maintenance of the whole

the family is the heart - it provides warmth and stability

Question 13

what are evaluations of the functionalist view of the family

Answer 13

laing - ignore dark side
judith stacey - nuclear family is not universal
jamieson
marxists - nuclear family upholds capitalism
feminists - this view is patriarchal
postmodernism - families are more diverse now

Question 14

criticisms of functionalists - laing

Answer 14

Laing would say that functionalists tend to ‘idealise’ the family and ignore the ‘darker’ side of the family such as it being the cause of mental illness.

In his book Sanity, Madness and the Family he suggested that schizophrenia could be blamed on the parents of patients.

Question 15

criticisms of functionalists - jameison

Answer 15

• accuses Parsons of ignoring the way that families were key mechanisms for sustaining gender inequality.
• also argued that Parsons work is theory based and not back up with research.

Question 16

criticisms of functionalists - judith stacey

Answer 16

Studied Mosuo people in china. Found that they did not practice marriage - children raised by all women in the mother’s home, extended families, fathers have no obligation to raise children.

Found children grew up to be well adjusted. Shows that alternatives to the nuclear family can work, the child will not suffer long term psychological damage

AO3 for murdock

Question 17

criticisms of functionalists - postmodernism

Answer 17

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