Funnctions of the Family Flashcards
what did G.P Murdock find about the family
- studied over 250 different societies and he found that the family was a universal feature of all
- he found that there was a core family type, Mae and female and children. referred to as the nuclear family.y
- he found that the nuclear family were functionally important as a working role in society
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functions of the family
- economic function, providing resources for the family
- sexual function or regulation of sexual activities
- education into the norms and values of society
- reproduction
what is the economic function
nuclear family fulfils the economic function through the man workingg and providing or the family
- their basic needs food, clothing and shelter are earned through labour of the man
- women provided more of a domestic role that met the economic needs - often doing unpaid labour at home
sexual regulation purpose
- sexual relationships between men and women within marriage controlled and regulation sexual urges
- promotion of heterosexuality ensured reproduction of next generation of society
- socialisation into gender appropriate roles prepared children for adult life
education function
refers to the socialisation oby the family of their children
- children learn the norms and values of society through being tougt them by their parents
- these included gendered morms and values that allow children to be able to fit into society and ensure that they are able to contribute to the harmonious founctioning of society
reproduction function
- Men and women reproduce and these children become the next generation of society
- Gender socialisation prepares children to take on these roles by promoting social behaviours that will allow them to reproduce once in a stable heterosexual relationship
- Without the function of reproduction, society could stagnate and this places strain on elder members of society
evaluation of the functions of the family
- feminists criticise Murdocks arguments by saying that it fails to acknowledge the most vital unit of the family: mothers and children
- marxists argue that Murdock fails to acknowledge the influence of capitalism in reproducing thenext generation of workers
- outdated and fails to acknowledge changing gender roles etc
Parsons on the faily
- similar to Murdock in the way he suggests that is it universal, however claims it is more isolated with the nuclear family
- two basic functions:
primary socialisation
the stabilisation of adult personalities
what 8s primary socialisation (parsons )
- early socialisation of children into the norms and values off society
- taught the value consensus
what s the stabilisation of adult personalities
- (warm bath theory)
- family life provides emotional securityy for adult family members
- adults can indulge in childish tendencies by playing with children
- actions stabilise personalities and provide a sense of fulfilment
sex role theory
Parsons suggested that roles in the family were divided based upon biological characteristics and gendered socialisation
* Instrumental
evaluation of parsons on the family
Feminists criticise Parsons for stereotypical views of female role and expectations of females towards males
* Nuclear family argued not to have evolved due to industrialisation
* Outdated view - criticised by more contemporary research that states a decline in the functions
what are the marxists views on the family
- Critical views of the role of the family and how it serves the needs of the elites in society and impacts on the working class
- false class consciousness making families believe they are successful if they are the typical capitalist family
what does Engles put forward about the family
- Engles argued that before capitalism people lived in a promiscuous hoard and monogamy came along as a product of capitalism - ownership of property
- lead to the control of sexual behaviours of monogamous relationships
evaluation of Engles
- feminists argue that the control of women and children stems not from economic means ut from the patriarchy
- little evidence to support the arguments that people live in a promiscuous hoard
- infidelity still exists and paternity is not certain
