New Right Perspective

Question 1

Functions of the Nuclear Family

Answer 1

Role in social stability
Provides emotional security to children, socialising them to culture of society, and establishing respect for + conformity to social and moral values and norms

Question 2

Role Division

Answer 2

Traditional heterosexual nuclear family with traditional gender norms + division of labour
Men instrumental, women expressive

Question 3

Family Life Under Threat

Answer 3

Rising divorce rate, stepfamilies, lone parents, cohabitation as an alternative to marriage, childbirth outside marriage, gay marriage or civil partnership, and welfare state policies supporting relationships outside of nuclear family
Believe these undermine social stability

Question 4

Problems Created by Family Life Under Threat

Answer 4

Lack of respect and anti-social behaviour, lack of discipline, educational underachievement, alcohol and drug abuse, crime, and dependency on welfare.
Working mothers prioritise careers over family needs- lack of male role models

Question 5

Murray and Marsland- Undermined Personal Responsibility

Answer 5

Removed self-help + support form families
Welfare support encourages single women to have children they can’t afford
Decline of trad familiy contributes to dependency culture and underclass- want to avoid work + live off benefits

Question 6

Government Policies

Answer 6

Support policies to reverse decline of traditional family unit- measures to reduce divorce and births outside marriage + reduction of welfare state benefits to non-conventional families
Aim to make alternate ways of living less attractive- tax relief for married couples- benefit marriage over cohabitation

Question 7

Evaluation

Answer 7

Rosy view of family life, ignores darker side + harks back to re-establishment of romanticised era that probably never exisited
Similar to criticisms of functionalism