Functionalism

Question 1

Who were the sociologists involved in the functionalist perspective?

Answer 1

• George Murdock
• Talcott Parsons
• Willmott and Young

Question 2

What did George Murdock say were the 4 essential functions of the family?

Answer 2

1) stable satisfaction of sex drive
2) reproduction of the next generation
3) socialisation of the young
4) meeting economic needs

Question 3

What did Murdock say about the nuclear family?

Answer 3

It is universal and practical

Question 4

1) stabilisation of sex drive
GM

Answer 4

• sexual gratification for both partners
• helps strengthen society as the disruptive effects that would result is there sexual freedom as it unites people

Question 5

2) Reproduction of the next generation
GM

Answer 5

• reproduce society and pass on the same norms and values of the previous generation

Question 6

3) Socialisation/educational
GM

Answer 6

• culture and traditions of society are passed on

Question 7

4) Economic function
GM

Answer 7

• specialisation of labour
• ‘rewarding experiences’ for spouses working together

Question 8

What are the criticisms of George Murdock?

Answer 8

1) outdated- family circumstances change
2) ethnocentric- influenced by American society
3) no consideration of family diversity- same sex
4) not all needs of family members are met- abuse
5) adopts a rose tinted view of family- naive

Question 9

What did Parsons say about the family and their functions?

Answer 9

The functions a family perform depend on the type of society they live in which effects and shapes the structure of the family

Question 10

Talcott Parsons main idea

Answer 10

3–> 2 generational families
classic extended family–> nuclear family
= the effects of industrialisation
pre industrial to industrial society

Question 11

Effects of industrialisation
TP

Answer 11

GEOGRAPHICAL MOBILITY
- smaller families easier to move for work
SOCIAL MOBILITY
- intelligence is more important than social status, less conflict with only one older generation

Question 12

What were the two impacts of the societal shifts?
TP

Answer 12

• loss of functions by family
• only 2 essential ‘irreducible functions’

Question 13

What were the 2 functions of the family according to Parsons?

Answer 13

PRIMARY SOCIALISATION OF CHILDREN
- learn norms n values- sexual division of labour
STABALISATION OF ADULT PERSONALITIES
- emotional support, cope with stresses of daily life

Question 14

What were the 2 roles Parsons assigned to parents?

Answer 14

EXPRESSIVE- housewife
INSTRUMENTAL- breadwinner

Question 15

What theory did Parsons come up with?

Answer 15

The warm bath theory

Question 16

What is the warm bath theory?

Answer 16

• family relives the stress and tension from work
• helps adult be functional for the next day at work
• all member are content with family life

Question 17

What were the criticisms of Parsons?

Answer 17

• only focused on middle class families
• ignores all types of family diversity
• no mention of other forms of family (communes)

Question 18

What did Parsons and Willmott n Young say about the family?

Answer 18

Argues that the classic extended family had largely disappeared in modern contemporary society.
- replaced by isolated/privatised nuclear family or some form of modified extended family

Question 19

What did Willmott n Young mean by the symmetrical family?

Answer 19

• disagree with Parsons and say that in the 1950s there were still a large number of extended families
• do not believe that industrialisation brought about the death of the extended family

Question 20

What do Willmott n Young believe caused a decline in extended families in the 1960s?

Answer 20

1- slum clearances and the creation of council estates
2- welfare state and employment opportunities
3- child centred society
4- more emphasis on women’s rights

Question 21

Evaluation points of Wilmott and Young

Answer 21

Harris study 2006
- the nuclear family is not becoming isolated or privatised
- it has simply changed in postmodern times

Question 22

What do feminists say about the symmetrical family?

Answer 22

Oakley researched how housework was shared and found that women still do the majority so stay at home dads are a minority and women still do more household domestic tasks
- sceptical of the notion that housework is shared and equal

Question 23

Evaluation point of the functionalist perspective

Answer 23

People are more individualistic than they were 40 years ago reflected in relationships and family
- decline in family/community obligations