Functionalist and New Right Theories On Family

Question 1

What does Murdock argue?

Answer 1

That family is a universal institution that performs 4 major functions

Question 2

Define universal institution

Answer 2

It exists everywhere

Question 3

What are the 4 main functions that the universal institution performs and who argues this?

Answer 3

Murdock

Stable satisfaction
Reproduction
Socialisation of youth
Meeting its members’ economic needs

Question 4

What is the first main function and explain it further? Murdock

Answer 4

Stable satisfaction
-of the sex drive with the same partner, preventing the social disruption caused by sexual ‘free-for-all’
-spouses can sexually satisfy each other which relieves stress

Question 5

What is the second main function and explain it further? Murdock

Answer 5

Reproduction
-of the next generation, without which society would not be able to continue

Question 6

What is the third main function and explain it further? Murdock

Answer 6

Socialisation of youth
-into society’s shared norms and values

Question 7

What is the fourth main function and explain it further? Murdock

Answer 7

Meeting its members’ economic needs
-such as shelter and food w/ in family
-family members cans support each other financially
-reduces pressure on welfare state

Question 8

Evaluation of Murdock’s view on the family

Answer 8

-Marxists and Feminists
-reject his ‘ROSE-TINTED’ consensu view that family meets the needs of both wider society and all members of the family

THEY ARGUE THAT:
-functionalism neglects conflict and exploitation, FOR EXAMPLE:

-Feminist:
see family as serving needs of men and oppressing women

-Marxists:
argue that family meets the needs of capitalism, not those of a family members or society as a whole

Question 9

Murdock is a

Answer 9

Functionalist

Question 10

Parsons is a

Answer 10

Functionalist

Question 11

Parsons views on the family

Answer 11

-believes every family in every society has 2 ‘basic and irreducible’ functions:

-primary socialisation of children
-stabilisation of the adult personalities

Question 12

Parsons believes every family has

Answer 12

‘2 BASIC & IRREDUCIBLE’ functions

Question 13

Explain Parsons’ first basic and irreducible function of the family ?

Answer 13

Primary socialisation
-takes place in early years of a child’s life w/ in the family group
-during this period, child learns basic elements of the culture into which she or he has been born

-pass down values e.g
-respecting authority, not stealing, respecting private property.
leading to value consensus in society which helps to reduce conflict and promote agreement

Question 14

Explain Parsons’ second basic and irreducible function of the family ?

Answer 14

stabilisation of adult personalities
-the family gives the individual adult a ‘safety-valve’
- a place where he/she can relax, escape the stresses and strains of the world outside and feel emotionally secure 2

-often known as ‘warm bath theory’

Question 15

Warm bath theory

Answer 15

family provides an emotional haven in a sometimes harsh and competitive world where we can gain comfort

-crucial to this is the ‘expressive female’ who cares for her husband and stabilises after the stresses of work world

Question 16

Evaluation of Parsons

About second basic and irreducible function:
-stabilisation of adult personalities

Answer 16

Marxists Zaretsky argues:

-that family only provides this emotional support in order to encourage its members to continue to work another day under the harsh realities of capitalism
-the family is therefore a servant of the capitalist state which looks after the needs of exploited workers at no cost to employers

Question 17

2.0 Parsons ARGUES

Answer 17

The theory of ‘fit’

Question 18

Parsons’ theory of ‘fit’

Answer 18

that the dominant structure of the family best suits the needs of the economy at the time
-means that nuclear families ‘fit’ an industrial economy because they are geographically mobile and not reliant on wider kin
-this is because family members can easily move to the centre of production

Question 19

Parsons concludes that

theory of ‘fit’

Answer 19

parsons concludes that only nuclear families could provide the achievement-orientated and geographically mobile workforce required by modern economies

Question 20

Parsons’ functional ‘fit’ theory’s views on extended families

Answer 20

that Extended families was more suited to pre-industrialised society, when large families could live and work together on agricultural land, but the nuclear family was more beneficial to an industrial society

Question 21

Parsons think the nuclear family is better suited to industrial society for two reasons:

Answer 21

1. Geographical mobility
2. Social mobility

Question 22

Nuclear family is better suited to industrial society for two reasons:

Geographical mobility-

Answer 22

1. Geographical mobility-
   when urban areas developed and jobs became available in cities, it was easier to move a smaller family unit (i.e nuclear, rather than extended)

Question 23

Nuclear family is better suited to industrial society for two reasons:

Social mobility-

Answer 23

status was ascribed in pre-industrial society, so all extended family members were on the same level
However, in industrial society, the changing nature of work and education meant that status became achieved

The status difference in large families caused conflicts; therefore, they seperated into nuclear families

Question 24

Evaluation for Parsons’ theory of ‘fit’

Answer 24

-according to willmott & young
-the pre-industrial family tended to be nuclear not extended as parsons claimed
-parents and children working tg in cottage industries such as weaving

-they also argue that the hardship of the early industrialised period have rise to the mother-centred working class extended family, based on ties between mothers and their married daughters, who relied on each other for financial, practical and emotional support

-tamara hareven
-concludes that extended families, not nuclear as claimed by parsons
=BEST EQUIPPED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF early industrial society

Question 25

Tamara Hareven RESEARCH evidence and who was she ?

Answer 25

-opposed parsons’ theory of ‘fit’

her research showed how extended migrant families in America in the 19th century acted as a source for support and mutual aid, as well as promoting geographical mobility by helping newcomers find work

Question 26

For functionalism the family means

Answer 26

nuclear family

Question 27

Why do functionalists prefer nuclear families?

Answer 27

-its beneficial for society
-other forms may lead to dysfunctional family life
-negative effect on society as a whole

Question 28

Which other perspective is a form of neo-functionalism

Answer 28

The New Right Perspective

Question 29

What does The New Right Perspective argue?

Answer 29

that the decline of nuclear family and the rise of the nuclear family and rise of other families means
-that the essential functions outlined by Parsons are not taking place
-leading to problems in society in general

Question 30

Examples of neo-functionalists

Answer 30

Dennis

Murray

Question 31

Dennis

Answer 31

1993

argues that divorce, remarriage and single parenthood has weakened rs in the family and this has a negative affect on the ability of families to effectively socialise their kids leading to more deviance and criminal behaviour

Question 32

Murray

Answer 32

1998

supports Dennis
-argues that increase in single parenthood is leading to an underclass of criminal and lazy individuals with little social responsibility

Question 33

Overall evaluation of functionalist theories

Answer 33

Functionalist analysis of family
-ethnocentric
-based on middle class Americans
-neglect influences such as ethnicity, social class or religion

Question 34

Evaluation

Evidence of functionalist view being ethnocentric

Answer 34

Parsons does not consider the fact that
-wealth or poverty may determine whether women stay at home to look after children or not

Question 35

Evaluation
Evidence of functionalist view lacking historical validity

What does this mean?

Answer 35

Parsons wrote in 1950s
-many western societies including uk have become multicultural after that post 1950

this means that…
-Religious and ethnic subcultural diffs. may mean that Parsons’ version of the family in NO LONGER RELEVANT IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

Question 36

Evaluation
Feminist view on functionalist views and theories

Answer 36

Functionalists:
- ignore the ‘dark side’ of the family -conflict between wifey and hubby

• give insufficient attention to the dysfunctions of the family- harmful effects it may have on wider society

Question 37

Define ‘dark side’ of family

Answer 37

conflict between wifey and hubby, male dominance, child abuse, domestic violence etc.

Question 38

Evaluation
Interpretivist view on functionalists

Answer 38

-functionalists tend to neglect the meanings families have for individuals and how family members interpret family relationships