Paper 2: Families and Households Flashcards
Family refers to …
A household refers either to …
Family refers to a group of people who are related by kinship ties, that is, relations of blood, marriage, partnership or adoption.
A household refers either to a person living alone or a group of people who live at the same address and share living arrangements.
Which definition of relationship structure might include a group of friends living together?
Which definition of relationship structure might include a group of friends living together?
Household
Different sociological perspectives view the family through different lenses, including their purpose in …
Different sociological perspectives view the family through different lenses, including their purpose in society and their influence on the socialisation process
Families and households differ in their ________ and …
Families and households differ in their structure and bonds and can be very diverse.
Functionalists see the family as ___________ to society, contributing to … and providing a source of …
Functionalists see the family as beneficial to society, contributing to social stability and providing a source of practical and emotional support for individuals in a number of ways.
The Functionalist perspective
The family meets the needs of society by socialising children into shared …, that is, a value consensus leading to …
The family provides security for …
The Functionalist perspective
The family meets the needs of society by socialising children into shared norms and values, that is, a value consensus leading to social harmony and stability.
The family provides security for conception, birth and nurture of new members of society.
The male role
The family stabilises … and helps to maintain a …. with men performing _____________ roles and women performing _____________ roles.
Instrumental role refers to the role of the ‘_____________’ which can lead to …
The male role
The family stabilises adult personalities and helps to maintain a stable society through the sexual division of labour, with men performing instrumental roles and women performing expressive roles.
Instrumental role refers to the role of the ‘breadwinner’ which can lead to stress and anxiety and can destabilise his personality.
The female role
The stress caused by the man’s ____________ role can be _____________ by that of the woman and her ____________ role, providing …
The family is a supportive and general happy …
The female role
The stress caused by the man’s instrumental role can be countered by that of the woman and her expressive role, providing warmth, security and emotional support to the family.
The family is a supportive and general happy social institution.
Loss of function
________ argues that the family in _______________ society had lost many of its functions through the process of …
Structural differentiation refers to …, such as the … and ___________
_________ believes that the two main functions of the family are the … of children and the stabilisation of …
Loss of function
Parsons argues that the family in contemporary society had lost many of its functions through the process of structural differentiation.
Structural differentiation refers to the way functions are transferred to other specialised institutions, such as the welfare state and healthcare.
Parsons believes that the two main functions of the family are the primary socialisation of children and the stabilisation of human personalities.
Benefits and Criticisms - the Functionalist Perspective
Benefits and Criticisms - the Functionalist Perspective
The Functionalist perspective holds the traditional nuclear family as the familial ideal.
Benefits of the traditional nuclear family
______ argues that the … better than __________ families.
Smaller families provide …
Benefits of the traditional nuclear family
Parsons argues that the two-generational nuclear family ‘fits’ contemporary industrial societies better than extended families.
Smaller families provide a more geographically mobile workforce who can easily move around the country to areas where their skills are most needed.
Social mobility
Higher rates of social mobility make it easier to …
Rising ________ standards and … taking over some functions previously performed by the family (structural differentiation) have reduced …
Social mobility
Higher rates of social mobility make it easier to move up or down that social scale.
Rising living standards and the welfare state taking over some functions previously performed by the family (structural differentiation) have reduced dependence on kin for support in times of distress.
Meritocracy
The growth in meritocracy (where …) means that …
Meritocracy
The growth in meritocracy (where success is possible through people’s own efforts and skill, rather than family connections) means that extended kin have less to offer family members, for example, job opportunities.
Criticisms of the functionalist approach
Functionalism assumes that … and ignores …
Criticisms of the functionalist approach
Functionalism assumes that the family is a happy and harmonious institution and ignores the reality of family conflicts and domestic abuse.
Out-dated
… is out-dated and bears little relation to …
Today, both partners are …
Out-dated
The notion of instrumental and expressive roles is out-dated and bears little relation to modern families.
Today, both partners are likely to be playing the instrumental and expressive roles.
Undermines women
The functionalist view ignores …, who suffer the responsibility of … and undermining … and …
Undermines women
The functionalist view ignores the exploitation of women, who suffer the responsibility of housework and childcare, undermining their position in paid employment and reducing their power.
Support for the functionalist perspective:
1 Smaller families ... 2 Higher rates of social mobility ... 3 Rising living standards and structural differentiation have ... 4 The growth in ...
