Key Families Points - Learn These!!! Flashcards
What is Murdock’s view of the family?
Argues nuclear family performs four essential functions: sexual, reproductive, economic and educational.
What did Parsons say about the family?
- Saw the nuclear family suited to modern society performing two irreducible functions: primary socialisation and the stabilisation of adult personalities (warm bath theory).
What is the Marxist view of the family?
Family serves capitalism reproducing labour, passing down private property and acting as a unit of consumption.
Who is Engles and what did he argue about family?
The monogamous nuclear family developed to solve the problem of inheritance, ensuring property is passed down through legitimate heirs.
What is Zaretskys view of the family?
Argues family offers and illusion of a haven from capitalism but in reality it supports the capitalist system.
What do feminists argue about family?
See the family as a key site of patriarchy where women perform unpaid domestic labour, suffer domestic violence and are socially controlled.
What does Delphy and Leonard argue about family?
They claim families are patriarchal institutions which men benefit from women’s unpaid labour and emotional support.
What is Somerville’s view on family?
Recognises progress for women e.g. increased work opportunities but argues the structure still limits them.
What is the personal life perspective?
Smart - we should focus on meanings and how individual define family e.g. chosen families, pets and friends.
What are the reasons for the increase in divorce?
Changes in law enforcement.g. 1996 Divorce Reform Act, secularisation, rising expectations and women’s independence.
What did Allan and Crow say about family diversity?
That it has increased due to the decline of trad social norms and greater choice.
What is Chesters view on family diversity?
Accepts some diversity but argues people still aspire to the nuclear family.
What did Beck say about family?
Suggests we live in a ‘risk society’ where individualisation leads to negotiated families over trad roles.
What is Staceys view on family?
Women are the drivers of family change creating diverse family structures like single hood or co-parenting.
What are the reasons for decline in birth rate?
Contraception, women’s careers, cost of children and child-centredness.
What are the reasons for the ageing population?
Increased life expectancy, declining birth rate and improved healthcare.
What is Hirsch’s argument about the ageing population?
Suggests society will need to adapt by changing policies (housing, retirement age) due to an ageing population.
What is the symmetrical family?
Young and Willmott found family becoming more equal, with joint conjugal roles emerging due to social changes like women’s employment.
What is Oakley’s view on housework?
Criticises Y&W showing women still do most housework and childcare - evidence of persistent patriarchy.
What do Dunne’s studies show?
Lesbian couples have more equal relationships supporting the feminist view that inequality in heterosexual families is due to gender scripts.
What did Gershunny find about housework?
A gradual move towards equality as women in paid work do less housework.
What did Pahl and Vogler say about money management?
Found men often control family income reinforcing patriarchal control.
What is the march of progress view of childhood?
Aries and Shorter argue childhood has improved over time - more valued, protected and educated.
What did Aries find about childhood in the past?
Childhood as a separate stage didnt exist in medieval times.
What is Postman’s view on childhood?
Childhood is disappearing due to media blurring the lines between adults and children e.g. TV access to adult content.
What is Palmer’s concept of toxic childhood?
Technological and cultural changes e.g. fast food and screen time damage children’s development.
What is the Functionalist view of social policy?
Fletcher - argues policies such as the NHS and education help families perform their functions more effectively.
What is the New Right view of social policy?
New Right thinkers like Murray argue policies (e.g. welfare benefits) create a “dependency culture” and undermine traditional family structures.
What do feminists argue about family policy?
Land says policies often assume a patriarchal nuclear family model, reinforcing women’s dependence on men (e.g. tax benefits for married couples).
What policy changes have impacted family life?
- Divorce Reform Act 1969
- Same-Sex Marriage Act 2013
- Civil Partnership Act 2004
- Shared Parental Leave (2015).
What is the difference between direct and indirect policies?
Direct policies affect families specifically (e.g. divorce laws), while indirect ones affect them through other areas (e.g. education or housing).
What are common family patterns among South Asian families in the UK?
South Asian families are often larger, with extended family networks and a stronger emphasis on marriage.
What patterns are found among Black Caribbean families?
Higher rates of lone parenthood and matrifocal households, often due to cultural and historical factors (e.g. slavery, racism, unemployment).
What did Ballard find about South Asian families?
Tend to have more traditional values and extended family support, which helps maintain nuclear stability.
What did Reynolds find about Black families?
Many “lone” Black mothers actually rely on extended networks — male absence doesn’t mean a lack of male involvement.
What are recent trends in marriage and cohabitation?
ONS (2023): marriage rates continue to fall; cohabitation and LAT relationships are increasing, especially among younger adults.
What are current trends in birth and fertility rates?
ONS (2023): fertility rate at an all-time low (1.49 per woman); later childbearing and voluntary childlessness are increasing.
What are current divorce trends?
Divorce rates peaked in the 1990s but have declined slightly due to people marrying later or cohabiting instead.
What’s the trend in lone-parent households?
Around 22% of families with dependent children are headed by a lone parent (ONS 2023), most often the mother.
What’s the trend with same-sex families?
Since the 2013 Same-Sex Marriage Act, same-sex families have become more common and socially accepted — ONS reports increasing numbers yearly.
