Functionalist Perspective Of The Family

Question 0

Murdock, 4 essential… (2)

Answer 0

Reproduction of the next generation, without which society could not continue.

Question 1

Murdock, nuclear family 4 functions… (1)

Answer 1

Stable satisfaction of the sex drive with the same partner prevents the social disruption caused by a sex free-for-all.

Question 2

Murdock, 4 essential… (3)

Answer 2

Socialisation of the young into society’s shared norms and values.

Question 3

Murdock, 4 essential… (4)

Answer 3

Meets its members economic needs, such as food and shelter.

Question 4

Criticism of Murdock.

Answer 4

However, many sociologists would argue that other institutions and non-nuclear families perform these functions equally as well.

Question 5

Parsons. Functional fit theory. (p1)

Answer 5

Argues there are 2 types of society. Modern industrial society and traditional pre-industrial society. He argues that the nuclear family fits the needs of industrial society and is the dominant family type in that society, and the extended family fits the needs of pre-industrial society.

Question 6

Parsons. Functional fit theory. (p2)

Argues that in industrial society there are 2 essential needs:

Answer 6

1. Geographical mobile workforce. Jobs may appear indifferent places so the family has to be able to move where the work is. P says it is easier for the nuclear family to do this.

Question 7

Parsons. Functional fit theory. (p3)

Argues that in industrial society there are 2 essential needs:

Answer 7

2. Socially mobile workforce. In modern society, status is achieved not ascribed. This may cause tension if father and son live under the same roof, yet the latter had a higher status than the father.

Question 8

(Evidence against Parsons)

Young and Willmott.

Answer 8

The pre-industrial family was nuclear, not extended as Parsons claims.

Question 9

(Marxist perspective)

Ideological functions.

Answer 9

Socialises children into accosting hierarchy and inequality. One way it does this is by socialising children into believing that the idea of hierarchy is inevitable. Parental power over children accustoms them to the idea that hierarchy is inevitable. Parental power over children accustoms them to the idea that someone always has to be in charge.

Question 10

(Marxist perspective)

A unit of consumption.

Answer 10

Capitalism makes a profit by selling the products the w/c make for more money than it pays them to produce these items. The family plays a major role in generating profits. E.g, the media targets children, who use ‘pester power’ to persuade parents to spend more. Also, if children don’t have the latest items, they become stigmatised.

Question 11

(Feminist perspective)

Lib Feminists.

Answer 11

1. Argue that woman’s oppressions is being gradually overcome through changing people’s attitudes and through changes in the law.
2. They believe we are making progress towards greater equality, but more work needs to be done.
3. They argue gender equality is improving in the family. E.g, men doing housework.

Question 12

Marx Feminists.

Answer 12

1. Argue main cause of oppression against women is capitalism, not men. E.g, Ansley argues women soak up the frustration the husband feels because of alienation and exploitation they face at work.

Question 13

Rad Feminists.

Answer 13

Say men are the source of women’s oppression, and that the family and marriage are the key institutions in patriarchal society. Men benefit from woman’s unpaid domestic labour and from their sexual services, and they dominate through domestic and sexual violence or the threat of it.