Support for the functionalist perspective:
1
Smaller families provide a more geographically mobile workforce
2
Higher rates of social mobility make it easier to move up or down that social scale
3
Rising living standards and structural differentiation have reduced dependence on kin for support
4
The growth in meritocracy means extended kin have less to offer
The New Right Perspective
The New Right is a ________ rather than sociological approach and views the role of the family in society …
The New Right Perspective
The New Right is a political rather than sociological approach and views the role of the family in society in similar way to functionalists.
Gender roles
The New Right support … and a …
The New Right believe that the best way to bring up children is to encourage _________ and raise them within a family made up of … and the division of …
Gender roles
The New Right support traditional family values and a traditional heterosexual nuclear family.
The New Right believe that the best way to bring up children is to encourage conformity and raise them within a family made up of two natural parents and the division of instrumental and expressive gender roles.
Alternative families
The New Right opposes changes to the law that would make …
They are also opposed to ______________, an increase in …, _____________ as an alternative to marriage, and …
Alternative families
The New Right opposes changes to the law that would make divorce easier.
They are also opposed to stepfamilies, an increase in lone parents, cohabitation as an alternative to marriage, and births outside marriage.
Criticisms of the functionalist approach:
1 Ignores ... 2 Out dated - today, ... 3 Ignores ...
Criticisms of the functionalist approach:
1
Ignores the reality of family conflicts and domestic abuse
2
Out dated - today, both partners are likely to be playing the instrumental and expressive roles
3
Ignores the exploitation of women
The New Right’s opinion on the Welfare State:
1 The New Right believe that welfare state policies 2 that support relationships outside the ... 3 undermine ... 4 and create a ... 5 and social problems 6 such as ... 7 and ...
The New Right’s opinion on the Welfare State:
1 The New Right believe that welfare state policies 2 that support relationships outside the conventional nuclear family 3 undermine personal responsibility 4 and create a dependency culture 5 and social problems 6 such as juvenile crime 7 and anti-social behaviour
Marxists see the family as … where conflict between …
Marxists see the family as serving the need of a capitalist society where conflict between social classes and opposing interests are part of its framework.
Capitalism
Marxism sees the family as … to …
___ views the family as an …, passing on … and …
Capitalism
Marxism sees the family as reproducing, nurturing and maintaining a workforce to support capitalism.
Althusser views the family as an ideological state apparatus, passing on the acceptance of the ruling class ideology and damping down social conflict.
Inequality
According to Marxists, the family reproduces inequality and the transmission of ___ between generations and through ___ marriage, keeping the ___ with a small number of families
The family provides an … and haven from ____ and ____ at work or, as Zaretsky points out, ‘…’
Inequality
According to Marxists, the family reproduces inequality and the transmission of wealth between generations and through monogamous marriage, keeping the wealth with a small number of families
The family provides an escape route and haven from oppression and exploitation at work or, as Zaretsky points out, ‘the family is a private place where workers can be valued as individuals.’
Criticisms of the Marxist perspective
It’s ____, for example …
The family can be as much of source of conflict as can an …; this is particularly …
Marxists paint a very ___ view of family life, arguing that its purpose is simply to … for the …, whereas, family life can be …
Criticisms of the Marxist perspective
It’s out-dated, for example, people rarely marry just to pass on wealth to their children.
The family can be as much of source of conflict as can an escape route; this is particularly true for women.
Marxists paint a very negative view of family life, arguing that its purpose is simply to produce workers for the dominant ideology, whereas, family life can be harmonious and fulfilling.
Marxist views of the family:
1 The family is an ... 2 It maintains ... 3 The family ... 4 It is a vessel for ... 5 and passing on ... 6 and damping ...
Marxist views of the family:
1
The family is an ideological state apparatus
2
It maintains a workforce to support capitalism
3
The family reproduces inequality
4
It is a vessel for transmitting wealth between generations
5
and passing on the acceptance of the ruling class ideology
6
and damping down social conflict
The feminist perspective
Feminism emphasises the … and the …
The feminist perspective
Feminism emphasises the patriarchal nature of the family and the harmful effects it has on women’s power, careers and health.
