Functionalist view

Question 1

What is a value consensus?

Answer 1

a set of shared norms and values - into which society socialises its members. This enables to cooperate harmoniously and meet society’s needs/shared goals.

Question 2

What do functionalists regard society as? (organic analogy)

Answer 2

A system made up of different parts or subsystems that depend on each other, such as the education system, family or economy. (like the body)

Question 3

What did George Murdock do?

Answer 3

Murdock looked at over 250 societies and said some form of the nuclear family existed in all of them. He argues that the nuclear family fulfils four major functions.

Question 4

According to Murdock, what are the 4 functions of the family?

Answer 4

Sexual
Economic
Education
Reproduction

Question 5

Describe the sexual function

Answer 5

Sex in marriage creates a powerful emotional bond between couples and encourages Fidelity (faithfulness). This encourages stable relationships which helps keep society stable too.

Question 6

Describe the economic function

Answer 6

Adults provide shelter, food and money for their children. When families buy things it also helps to maintain the economy.

Question 7

Describe the education function

Answer 7

Children need to be socialised into the norms and values of society. This is called primary socialisation where children learn to talk, learn manners and learn to follow rules.

Question 8

Describe the reproduction function

Answer 8

Society needs new people to be born to make sure it will always continue. This generally occurs within a marriage or family settings.

Question 9

How can Murdock be criticised?

Answer 9

• these functions could be performed equally well by other institutions or non-nuclear family structures
• Marxists and feminists reject his ‘rose-tinted’ harmonious consensus view that the family meets the needs of both wider society and all members of the family e.g.
  - feminists see the family as serving the needs of
  men and oppressing women
  - Marxists argue that it meets the needs of
  capitalism, not those of family members or
  society as a whole

Question 10

Describe Parsons’ functional fit theory

Answer 10

As society changes, the type of family that ‘fits’ that society, and the functions it performs change.

Question 11

Describe the family in pre-industrial society

Answer 11

The family was entirely responsible for the education of children, producing food and caring for the sick – basically it did everything for all its members. Therefore the extended family was the best fit.

Question 12

What family fits industrial society?

Answer 12

Nuclear

Question 13

What 2 essential needs does industrial society have according to Parsons?

Answer 13

• A geographically mobile workforce (it’s easier for the nuclear family to move around for work)
• A socially mobile workforce (technology and science is constantly evolving so it requires a skilled workforce. As status is achieved, this makes social mobility possible)

Question 14

Give criticisms of Parsons’ functional fit argument

Answer 14

• Laslett found that church records show only 10% of households contained extended kin before the industrial revolution. This suggests the family was already nuclear before industrialisation.
• Young and Willmott found that Extended Kin networks were still strong in East London as late as the 1970s.

Question 15

What are Parsons’ two important functions?

Answer 15

Primary Socialisation
Stabilisation of adult personality

Question 16

What did Parsons say about primary socialisation?

Answer 16

Parsons believed that families pass on the norms and values of society. They are responsible for teaching children rules and behaviour in our social lives. He said mothers perform an expressive role (caring for and socialising children) as they are biologically suited to look after the emotional development of children. Father’s perform the instrumental role by working outside the home to earn money for the family.

Question 17

What did Parsons say about stabilisation of adult personality?

Answer 17

Parsons argued that the family stabilizes adults and he called this the ‘warm bath theory.’ The family provides a warm, loving home where adults can be themselves and relax. The support and security in a family reduces stress from work and strengthens social stability. This means parents will rely on children as much as children rely on them: parents socialise children and children make them responsible and give them a sense of purpose in life.

Question 18

Give criticisms of the functionalist view

Answer 18

 Paints a perfect picture of the family when this might not be the case. There may be a ‘dark side of the family’ such as violence or child abuse.
 Functional families can turn into dysfunctional family’s overtime is conflict starts to arise.
 These views are based on middle class American families and does not consider other families that may be different due to ethnicity, religion or class.
 This research may not be relevant anymore as it can be seen as outdated. There is now changes to law on sexuality and attitudes towards children outside of marriage. Furthermore, the roles of parents have also changed as women now go out to work and earn a wage as well as men.
 Marxist Zaretsky says the family is a safe haven from the harsh realities of living in a capitalist society and cushions the blow.
 Ignores exploitation of women