Functionalist Theory Of The Family Flashcards
Murdock’s theory of the family
- argues that the nuclear family is universal
- defined the nuclear family as a social group characterised by common residence which includes adults of both sexes.
- see the family as the foundation stone of society
Murdock’s four crucial functions of the family
Procreation/reproduction
Sexual
Economic
Educational/socialisation
Evaluation of Murdock - the Nayar
In the Nayar community of south-west india, girls were often married to several husbands but these men rarely lived with their ‘wives’ and children
The male had a ‘visiting husband role’.
Property was passed down the female line
Evaluation of Murdock: dysfunctions of the family
Puts too much emphasis of the functional benefits of the nuclear family
Downplay that dysfunctions that produce social problems, such as domestic violence, child abuse and anti-social behaviour.
Evaluation of Murdock : failure to abolish the nuclear family
- in 1920s the Russian government divorce and abortion easier for women to obtain in order to free up women’s labour. It gave women the same rights as men. This attempt was quickly abandoned due to nearly 7 million homeless children
- in Israel children were raised by careers and would only see their parents for a few hours each day. This failed because children often ran away to be with their parents.
Feminist evaluation of Murdock
He implies that women’s main role is the nurturing of children however most families today are dual-career and women are playing less of a role in the socialisation of children
Talcott Parsons - functional fit theory
The family performs essential functions depending on the type of society
Talcott parsons - pre industrial society
Extended family : self sufficient agricultural units that functioned to produce their own housing, clothing and food
Members of the family group felt a strong sense of duty and obligation to each other
Industrial society - parsons
The industrial revolution brought about 5 fundamental social changes to the family:
- more geographiclaly mobile workforce
- social mobility - meritocratic
- independent individuals = less prone to social pressures
- functional specialisation- outside agenices took over from extended kin
- development of the modern bureacratic state
Evaluation of parsons : wilmott and young
Their empirical research in a working class area showed that class extended families still existed in teh 1950’s after industrialisation but declined by the 1960’s because of state council housing by the welfare state and slum clearances which undermined the support system
Evaluation of parsons : interpretivist
Criticise functionalists for viewing. Children as ‘empty vessels’ or ‘blank slates’ that are filled up by parents with culture. Argue that socialisation is in fact a two-way process in which children also influence the behaviour of parents through pester power
Parsons two functions of the modern family
- primary socialisation of children
- stabilisation of adult personality = the married couple provide emotional support for eachother ( warm bath theory)
Parsons clear social roles in the family
The nuclear unit provides clear social roles: the male is instrumental who is responsible for the economic maintenance of the family group and the females are the expressive leader who is primarily responsible for the socialisation of children