Liberal feminists
Liberal feminists believe that the best way to remedy the adverse effects to women’s careers and power is by reform measures that enable women to …
Liberal feminists
Liberal feminists believe that the best way to remedy the adverse effects to women’s careers and power is by reform measures that enable women to make free career choices between motherhood, a career or a combination of both.
Liberal feminist policy
This change can take place by, for example:
Avoiding …
Implementing laws to establish …
Preventing …
Implementing equality in …
Liberal feminist policy
This change can take place by, for example:
Avoiding gender stereotyping during socialisation.
Implementing laws to establish equal pay.
Preventing sex discrimination.
Implementing equality in maternity and paternity leave.
Radical feminists
Radical feminists see the family as a ___ institution reproducing the …
Men are seen to …, sometimes supported with …
Men are seen to benefit from women’s …
Radical feminists
Radical feminists see the family as a patriarchal institution reproducing the inequality of women and benefiting men.
Men are seen to exercise power and control over women, sometimes supported with physical violence.
Men are seen to benefit from women’s unpaid domestic labour.
Radical and Marxist
Like Marxist feminists, radical feminists regard the family as an … institution for women, linked to … and patriarchy, which needs to be ___
Radical and Marxist
Like Marxist feminists, radical feminists regard the family as an oppressive institution for women, linked to capitalist exploitation and patriarchy, which needs to be abolished.
Marxist feminists
Marxist feminists emphasise the way women are …, both as …
The family is seen as meeting the need of ____ and exploiting women through a number of pathways…
Marxist feminists
Marxist feminists emphasise the way women are doubly exploited, both as workers in an exploitative capitalist system and as women in a patriarchal society.
The family is seen as meeting the need of capitalism and exploiting women through a number of pathways…
Capitalism and female exploitation
Through reproducing the labour force via …
Through …, the demands of … and … keep people in unsatisfying, boring and unrewarding jobs.
Capitalism and female exploitation
Through reproducing the labour force via primary socialisation and unpaid domestic labour.
Through social control, the demands of supporting a family and buying consumer goods keep people in unsatisfying, boring and unrewarding jobs.
According to Delphy and Leonard, the family acts as a …, in that women provide a ____ for male workers through …, helping to prevent …
According to Delphy and Leonard, the family acts as a safety valve, in that women provide a sanctuary for male workers through their emotional expressive work, helping to prevent frustration at work spilling over into unrest.
Criticisms of the feminist perspective
Women’s roles are …
today most women are …
Changes in women’s roles give them …
Many women can’t be described as …
they have more choice over …
More women than men …
Criticisms of the feminist perspective
Women’s roles are not the same in all families
today most women are in employment.
Changes in women’s roles give them more independence within the family.
Many women can’t be described as victims trapped in oppressive relationships and they have more choice over the roles they take on.
More women than men initiate divorce.
Postmodernism and the Family
Postmodernists disagree with the premise that society is …
Postmodernism and the Family
Postmodernists disagree with the premise that society is orderly and predictable.
Postmodernists disagree with the premise that society is …
They view sociological theories as merely metanarratives, big stories that are no longer able to explain…, so it is no longer possible to make generalised statements of theories about …
Postmodernists disagree with the premise that society is orderly and predictable.
They view sociological theories as merely metanarratives, big stories that are no longer able to explain the diversity of personal relationships, so it is no longer possible to make generalised statements of theories about family life.
PMs - Change to social order
They argue that contemporary society is … and, therefore, full of uncertainties; people are …
Change to social order
They argue that contemporary society is rapidly changing and, therefore, full of uncertainties; people are rejecting notions of the traditional family as a mainstay of the social order.
Individualism
Individualism (or self-interest), diversity and consumer choice are the main features of postmodern society, evidenced by:
The disintegration of …
The growing …
The personal …
Individualism
Individualism (or self-interest), diversity and consumer choice are the main features of postmodern society, evidenced by:
The disintegration of the traditional family.
The growing diversity of households.
The personal relationships in which people choose to live.
Decline of tradition
People no longer feel … and expectations, evidenced by factors like:
(6)
These all show that …
Decline of tradition
People no longer feel tied to traditional ideas and expectations, evidenced by factors like:
Rising divorce rates.
Cohabitation.
Multiple partners.
Stepfamilies.
Gay couples.
Births outside marriage.
These all show that the way people live their lives is more flexible now.
