Functionalist Perspective 2.2

Question 1

Functionalism

Answer 1

A consensus theory integration and harmony are key

Question 2

Murdock 4 main functions of the family

Answer 2

Sexual, reproduction, socialisation and economic

Question 3

Parson two main functions of family

Answer 3

Primary socialisation of children ( forms the individuals personality ) and stabilisation of human personalities ( warm bath ,women expressive role and men instrumental role )

Question 4

Functional fit theory: Parsons, Young and Willmott and Fletcher

Answer 4

Classic extended family: 3 or more generations living together more dominant within East Asian families
Privatised nuclear family: self contained, self reliant,home centred unit, ‘structurally isolated’
Modified extended family: when a family lives apart but they keep their family ties alive

Question 5

Higher rate of social mobility

Answer 5

Social mobility means that people can move up or down the social scale compared to the family they were born into. It means that different family members will find themselves in different jobs with different opportunities. This weakens relationships between kin as they have less in common

Question 6

People’s wealth

Answer 6

People are much better off today and the welfare state has taken over a number of functions such as education, health care and welfare reduced dependence on kin for support. This weakens family.

Question 7

Growth in meritocracy

Answer 7

More modern societies require more skills and education for jobs. It is more what you know rather than who you know

Question 8

Geographical mobility

Answer 8

A specialised division of labour with different lifestyles. It needs to be geographically mobile- to be able to move around the country to areas where their skills are required to gain education/ promotion. This weakens relationships as people leave.

Question 9

Edmund leach 1967

Hint: its a food name for an idea about family

Answer 9

Recognised the power of the image of the traditional family. Leech called this image ‘cereal packet image of the family’ because it was socially constructed model laden with assumptions of how families ought to be.

Question 10

Ann Oakley 1982

Answer 10

Described cereal packet family as conventional families composed of legally married couples, voluntarily choosing thr parenthood of one or more children

Question 11

Barrie Thorne 1992

Answer 11

Attacked this image for bringing monolithic as it ignores diversity in family structures

Question 12

Downplaying conflict criticism

Answer 12

Murdock and parsons present family life as peaceful. However they downplay conflict particularly the darker side such as violence against women and child abuse. Children becoming emotionally disturbed by conflict used as scapegoats by parents

Question 13

Being out of date criticism

Answer 13

The role of men and women are out of date. Women are no longer full time housewives they also earn income

Question 14

Ignoring the exploitation of women criticism

Answer 14

Functionalists tend to ignore the way women suffer from the sexual division of labour in the family. These concerns are typically raised by feminist writers

Question 15

Ignoring the harmful effects of the family criticism

Answer 15

Leach says that family in modern society has become so isolated from kin and the wider community that it has become an inward looking institution that leads to emotional stress. Marxists like laing and Esterson also argue that family can be destructive and exploitative institution

Question 16

Fletcher 1966

Answer 16

Denied that the family had lost its functions. Argues that the function of thr family in a contemporary society has changed by adding more responsibility

Question 17

Marxists

Answer 17

See this pressure to purchase consumer goods as a means of motivating workers in boring unfulfilling jobs

Question 18

Feminists

Answer 18

Modern family as a unit of production. Women’s unpaid domestic labour covers a number of roles that would be very expensive if provided for outside the family