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Sociology - Families + Households > Paper 2 - Families + Households > Flashcards

Paper 2 - Families + Households Flashcards

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1
Q

4 Functions of the family (MURDOCK)

A
  • Sexual = ensures that adult sexual relationships are controlled and socially acceptable
  • Reproductive = biological reproduction of the next gen
  • Economic = socialisation of the young, teaching basic norms and values so that the next gen are fully integrated into society
  • Social = meeting its members economic needs e.g. food and shelter
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2
Q

2 Functions of the family (PARSONS)

A
  • Socialisation = agrees with Murdock that the family is essential in the primary socialisation process and ensuring that each gen are
  • Stabilisation of Adult personalities = emotional security which is achieved within a martial relationship between two adults, stabalisation is achieved through the biologically determined roles - expressive and instrumental
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3
Q

Warm Bath Theory

A

According to Parsons, working life in industrial society is stressful and the family is a place where the working man can return and be ‘de-stressed’ by his wife, which reduces conflict in society

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4
Q

Evaluation of Functionalist view of the family:

A
  • Down plays role of conflict = oppression of women and domestic violence are not acknowledged, family isn’t safe for all members
  • Outdated = women now go out to work and the biological roles as set out by Parsons no longer apply
  • Deterministic = assumes that the members of society automatically take on the norms and values
  • Ignores family diversity = assumes that the nuclear family is the only family type that can perform functions
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5
Q

Functionalist View

A

the family is one of the corner stones of society. it performs essential functions which support social stability and cohesion

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6
Q

Parsons: internal criticisms

A
  • best fit theory = nuclear fam is not universal, structure of the family changes as the needs of society changes
  • structural differentiation = some functions of the family as identified by Murdock have moved to other institutions e.g. the economic function has been taken on by the welfare state and the NHS
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7
Q

Marxist view of the family

A

the family is a tool of capitalism and its main function is to maintain capitalism and reinforce social inequalities

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8
Q

4 Marxist functions of the family
(Inheritance of wealth)

A

Fedrick Engels = the isolated nuclear family means that men are able to confirm when a child is theirs and can ensure that wealth stays within the family through private inheritance, this helps maintain capitalism by keeping wealth within the family rather than being distributed

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9
Q

4 Marxist functions of the family
(Cushioning Effect)

A

Zaretsky = Family allows man to feel in control as they are exploited at work, this prevents proleteriat from realising their position

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10
Q

4 Marxist functions of the family
(Unit of consumption)

A

Zaretsky = families play a vital role in the generation of profits for the bourgeoisie, workers are paid less than the amount charged for the products they create, fam is then targeted by advertisers to buy the products they have created by urging families ‘to keep up with the Jones’ and targeting children to use ‘pester power’ to ensure that they have the latest things to prevent bullying

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11
Q

4 Marxist functions of the family
(Socialisation)

A

Althusser = marxists agree with functionalists the the family is a key part of the socialisation process, however marxists believe family socialises next generation into ruling class ideology and unequal social hierarchy

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12
Q

Evaluation of Marxist View of family:

A
  • Ignores family diversity = Only discusses role of nuclear family structure but ignores different family types
  • Deterministic = Overemphasises role of family in maintaining capitalist structures and fails to acknowledge how women exploited through patriarchy
  • Negative view = Ignores the positive effects that family has on individuals

+ = discusses the idea that the nuclear family is a social construction, ‘dark side of the family’

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13
Q

Triple Shift (DUNCOMBE AND MARSDEN)

A

Women expected to perform emotional support, domestic labour and paid work

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14
Q

Liberal Feminism view of the family

A

Family becoming equal slowly through law reforms and change in social attitudes. They still believe there is progress left

For example they show how parents are now socialising their children in more gender neutral ways, with similar aspirations for both sons and daughters and chores not being determined by gender

Evaluation:
- overstates the amount of progress that has been made, women still have the triple shift
- marxists and radical feminists argue that liberal fail to challenge underlying causes of women’s oppression and changing the law is not enough to bring about equality

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15
Q

Radical Feminism view of the family

A

MEN ARE THE ENEMY and marriage is a tool of patriarchy to control women. women should turn to political lesbianism. patriarchy needs to be overturned, family needs to be abolished
Greer - matrilocal households - all female households with shared parental responsibility

Evaluation:
Sommerville argue Rad Fem fail to acknowledge improvements made to women’s experiences
With better access to divorce and control over their fertility women are no longer trapped in the family

