Functionalist On The Family Flashcards
What does functionalist say about the family ?
Stress the positive aspects of the family favouring nuclear family
What are the theorist for Functionalism
- Peter Murdock
- Talcott Parsons
- Six other functions
What does Murdock say about the family ?
Family is a nuclear institution with universal function for the well-being of society and it does this in four ways
What are the four functions mentioned by Murdock ?
- Reproductive
- Sexual
- Economic
- Educational
What is the reproductive function of the family according to Murdock ?
Society needs new members to survive
What is the sexual function of the family according to Murdock ?
Emotional bond between parents, sex for social order and stability
What is the educational function of Murdock ?
Culture needs to be transferred to children and norms and values need to be taught to children by parents
What is the economic function of the family according to Murdock ?
Family provides shelter, food , income contributing to a smooth society and economy
What is the evaluation of Murdock ?
Ignoring diversity and value judgment of diverse family forms
What is the ignoring diversity evaluation of Murdock ?
Murdock ignores how family relationships and forms take different forms even in the same society
- different ways in raising up family differs based on religious beliefs, economic opportunity
- educational function differs based on class so family is not universal
What is the value judgement evaluation of Murdock ?
Implies that certain types of parenting e.g single, foster or homosexual is not as beneficial as two heterosexual and heterosexual is clearly stating there’s a right and wrong in organising family
What does parsons say about the family ?
Family acts as bridge between children and involvement in wider society by internalising shared norms and values which they belong
What are the two most important functions of the family according to parsons ?
- Primary socialisation of children
- Stabilisation of adult personalities
What is primary socialisation of children according to parsons ?
Teaching children norms and values of society so they can learn culture
By primary socialisation of children according to parsons , what will teaching children norms and values help to produce ?
Value consensus and continue for society to run smoothly
According to parsons: socialisation of children what was the role of the mothers ?
Expressive leaders biologically suited to look after the cultural and emotional development of children, looking after children and household
How did parsons: primary socialisation of children see nuclear family ?
Personality factories
Parsons:socialisation of socialisation , why did parsons sees nuclear family as personality factories ?
Churning out young citizens committed by rules, patterns of behaviour and beliefs system
Parsons:stabilisation of adult personalities, what theory does parsons refer to ?
Warm bath theory
Parsons:stabilisation of adult personalities , how does family act as a warm bath ?
Family acts as a stable, loving , warm environment where individuals can destress and let themselves go
Parsons:stabilisation of adult personalities, by family acting as warm bath what does it do ?
Emotional support , safety valve and strengthens social stability , safe haven “home sweet home” people can act natural themselves
What are the evaluations of parsons ?
- sexist
- assumes children are passive
What does parsons sexist evaluation say ?
- Assumes men and women will perform separate roles and they have equal status
- nuclear family is based on male dominance according to Feminist
- role of stabilisation of adult personalities fall on women and women have little support
Parsons: assumes children are passive evaluation ?
Assumes that children are waiting to be filled with norms and values but socialisation is actually a two way process , children can socialise parents as much as they socialise them
What is the six other functions according to parsons ?
- Gender role socialisation
- Social control
- Social status
- Recreation and lesuire
- Economic consumption
- Protective and welfare function
What is gender socialisation according to parsons : other six functions ?
Children learn cultural patterns of behaviour expected for their gender
- what is masculine and feminine
- how male and females should behave
- difference is not biological but natural
- socially constructed by society
- reinforced by secondary agents : education, mass media
What is social control according functionalist other six functions ?
- family serves important agent of social control
- alongside secondary socialisation agencies
- mantains social order and value consensus.
- boundaries for deviant behaviors and consequence of primary socialisation
- train children from right and wrong
What is social status : functionalist other six functions ?
- family socio-economic status provides us with a sense of family identity
- family provides economic support e.g going university
- education : private school, Tution is dependent support parents offer us
What is recreation and leisure of functionalist six other functions
World seen as risky place for children so spend more time at home
Home now furnished with media and technology : tv , gaming
What is economic consumption ?
Family economic functions based on unit of consumption provided bh economy for family
What is protective and welfare function ?
Infants are helpless and require adult support and protection
- children receive welfare support from parents : shelter, diet and education dependent on family socio-economic status
- support the old, disabled , ill
Overall evaluation of functionalist and family
- overly positive : exaggerated and overglotify support family gives and only sees ways family contributes to society
- ignores dark side of family : family is dysfunctional
- ignoring diversity : assumes only nuclear family can carry out essential function
- out of date: functions functionalist talk about are no longer being carried out by just mother bit both and women now working
