functionalism

Question 1

functionalist view of family

Answer 1

Society = based on value consensus which enables survival.
 Social system made up of sub-systems that contribute to the good of the whole system. The family is one
such sub-system.
 Stresses positive role of the family for society and individuals.

Question 2

Murdocks view

Answer 2

Family = universal because is best way of meeting society’s needs.
Family performs 4 basic functions serving both society and its individual members:
sexual – reproductive - economic – educational.

Question 3

criticisms of Murdock

Answer 3

• Feminist Sociologists argue that arguing that the family is essential is ideological because
  traditional family structures typically disadvantage women.
• It is feasible that other institutions could perform the functions above.
• Anthropological research has shown that there are some cultures which don’t appear to
  have ‘families’ - the Nayar for example.

Question 4

Parsons family functions

Answer 4

In modern societies the family performs two ‘basic and irreducible’ functions:
primary socialisation of children - internalising society’s culture
stabilisation of adult personalities - adults gain stability from emotional security.
= process of ‘structural differentiation’ as society industrialised, family lost some functions to other specialist
institutions ( e.g. health, education, religion).

Question 5

Parsons functional fit theory

Answer 5

‘functional fit’ between types of society and types of family. The isolated nuclear family fits industrial
society because: has geographical and social and status is mainly achieved, not ascribed
Male and female partners perform different functions. Male role = ‘instrumental’ - the breadwinner. This leads
to stress and anxiety, which is relieved by the female, acting out her ‘expressive’ role providing care, love,
warmth and emotional support.

Question 6

criticisms of Parsons

Answer 6

Basically - it’s too ‘neat’ - social change doesn’t happen in such an orderly manner:
* Laslett found that church records show only 10% of households contained extended kin
before the industrial revolution. This suggests the family was already nuclear before
industrialisation.
* Young and Wilmott found that Extended Kin networks were still strong in East London as
late as the 1970s.

Question 7

criticisms of functionalism

Answer 7

Nuclear family = common in pre-industrial societies (Laslett, Wilmott and Young).
 Early industrial society featured the extended family as means of mutual support.
 The functionalist view of women’s role simply justifies their oppression (feminism)
 The nuclear family produces problems and misery as well.
 The extended family still exists in modern/late modern society.
too deterministic