Functionalism
Founding father - Durkheim
Families and households contribute to social solidarity as …
Families contribute to value consensus because …
E.g.
Families contribute to equilibrium because …
Functionalism
Founding father - Durkheim
Families and households contribute to social solidarity as members of a family are a mini society of their own and they’re a microcosm of a bigger society.
Families contribute to value consensus because parents are an agency of primary socialisation
Same sex household, children have different norms and values
Families contribute to equilibrium because families try to promote stability and equality and majority of families would look after each other
Reflecting Durkheim views, Murdock argues that the family performs 4 functions:
Sexual - …
Reproduction- …
Socialisation - …
Economic - …
Emotional - …
Reflecting Durkheim views, Murdock argues that the family performs 4 functions:
Sexual - stable satisfaction of the sex drive with the same partner prevents the social disruption caused by a sexual ‘free for all’
Reproduction- reproduction of the next generation, without this society could not continue
Socialisation - socialisation of the Young into society’s shared norms and values
Economic - meeting its members economic needs
Emotional - families love care and support one another
Criticism of Murdocks 4 functions on the family
2
Criticism of Murdocks 4 functions on the family
other non-nuclear family structures are just as capable of fulfilling these functions
And they question his rose-tinted consensus assumption that all nuclear families carry out these functions
Marxism
Karl Marx
A class of owners:
A class of non-owners:
Both dependent on each other;
This leads to ___ as the ruling class … because …
Capitalists main objective is to …
Marxism
Karl Marx
A class of owners: The bourgeoisie The capitalists They are rich They’re the dominant class The ruling class
A class of non-owners:
The workers
The proletariat
They lack power and wealth; the subordinate class
Both dependent on each other; both classes perform crucial jobs that correspond to one another
This leads to exploitation as the ruling class keep wages low because they have power and authority. Capitalists main objective is to make more money
Capitalism is ___ and ___ society based on a class of …
Capitalism is hierarchical and in-egalitarian society based on a class of owners and non-owners
Marx argues that although the proletariat suffer great inequalities they endure them as …
This is the result of …, where …
Marx argues that although the proletariat suffer great inequalities they endure them as they suffer from false class consciousness
This is the result of ruling class ideology, where RC ideas become dominant and influence how people see things
Marxists believe that the way the family functions, serves to …
By …
Unclear whether these arguments are valid, especially in today’s diverse … with a growing … and emergence of …
Family is not …
There’s an assumption that …
Marxists base …
Families assumed to be ____
Some are a unit of ____
Marxists believe that the way the family functions, serves to preserve and perpetuate the unsatisfying and un-liberating patterns of capitalism
By Producing hierarchy in-egalitarian relationships, by acting as a safety valve dampening down discontentment and as a unit of consumption
Unclear whether these arguments are valid, especially in today’s diverse and rapidly changing society with a growing service sector and emergence of an underclass
Family is not the only source of satisfaction
There’s an assumption that all families are hierarchy’s
Marxists base findings on only nuclear families
Families assumed to be materialistic
Some are a unit of production
Liberal feminism:
Focus on … and for equal … for women and argue that men would also …
The Most effective ways to promote gender equality:
Criticism:
Liberal feminism:
Focus on campaigning against sex discrimination as for equal rights and opportunities for women and argue that men would also benefit from full gender equality
The Most effective ways to promote gender equality:
changing peoples attitude and behaviours through socialisation
Passing legislation to outlaw discrimination
Criticism
Too optimistic
Not necessarily promoted gender equality as they envisaged
Marxist feminism:
Argue that the main cause of women’s oppression is ___
Serves key functions for capitalism:
Women reproduce … by socialising the next generation of workers with …
Women act as a … and … that would …
Women are a ‘reserve army’ of … that can be …
Marxist feminist see the oppression of women in the family as linked to the …
Marxist feminism:
Argue that the main cause of women’s oppression is capitalism
Serves key functions for capitalism:
Women reproduce the labour force through their unpaid domestic labour by socialising the next generation of workers with the values required by capitalists and maintaining the current one
Women act as a safety valve and absorb anger that would otherwise be directed at capitalism
Women are a ‘reserve army’ of cheap labour that can be exploited depending on the needs of the economy
Marxist feminist see the oppression of women in the family as linked to the exploitation of the working class
Marxism- the origins of the family
According to Engels early human beings lived as ___
No concept of …
