P2 Families and Households - Evolution of the Family Flashcards
What does Parsons (functionalist) say about the evolution of the family?
- He researched the nature of family through historical records to try and explain why the nuclear family has been dominant
- Influence of industrialisation and economy on family structures and relationships
What were pre industrialisation societies like?
The extended families were responsible for:
- Production of food
- Shelter
- Clothing
What are roles in the family based on?
- The roles in family were based on ascription
- These roles would be passed down from generation to generation, therefore the extended families stayed closely knit.
- Family members would not reject these roles ( sense of duty and obligation to the family )
What are the roles of the extended families?
- Skills and education
- Rarely included literacy and numeracy - Health Care
- High infant mortality rates and low life expectancy indicate this was a struggle - Wellfare
- Grandparents who became too old to work would look after young children in the family - Justice
- Deal with any wrong doings in the family
What does Parson argue about industrialisation?
Parson argues that industrialisation brought around 4 fundamental changes to the family:
1. Mobility
2. Achievement
3. Changes to care of the family
4. Family role
Only the nuclear family could effectively provide the workforce that was needed by the modern industrial society
How has geographical mobility helped with family life?
The ability to move around quickly for available jobs has meant that nuclear families have increased as families moved away from extended relatives for jobs.
How has ascription to achievement helped family life?
Mass education was introduced and workers were selected on education.
How has structural differentiation helped with family life?
Specialised agencies took over family roles, therefore structural differentiation increased where the family had fewer roles due to the state and industrial companies taking over
The nuclear family was left with two main functions:
- Primary socialisation of children and stabilisation of adult personalities
What are the clear family roles?
The nuclear unit lead to clear roles between husband and wife.
Male = Instrumental Leader
- Protection of family, financial responsibility
Female = Expressive Leader
- Socialisation of children, emotional care, support of family
Parsons argues that this is “natural”
What are the criticisms of Parsons views according to Laslett?
Laslett:
1. English Parish records from pre industrial society
2. Only 10% of households had kin beyond the nuclear family
- This could be explained by late marriage / high infant mortality rate and also sending children away to work as servants
What are criticisms of Laslett’s statistics?
Quantitative not qualitative so might not give a real insight into the quality of family life e.g may live in nuclear family but see/work with family on a daily basis.
What are criticisms of Parsons views according to Anderson?
- Preston census records from 1951
- Post industrial families were still shared by extended kin
- This could be explained by mutual economic support (in a town where poverty was common people probably pooled wages together to pay rent )
What are criticisms of Parsons views according to Wilmott and Young?
- Noted the move to nuclear family was not as quick as Parsons suggest
- 1950s extended families still existed in an advanced stage of industrialisation - Extended family unit went into decline in 1960s due to working class communities being rehouse
- Welfare state took over roles of family further
