Functionalism Flashcards
Durkheim
Durkheim was concerned about rapid social change and the move to modern industrial society. In traditional societies members are all fairly alike with similar beliefs and views. This creates a strong collective conscience and social solidarity. Rapid change threatens these bonds between people as norms and values alter.
Durkheim believed that society exists as a separate entity over and above its members – society shapes its members so that they fulfil its needs.
Talcott Parsons
Talcott Parsons) developed the theory and his ideas were very well respected in the US in the 1960s and 70s. He saw society as like a living organism made up of different systems that work together to ensure society runs smoothly. He believed society was based on consensus - meaning agreement.
The organic analogy
They are both self-regulating systems of inter-related independent parts that work together.
They both have needs that must be met for it to survive eg. members must be socialised.
The function of any part of a system is the contribution it makes to meeting the system’s needs and ensuring its survival.
Value consensus and social order
Our shared culture gives us shared norms and values which gives us value consensus (agreed goals and ways of behaving) which creates social order – a harmonious happy society!
Status and Meritocracy
Modern societies are based on status being achieved rather than ascribed
Functionalists argue that society is meritocratic
Society is seen to be a ‘fair’ and ‘open’ system
There is ‘equality of opportunity’ but not ‘equality of outcome’
Inequality is inevitable due to this open system
Changing functions
Functionalists suggest that different institutions perform different functions;
BUT these functions can change, and may move to other institutions
Murdock
The family is a social group characterised by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults.’
murdock part 2
From his analysis of 250 societies he said the family is universal. This means the family exists everywhere.
He argued that the nuclear family has four vital functions. This means 4 key things it does for society.
These have benefits for society as a whole and for the individual… 1. Sexual – Adults have their sexual needs met in a stable relationship
- Reproduction – the family creates the next generation of society
- Socialisation – the family carries out primary socialisation which means teaching the norms and values.
- Economic – All members are provided for e.g. housing
criticisms of Murdock’s theory?
His definition of the family excludes many types of family eg. Matrifocal family, polygamous families.
Doesn’t consider alternatives to the family that may be able to carry out these functions eg. Communes such as the Kibbutz in Israel.
Ignores the dysfunctions of the family ie. harmful effects the family can have
talcott parsons continued
Focussed on the nuclear family in modern industrial society – research in America.
Argues the family has become increasingly specialised.
He argues that in pre-industrial times we lived in extended families, people would often spend their whole lives in the same village and working on the same farm/ cottage industry. The family was responsible for looking after elderly relatives and educating children.
Now in modern industrial societies families have become ‘isolated’ and ‘nuclear’ (made up of mum, dad and kids living away from extended kin). The traditional functions have been taken over by specialised institutions such as Social Services and schools.
reasons for the change from extended family to nuclear family according parsons
This has happened for 2 main reasons:
- A geographically mobile workforce.
It is easier for the compact nuclear family to move to where the work is, in industrial society.
- A socially mobile workforce
Status is now achieved through effort and not ascribed at birth. New generations can move up the social ladder. If generations of different social classes were living together this would cause conflict. Hence it is better for individuals to live in a nuclear family unit.
irreducible function of the family according parsons
However, the family retains two basic and irreducible functions…
Primary Socialisation-The first and most important part of socialisation process whereby individuals learn the shared norms and values of society. Without this there would be no consensus and no social order.
The stabilisation of adult personalities
‘Unstable personalities’ threaten social order.-In the family adults can de-stress from all the tensions of daily life. The woman provides emotional support for her husband and children give the man opportunity to relax and be ‘playful.’
Evaluation of Talcott Parsons
dealises the family and ignores the dysfunctions or the ‘dark side of the family.’
Theory based on American middle-class families which may be unrepresentative of many families. - Doesn’t recognise diversity of families in today’s societies.
Like Murdock fails to explore alternatives to the family.
Can be criticised as sexist because Parsons argues that the woman’s role is to give warmth and emotional support to the family and to ‘de-stress’ her hardworking husband!
Fletcher
(1970s)
Family is still a ‘multi-functional unit’
Other institutions compliment the family, not replace it
The state supports families to help them fulfil their essential functions
willmott and young
Study of Bethnal Green in London and families who moved to new estates in Essex later
Suggested a ‘trend’ toward people living in smaller, privatised, nuclear family groups
This was a move away from the traditional extended family
Roles within the family become increasingly similar – husbands take a larger share of childcare & domestic duties
This was heavily criticised by Oakley, who saw very few signs of ‘symmetry’ in conjugal roles
Criticisms of Functionalism
Individuals’ behaviour is ‘determined’ by society – there is no room for free will; people are ‘puppets’ of society
Is society really ‘meritocratic’? Does status depend on an individuals’ achievements?
Life chances may differ according to different social groups a person belongs to – i.e. gender / class / ethnicity
Ignores the dysfunctions of the family and diversity of family types in contemporary society. Parson’s views on gender roles are sexist and outdated.