No need to establish paternity of children as …
sexual relations were ___ and society was ___
The development of property ownership through ___ and the development of capitalism shifted the balance of power from … that led to the creation of the …
Women retreated to the ___ and capitalism led to … of not just as men as … but also of women
Society became patrilineal, …
Marxism- the origins of the family
According to Engels early human beings lived as hunters
No concept of private property
No need to establish paternity of children as everyone shared everything, property wasn’t passed down and no inheritance
sexual relations were promiscuous and society was matriarchal
The development of property ownership through industrialisation and the development of capitalism shifted the balance of power from women to men that led to the creation of the patriarchal system
Women retreated to the home and capitalism led to the exploitation and oppression of not just as men as wage slaves but also of women
Society became patrilineal, property became the right of males and was passed down to the legitimate son
Radical feminism
Argue that ___ causes women’s oppression
Claim key division in society is between men and women ___;
Men are the ___ and the source of …
The family and marriage are …
Men benefit from women’s … and they dominate …
For RFs the patriarchal system has to be ___ and the family which is …
The encourage ____ (where women organise themselves and live independently of men)
Many support the creation of …
Some advocate …
Radical feminism
Argue that patriarchy causes women’s oppression
Claim key division in society is between men and women arguing;
Men are the Enemy and the source of women’s oppression
The family and marriage are key patriarchal institutions in society
Men benefit from women’s unpaid domestic labour and sexual services and the dominate women through domestic violence or the threat of it
For RFs the patriarchal system has to be overturned and the family which is at the root of their oppression, abolished
The encourage separatism (where women organise themselves and live independently of men)
Many support the creation of matriarchal households
Some advocate political lesbianism to avoid sleeping with the ‘enemy’
Difference feminism
The others tend to assume that … and share a similar …
Difference feminists believe it’s wrong to ___ and argue that … all have different experiences
Different theories are needed to account for these difference
Difference feminism
The others tend to assume that most women live in conventional nuclear families and share a similar experience of family life
Difference feminists believe it’s wrong to generalise and argue that middle class and working class, black and white, heterosexual and lesbian, old and young women all have different experiences
Different theories are needed to account for these differences
Interactionism/The personal life perspective
Argues that all of the sociological theories of the family suffer from two weaknesses
Interactionist and postmodernists reject the structural view as …
Interactionism/The personal life perspective
Argues that all of the sociological theories of the family suffer from two weaknesses
- the tend to assume that the traditional nuclear family is the dominant family type
- they are all structural theories (they assume that families are shaped by society and their members are simply passive puppets)
Interactionist and postmodernists reject the structural view as it ignores the fact that we have some choice in creating our family relationships
Functionalism, Marxism and feminism take a …
The personal life perspective shares the ‘..’ approach interactionism
The PLP draws our attention to a range of other personal or intimate relationships that are important to people even though they …
These relationships give individuals a sense of … e.g.
PLP criticised for …; by including a wide range of different kinds of personal relationships we …
Functionalism, Marxism and feminism take a ‘top down’ structural approach Of interactionism
The personal life perspective shares the ‘bottom up’ approach interactionism
The PLP draws our attention to a range of other personal or intimate relationships that are important to people even though they may not be conventionally defined as ‘family’
These relationships give individuals a sense of identity, belonging or relatedness such as:
Relationships with friends who may be like a sister or brother to you
PLP criticised for taking too broad a view; by including a wide range of different kinds of personal relationships we ignore what is special about relationships that are based on blood or marriage
10 mark question
Type 1: Outline and explain
Type 2: analyse
10 mark question
Type 1: Outline and explain
Point/criticism (1 mark)
Explain (4)
Point/criticism (1 mark)
Explain (4)
Type 2: analyse
Point/effect (1)
Analyse and use item (3)
Evaluation (1)
Point/effect (1)
Analyse and use item (3)
Evaluation (1)
The 20 and 30 mark ‘evaluate’ questions
The 20 and 30 mark ‘evaluate’ questions
-Introduction
‘While there is evidence .. there is much evidence to challenge this view.’
‘ this essay will explore relevant arguments and evidence central to this debate’
-5 PEELED paragraphs
Point Evidence Explanation Link Evaluation
-conclusion
‘To conclude, it is clear that there is more evidence to suggest that…’