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16
Q

Marxist Feminism view of the family

A

Family a tool of capitalism.
Support capitalism:
- Women reproduce next generation of workforce and socialise them into social hierarchy
- Reserve workforce = women are a reserve army of cheap labour that can be activated when they’re1 needed and let go when no longer needed
- Absorb anger from husbands who are frustrated by their alienation and exploitation, Ansley = women are takers of shit

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17
Q

Evaluation of Marxist Feminism view of the family

A

Women no longer reserve labour force as they have equal rights at work, likely as men to be breadwinner

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18
Q

Feminist view

A

believe that the family is a tool of female oppression and the nuclear family serves the needs of men rather than women, this is through issues such as unequal division of domestic labour and violence

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19
Q

Duel burden

A

roles women play = emotional support and domestic labour

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20
Q

SMART AND NORQVIST- Personal Life (donor-conceived children)
POSTMODERN

A

Mothers noted that their definition of being a mother was
more linked to the time taken to raise their child than the cell that started the process. Focus on social rather than genetic relationship

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21
Q

Evaluation of Personal Life perspective of the family

A

Too broad of view it is easy to overlook what is special about blood and marriage ties

This approach helps us to understand how people themselves construct and define family relationships

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22
Q

STACEY- PMs (More choice)

A

Greater freedom and choice has benefitted women by allowing them to free themselves from patriarchal and oppression and shape family arrangements. Ex partners still helped out domestically and financially. (Divorce-Extended Family)
Stacey used life history interviews to show that it is women who have led changes in family structure

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23
Q

GIDDENS&BECK- PMs (Individualisation thesis)

A

Freed from traditional roles of traditional society which means we are able to choose the family that meets our needs. Availability of contraception and greater independence for women. Search for pure relationships.

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24
Q

Evaluation of PMs view of family: PLP

A

Exaggeration of how much choice we actually may have. People are not completely disembedded from social context

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25
Q

Evaluation of PMs view of family: Vanessa May

A

‘Beck and Giddens view of the individual is simply an idealised version of a white middle class man’

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26
Q

Evaluation of PMs view of family: Carol Smart

A

Connectedness Thesis = people are social beings who live in a web of connectedness, networks of relationships and personal histories which influence options and choices

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27
Q

Social Policy definition

A

refer to laws made by the gov which aim to improve society or deal with a social policy

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28
Q

Social Policy: New Right View

A

social policies have been a negative influence on society promoting family diversity and the disintegration of society

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29
Q

Social Policy: Feminist View

A

see policies as assuming what a ‘normal family’ is patriarchal nuclear family with a male breadwinner and female homemaker e.g. childcare policies

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30
Q

Social Policy: Marxists View

A

see family policy as a way for the ruling class to maintain their capitalist control of society and ensure fam continues to support capitalism

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31
Q

Social Policy: Ronald Fletcher

A

health education and housing policies have led to the welfare state which supports the fam in completing its functions

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32
Q

Types of Social Policy

A

1) Providing material support for the family e.g. tax credit and child benefits

2) Helping parents to balance working life and family life e.g. maternity pay, early years childcare

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33
Q

1980 - 1990s = Conservative Policies

A

Aim = strengthen the traditional nuclear family, emphasising the self help and reliance - reduced welfare pay

Examples = Child Support Agency 1993, Back to Basic, Married Men’s Tax Allowance, Children’s Act 1989

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34
Q

1997 - 2010 = New Labour Policies

A

Aim = Silva + Smart - favoured duel earning families but also emphases the heterosexual nuclear family and for parents to take responsibility for their children

Examples = longer maternity leave, working families tax credit, the new deal, civil partnerships

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35
Q

2010 onwards = Coalition Policies

A

Aim = inconsistent policies on the family due to conflict between 2 camps of MP’s = modernists who accept diversity and traditionalists who favour a new right view

Examples = removed couples penalty, shared parental leave and equal marriage act

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36
Q

Divorce Reform Act 1969

A
  • Made divorce easier to obtain, allowed women to file for divorce from husband without having to prove anything

IMPACT:
- Increase in family diversity, increased women’s independence

37
Q

Rappaports 5 types of family diversity

A

C (Cultural Diversity) = differences arise from those who come from different cultures with varying norms and values

L (Life Course) = diversity caused by the different stages that people have reached in life

