P2 Families and Households - Define Family

Question 1

How are modern families becoming increasignly more diverse?

Answer 1

• Nuclear
• Neo conventional
• Extended
• Single lone parents
• Reconstituted
• Same sex
• Fostered / Adopted
• Grandparents as main carers.
  These variation has caused sociologists issues in defining what counts as family

Question 2

What does George Murdock (functionalist) argue?

Answer 2

Although he found evidence of a variety of family forms within this sample, Murdock claimed that each contained a basic nucleus.
He claimed “the family is a social group characterised by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship and one or more children, own or adopted of the sexually cohabiting adults.

Question 3

What is Murdocks (functionalist) definition of a family?

Answer 3

He focuses on nuclear family –> made of two generations i.e heterosexual parents and their children living in the same household.

Question 4

What do right wing sociologists believe is the ideal type of family?

Answer 4

1. Kinship –> related to each other by blood, marriage etc,
2. Living together
3. Heterosexual –> based on love
4. Marriage
5. Shared responsibilities but natural differences will occur
   Women - nurture
   Men - breadwinner

Question 5

What are criticisms of Murdock (functionalism)

Answer 5

1. Needs a common residence
2. Sexually approved adult relationships (lack of agreement here)
3. Needs adults of both sexes
4. Needs one or more children

Question 6

Is the family universal?

Answer 6

Criticisms of Murdocks definition are that societies have many different domestic arrangements than those he describes:
Gough (1959) –> The Nayar
Gonzales (1970) –> Matrifocal Families
Sheeran (1993) –> Female core as basic family unit
Callahan (1997) –> Gay and Lesbian families

Question 7

What is the influence of traditional families?

Answer 7

1. Huge influence on society
2. Sociolgists argue acts as a conservative ideology:
   - Lone parents not as effective as two
   - Main parental responsibility lies with the mother
   - Homosexuals should not have the same rights