Modern Views On The Family Flashcards
functionalist, parsons
sees the nuclear family as being suited to meeting the needs of modern society which includes a geographically and socially mobile workforce and performing primary socialisation and stabilisation of adult personalities, which Parsons believed contributed to the overall stability and effectiveness of society. Functionalists such as Parsons therefore state that the type of family we find in modern society is a nuclear family with a division of labour between husband and wife. Other family types can be considered as ‘abnormal and inadequate’ and are less able to perform the functions required of the family.
new right
are opposed to family diversity and they hold the view that there is only one correct or normal family type. Like the Functionalists they believe that the best family type is the traditional patriarchal nuclear family consisting of a married couple and their dependent children where there is also a clear division of labour between the breadwinner – husband and homemaker – wife. Further viewpoints of the New Right are as follows:
*The decline of the traditional nuclear family and the growth of family diversity are the cause of many social problems.
*Lone parent families are both unnatural and harmful, mothers cannot discipline their children properly, they are a burden on the welfare state and they leave boys without an adult role model.
*Women should not go out to work as their first priority should be caring for their family.
*Cohabitation and divorce create family instability therefore marriage is essential for creating a stable environment in which to bring up children.
has the nuclear family changed into the neo conventional family
Chester recognises that there has been an increase in family diversity but doesn’t regard it as very significant. Chester argues that the only important change is a move from the conventional family (traditional nuclear family) to the neo-conventional family.
A neo- conventional family is a ‘dual earner’ family in which both the husband and wife go out to work.
Chester has also identified that;
*Most people live in a household headed by a married couple.
*Most marriages continue until death. Divorce has increased but most remarry.
*Cohabitation has increased but it is only temporary before marriage.
*Births outside marriages are jointly registered showing commitment to the child.
In addition Chester argues that people are not choosing to live in alternatives to the nuclear family on a long term basis and if they are it is due to the life cycle and what stage individuals are currently at. Finally, Chester states that the nuclear family remains the ideal to which most people aspire.
rapoport & rapoport, 5 types of family diversity
The Rapoports believe that we have moved away from the traditional nuclear family to a range of different types. Unlike the New Right the Rapoports see diversity as a response to people’s different needs and wishes and not as abnormal or deviant. The Rapoports have identified 5 different types of family diversity that can be remembered as CLOGS.
CLOGS
Cultural diversity
refers to the differences in lifestyles between families of different ethnic, national or religious backgrounds.
CLOGS
Life stage diversity
As time goes on the family moves through different life stages which creates different types of family, through what is known as the life cycle.
CLOGS
Organisational diversity
Organisational diversity refers to variations in family structure, household and kinship. This will cover changes in marriage, divorce, cohabitation, single parent families and reconstituted families.
CLOGS
Generational diversity
Older and younger generations have different attitudes and experiences that reflect the historical periods in which they have lived.
CLOGS
Social class diversity
Social class can impact on family life in several ways:
- Quality of life (e.g. income)
- Life chances and opportunities (e.g. educational and career)
- Family break up (e.g. w/c have higher likelihood of divorce)
- Family structure/ how housework is divided up (working class relationships tend to me more traditional)
However, some of these changes can be attributed to increased diversity in society, and increased social mobility, changes in immigration as well as changes in life expectancy.
how useful are post modren views on society
giddens
Giddens argues there is more choice and more equal relationships between men and women. Feminism has also allowed women to have greater independence so that couples can define their own roles and relationships e.g. they can cohabit instead of marriage. This creates ‘pure relationships’ – it exists solely to meet each partner’s needs and is based on ‘confluent love’. But Giddens notes that these pure relationships are less stable – once the love, happiness or sexual attraction goes, so can the relationship.
how useful is postmodren views on the family
beck
Beck argues that we now live in a ‘risk society’ – before making a choice we calculate the risks and rewards of the different courses of action available. In modern times the traditional patriarchal family was unequal and oppressive but it was stable and predictable with clear roles and responsibilities for each gender. In Postmodern times we have the ‘negotiated family’ – there are no traditional norms and values, instead they vary according to the wishes and expectations of the different members of the family via negotiation. But this type of family is less stable – family members leave if their needs aren’t met.
how useful is postmodren views on the family
postmodren femenist- stacey
Stacey argues that postmodernity and diversity has benefitted women because they can now escape patriarchy and form more egalitarian relationships. Stacey conducted life history interviews with postmodern families in California and found that women rejected the traditional housewife/mother role and instead they worked, attended adult education, aimed for promotions, divorced and remarried in order to create new types of family which better suited their needs. Stacey argued that we have a new family type in postmodern society: the divorce extended family. Members of this type of family are connected through divorce, rather than marriage e.g. ex-in-laws, ex-husband’s new partner.
how useful is postmodren views on the family
weeks
Weeks argues there has been a long-term shift in attitudes in society and we now have a growing acceptance of sexual and family diversity by the under 35s, but Weeks writes that despite these changes, most family patterns are fairly traditional as most children are brought up by a couple, most couples marry and many divorcees remarry.