O (Organisational) = differences in the way families are structured

G (Generational) = differences created by historical periods that families have lived through

C (Class) = different views of families are held in different parts of society

38
Q

Causes of family diversity

A
  • Changing patterns = divorce - more single parent and reconstituted families
  • Post modernisation = diversity is a reflection of a more diverse society
  • Economic factors = increasing wealth means more people can live alone, but those who can’t afford this have multi-generational families
  • Changing roles = women having careers means they are having less children - single person or beanpole households
  • Policies = 1969 divorce act, 1972 equal pay act and welfare benefits have led to an underclass and more teenage pregnancy
39
Q

Theories of family diversity (Functionalist - Parsons)

A

Functional Fit Theory - as society changes, the type of family and its function change to suit society

40
Q

Theories of family diversity (New Right - Murray)

A

Nuclear family is under threat due to social policies that change processes in the family

41
Q

Theories of family diversity (Postmodernist)

A

Diversity is the new norm in society and people are given more freedom and only have to remain in a relationship as long as their needs are met

42
Q

Theories of family diversity (Feminist - Stacey)

A

Women can now create families to suit their needs, including divorce-extended families

43
Q

Domestic Division of Labour

A
  • Men traditionally have an instrumental role = main breadwinner to provide for the family
  • Women have an expressive role = complete housework and take care of children
  • March of Progress View (Wilmott and Young) = the early industrial family was based on segregated roles but after the industrial revolution, increased gender equality made roles more equal and democratic
44
Q

Has the change in domestic division of labour been exaggerated?

A

NO:
more women are now in full-time work so families are more symmetrical - in 1971 53% of women aged 16-64 were in work but this was 67% in 2013

YES:
Rapoport - career women were still viewed as ‘wives and mothers’
Oakley - studying 40 housewives, they were as alienated by their work as factory workers and had similar coping strategies
Hochschild - full time working women spent 3 hours a day doing housework, whilst men only spent 17 minutes doing housework

45
Q

Why are roles changing?

A
  • more women going into work, men need to be home
  • paternity leave
  • feminism
  • technology lessens housework
  • decline in extended families = fewer elders to help out, couples are more equal
  • commercialisation of domestic labour = duel earning, growth in domestic labour industry as more families pay for tasks to be completed e.g. nannies
46
Q

Impact of family life of career and job prospects:
(Consequences of inequality)

A
  • Before becoming a mother, job prospects are high as all their time can be focused on a career
  • After becoming a mother, most women go on maternity leave or leave their jobs entirely to focus on childbearing which negatively impacts their future prospects for work
  • Fear that a women might become pregnant can limit promotion prospects
  • Women are seen as unreliable workers as they’re more likely to take time off if a child is unwell
47
Q

Impact of triple shift on women:
(Consequences of inequality)

A
  • Green = women tend to see their free/leisure time as time when they are away from both paid work and family commitments. where as men consider any time away from paid work as free time
  • Bernard = found that men were more satisfied with their marriage than their wives, who expressed feelings of emotional loneliness
  • Oakley = found that women felt similar feelings of boredom and depression as those felt by line workers in factories
48
Q

Theoretical perspectives on the causes of domestic violence:
Radical Feminist
(Consequences of inequality)

A

Dobash and Dobash:
marriage legitimises violence against women, and husbands were often provoked by challenges to their authority

EV:
- men can be victims too
- not all men are violent

49
Q

Theoretical perspectives on the causes of domestic violence:
New Right
(Consequences of inequality)

A

Murray:
- only occurs in dysfunctional families
- higher rates of DV in lower classes due to a low moral standard

EV:
- DV is not limited to class

50
Q

Theoretical perspectives on the causes of domestic violence:
Postmodernist
(Consequences of inequality)

A

Giddens:
- caused by emotional intensity of family life, and the increasing isolation of nuclear families

EV:
- not all families are abusive
- we choose our family structures so can have people to vent to who are not extended family

51
Q

Theoretical perspectives on the causes of domestic violence:
Marxist Feminist
(Consequences of inequality)

A

Wilkinson:
- DV is a result of stress caused by social inequalities
Ansley:
- Women are takers of shit, men are frustrated by the oppression they feel at work and take this out on their wives

EV:
- doesn’t explain why women are more likely to be victims
- DV is not limited to working class
- not all men are violent to their partners

52
Q

Causes of trends in cohabitation, marriage and divorce
(Changing roles of women)

