Sociological Perspectives of Families Flashcards
Functionalists perspective of the family
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.
It also provides security for the conception, birth, and nurture of new members of society.
In conclusion the family is a supportive and general happy social institution.
What is the sexual division of labour that helps to maintain a stable society?
The clear division of roles between men and women by their sex ( Instrumental and expressive roles)
Define ‘Instrumental roles’
refers to the role allocated to men to discipline and provide economic support for the family as the ‘breadwinner’ which can lead to stress and anxiety and can destabilise his personality.
Define ‘ Expressive roles’
refers to the roles allocated to women ( providing warmth, security and emotional support to the family.)
Which sociologist argue that family as an institution has lost its function and what’s his argument.
Parsons
He argues that families in contemporary society had lost many of its functions through the process of structural differentiation.
Define ‘Structural differentiation’
refers to the way functions are transferred to other specialised institutions, such as the welfare state and healthcare.
What the two main functions of families according to Parsons
Parsons believes that the two main functions of the family are the primary socialisation of children and the stabilisation of human personalities.
List some of the types of family in the contemporary society
Extended family ( popular amongst W.C)
Nuclear family
Lone parent family ( Patrifocal & Matrifocal )
Reconstituted / blended family
What are the benefits of the traditional family according Parsons
Parsons argues that 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.
Criticisms of the Functionalists approach
Functionalism assumes that the family is a happy and harmonious institution and ignores the reality of family conflicts and domestic abuse.
Outdated - Today , both partners are likely to be playing the instrumental and expressive roles. ( Wilmott & Young study in the late 20th Century) - Mordernists
Ignores the exploitation of women ( triple shift), who suffer the responsibility of housework and childcare, undermining their position in paid employment and reducing their power. - feminism
Summarize The New Right Perspective of the family.
They believe that the traditional heterosexual nuclear family is the best.
( cause it encourages conformity and the division of gender roles)
According to TNR, what do welfare state policies that supports other family types do?
undermine personal responsibility and create a dependency culture and social problems such as juvenile crime and anti-social behaviour.
-plus they opposes changes to the law that would make divorce easier.
Marxist perspective of the family
Marxism sees the family as reproducing, nurturing and maintaining a workforce to support capitalism.
Which Marxist views the family as an ideological state apparatus, passing on the acceptance of the ruling class ideology and damping down social conflict.
Althusser
What did Zaretsky points out
‘the family is a private place where workers can be valued as individuals.’