Functions of the family Flashcards
Functionalist view of the family
Murdock four functions - stable sexual satisfaction, reproduction of the next generation, socialisation of the young, meeting members economic needs
Parsons functional fit (warm bath) theory - believes function shave changed as the extended family was best suited for pre industrial society but nuclear fits best in industrial society from the move to a unit of production to consumption.
Says there are two basic and permanent functions that remain - primary socialisation and stabilisation of adult personalities ( Expressive and Instrumental roles)
Evaluation of Functionalist View
Murdock - supporting evidence in 250 different cultures, nuclear families have been replaced, overly positive.
Parsons - incorrect view of the history of the family ; Laslett said in pre industrial family low life expectancy meant extended families were rare, sexist, overly positive.
New Right perspective of the family
Believe the nuclear family is essential for socialisation of children.
Murray - highly critical of single parent families as they believe female and male roles are needed for socialisation and they are expensive in the way they receive too much in welfare benefits
Pro marriage and believe men should work and women be homemakers
Dennis and Erdos - raised similar concerns ans said single mothers will raise male children that are irresponsible, immature and antisocial.
New Right Perspective Evaluation
Statistical evidence - statistics on marriage and divorce , single parents, even young men comitting crimes.
Nuclear family not be ideal as the nuclear families fail children sometimes
Sexist
Marxist perspective of the family
Family exisits as it is beneficial for the bourgeoisie to maintain exploitation of the proletariat.
Engles - inheritance benefits capitalism as it keeps the rich, rich and the poor, poor.
Zaretsky - male proletariat workers are frustrated by work (alienation) so women nurture and be emotional support for the husband so they are ready to carry on work so capitalism can continue.
Althusser - major function is to socialise children into believinf capitalism is fair eg by teaching them hierarchy - parents, teachers, bosses are all in charge.
Evaluation of Marxist perspective of family
Follows logically from Marxist theory and fits well with its ideas
Deterministic
Overly negative
Ignores Patriarchy
Feminist view of the family
Radical - see men as the enemy as they exploit and oppress women. Greer believes women are dominated by men within the family and believes the patriarchy should be removed and replaced with matriarchy or separatism.
Liberal - recognise women are unequal but takes a march of progress view as things have improved. Inequality caused by ignorance and sex role stereotypes but can be solved by changing laws and attitudes.
Marxist - See capitalism as the enemy and this is the root cause of patriarchy. Women reproduce the next generation of workers. A communist revolution would bring equality however even communist countries have gender inequalities.
Difference - Not all women experience oppression in the same way due to race, ethnicity, religion etc so there is no universal way to end patriarchy.
Evaluation of Feminist view of family
Supporting evidence
Ignores positive aspects
Out of date
Not unified
Interactionist Personal life Perspective of the family
Suggest it is important to ask people what they view the family as being.
Fictive Kin - Tipper - people we consider family despite having no legal or blood relation. From a young age children decide who is ‘proper family’ which includes ficitve kin and they can be just as important as biological family.
Friends as family - Weeks says gay people create families based on the idea of friendship as friends offer them the same security and sexuality as heterosexual families.
Pets as family members - go on holidays, celebrations and even have funerals
Donor families - social meanings attributed to family members are more important than genetic ones.
Interactionist perspective of family Evaluation
Freewill and avoids determinsm
Ignores importance of biological family and relationships based on marriage and blood