A

as women have become more independent and gained more equal rights they no longer need to have the financial security of marriage so are putting off till later, prefer to cohabit

53
Q

Causes of trends in cohabitation, marriage and divorce
(Secularisation)

A

the reduction in religious influence in society has led to divorce and cohabitation becoming more acceptable, people no longer feel the need to have a religious wedding

54
Q

Causes of trends in cohabitation, marriage and divorce
(Changes in society’s norms)

A

changing expectations of marriage have meant that people are more likely to leave a marriage which doesn’t fit their expectations

55
Q

Causes of trends in cohabitation, marriage and divorce
(Legal changes)

A

divorce reform act has made divorce much easier

56
Q

Causes of trends in cohabitation, marriage and divorce
(Economic Causes)

A

women are more economically independent so do not need to marry for security

57
Q

Causes of trends in cohabitation, marriage and divorce
(Postmodern reasons)

A

The Pure Relationship: Giddens: quest for the perfect relationships could put people off marriage, people stay in relationships to fulfil them and when they don’t they move on
No longer a single family structure in society

58
Q

Causes of trends in cohabitation, marriage and divorce
(Changes in the family)

A

the roles within the fam are becoming more equal as people have a higher expectation of what marriage should be and when this expectation is not met, people separate

59
Q

Cohabitation, marriage and divorce
Positive Impacts

A

Feminists:
- cohabitation has led to more negotiation and equality in roles

Bernardes:
- divorce is less damaging on children than a negative marriage

  • cohabitation is the norm
  • seen as a pre-marriage test
60
Q

Cohabitation, marriage and divorce
Negative Impacts

A

Wilson:
- less stable than marriage
Murphy:
- children of cohabiting parents are disadvantaged
Feminists:
- divorce laws have helped women to gain freedom, independence and social equality

  • family is still just as important for child development
61
Q

Trends in cohabitation

A

cohabiting couples are rising in the 25-34 age range

62
Q

Trends in marriage

A

decline
remarriage and age of first marriage = rising

63
Q

Trends in divorce

A

decline
increase over 60’s age

64
Q

Childbearing
Impact of changing fertility rates
(Reduction in labour force)

A

as people have less children, each generation provides a smaller workforce

65
Q

Childbearing
Impact of changing fertility rates
(Dependency Ratio)

A

decreasing due to less children so parents are more able to go to work

66
Q

Childbearing
Impact of changing fertility rates
(Immigration)

A

increased immigration is increasing the overall population so there are more people having children

67
Q

Childbearing
Impact of changing fertility rates
(Growth of bean pole family)

A

Julia - growth of BPF into 1 of the more dominate family types as generations are living longer but have fewer members

Family trees becoming thinner, few people supporting elderly relations

68
Q

Childbearing
Impact of changing fertility rates
(Voluntary childlessness)

A

no one to leave inheritance to

69
Q

Childbearing
Impact of changing fertility rates
(Decrease in full time mothers)

A

mothers going to work can impact the development of a child and how they perform in education

70
Q

Reasons for trends
DECLINE (birth rate, family size etc)

A
  • Contraception = allowed women and couples to control the number of children they have and when
  • Education = more women going into education
  • Role of women = focus more on career, average age for first child = 30 years
  • Infant mortality rate = decrease
  • Geographic mobility = modern labour face is mobile, easy to pack up and move
  • Changing values = many couples decide they don’t want children, before it would have been bad but now is accepted in society = lifelong, stressful commitment
  • Economic factors = £235,000 from 0-18. can influence couples who choose o only have 1 child as they cannot afford a second
71
Q

Is childhood a social construction?
NO
Pilcher - Separateness

A
  • Socially separated = children have a different social status to adults
  • Physical immaturity = they’re dressed differently to adults and have products specially designed for them, not reached puberty or sexual maturity
  • Psychological immaturity = children require protection from the world and so are separated from it by the family
72
Q

Is childhood a social construction?
NO
James and Prout - Dominate framework

A
  • Children = simple and amoral - have no/limited morals - black and white
  • Adults = complex and moral - have morals that greatly impact behaviour and attitudes - grey
73
Q

Is childhood a social construction?
MAYBE
Sensible analytical approach

A
  • different stages of development are more likely to be a social construction than others
  • infancy/toddlers = not a social construction due to the complete dependency on others
  • 5-12 age = could be considered a social construction as at this stage we start to see differences appear
  • 13+ age = more than likely a social construction
74
Q

Is childhood a social construction?
YES
Benedict - Cultural Relatively

A
  • childhood varies from culture to culture
  • intra cultural differences
75
Q

Is childhood a social construction?
YES
Aries - Historical Relatively

A
  • childhood has changed over time and what we now consider to be childhood is a modern construction
  • showed in medieval times, childhood did not exist as a separate status, once a child was physically able, they took on adult roles of working or housework
  • pre-industrial era = children are mini adults
  • industrial era = treated same as adults in the CJS, development of child protection laws
  • modern era = childhood is protected time of innocence
76
Q

Changes to the status of children
(March of progress view)

A

Argues that over the past few centuries, the position of children in western societies has been steadily improving and today is better than it has ever been

  • Children’s lives are far better today than they were 200 years ago
  • Child labour is now restricted to 13-14 years old can only work a max of 25 hours a week
  • Compulsory education = in 1880, school was compulsory till the age of 10 but in 2015 this was raised till 18
  • The rights of children are now more central to society, including increased child protection laws
  • Child centeredness = parents spend more time and money on children, quality over quantity = less children to have a better life
77
Q

Changes to the status of children
(Conflict view)

A

MOP is incorrect, children still experience conflict in society
Different children will have different experiences of childhood so some will be better for others

78
Q

Changes to the status of children
(Intra-child conflict)

A

Gender:
Hillman = boys and girls will have different experiences due to gender role socialisation, boys given more freedom, can go out late, girls socialised into the bedroom culture, stay home and read etc

Ethnicity:
Julia = ethnic groups will have different expectations on their children and at what age they should take responsibilities, a study of 15-16 year olds found asian parents were more likely to be strict towards daughters

Class:
Woodroffe = children of unskilled manual workers are over 3 times more likely to suffer from hyperactivity than children of professional

79
Q

Changes to the status of children
(Child liberationist view)

A
  • Children should be freed from adult control (oppressive)
  • Firestone and Holt see what MOP see as care and protect as just new forms of oppression and control
80
Q

Changes to the status of children
(Ways adults control children)

A
  • Neglect and abuse
  • Control over a child’s space = told to play in some areas but not others
  • Control over a child’s time = tell children when to wake up, eat and go to bed
  • Control over a child’s body = how they sit, walk and run
81
Q

The future of childhood
Disappearing Childhood Thesis
POSTMAN

A

Childhood as we know is disappearing at a rapid rate due to the collapse of the information hierarchy

  • Growth of technology gives children much more access to info and ways to participate in the adults world
  • Children slowly have the same rights as adults e.g. similar clothing and children committing adult crimes

EV:
- Opie = childhood is not disappearing but changing
- Postman’s theory is reductionist as it places the cause of the disappearance of childhood on the rise of television

82
Q

The future of childhood
Toxic Childhood Thesis
Sue Palmer

A

Childhood has become damaging to the physical, psychological and emotional health of young people

Trend to toxic childhood is the result of:
- unhealthy food
- a lack of play in natural surroundings
- poor sleep patterns
little time to interact within the family
- decline in emotional security

EV:
- Ethnocentric = only looks at western ideas of childhood and cannot be applied to many developing nations
- Assumes children are delicate and need protecting

83
Q

The future of childhood
Universal Childhood
West

A

Western notion of childhood is spreading around the world
- Campaigns for universal education

84
Q

The future of childhood
New Sociology of Childhood

A

Children are active agents playing a major part in creating their own childhood
- favoured by child liberationists
- Mayall: children are treated as socialisation projects and focus on childhood from the child’s perspective

85
Q

Why do people emigrate from the UK?

A
  • financial crisis
  • retirement
  • work
  • family
86
Q

What impact has emigration had on the UK?

A
  • less skilled population
  • reduced ageing population
87
Q

Why do people immigrate to the UK?

A
  • financial stability
  • family
  • work
88
Q

What impact has immigration had on the UK?

A
  • increasing population
  • increased diversity of religions and cultures
  • increased pressure on welfare state and housing
  • increased pressure on NHS, schools and social services
89
Q

What impact has globalisation had on families in the UK?

A
  • immigration has led to family diversity
  • a shift in manufacturing abroad means less jobs are available in the UK
  • globalisation of the media is causing toxic childhood and paranoid parents
  • more financial crisis, including divorce and family diversity

Sociology - Families + Households (2 decks)

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