Sub-Topics : Function of the Family

Question 1

What are consensus theories?

Consensus refers to the ____________ idea that societies tend to be socially ______ because the mass of the ___________ generally subscrie the the same ______ and norms.
A consensus theorist sees the family as an important institution in society, that is essential for _______ to work ________.
In a human body analogy, the family is the ______.
They argue that the family ensures that ______ people learn the ______ and values of society and adults are
stable and not overly _________.

Answer 1

• Functionalist
• Stable
• Population
• Values
• Society
• Properly
• Heart
• Young
• Norms
• Stressed

Question 2

What are conflict theories?

Social conflict theory sees social life as a ________ and focuses on the distribution of resources, ______, and _________.
Conflict theorists view society as an arena
of inequality that generates social _______ and social ______.
Conflict theories take a _______ view of the family arguing that it plays an integral part in __________ social inequality. (Especially for _______.)

Answer 2

• Competition
• Power
• Inequality
• Conflict
• Change
• Negative
• Perpetuating
• Women

Question 3

What are structural theories?

The structural-functional approach is a perspective in sociology that sees society as a _______ system whose parts work _________ to promote solidarity and _______. It asserts that our lives are guided by social _______, which are relatively stable patterns of
social _________.

Answer 3

• Complex
• Together
• Stability
• Structures
• Behaviour

Question 4

What are social action theories?

Social action theorists argue that people’s ______ and life-chances are not determined by their social background. Instead, emphasise the role of the active _______ and interactions between people in shaping personal _______ and in turn the wider society. Rather than being ‘p_____ p______ we are ‘free agents’, creating and shaping society through our choices, meanings and ________.

Answer 4

• Behaviour
• Induvidual
• Identity
• ‘Passive Puppets’
• Actions

Question 5

What are the key differences between consensus and conflict theories?

Answer 5

• Consensus theories emphasise harmony, integration and stability within society.
• This is shared values which are agreed upon by society as a whole, stressing what social groups have in common.
• Conflict theories stress conflict, struggle and change.
• It stresses the fact that different groups in society have widely varying access to power and wealth.

Question 6

What are the key differences between structural and social action theories?

Answer 6

• Social action theorists argue that people’s behaviour and life-chances are not determined by their social background.
• They can be defined as micro-level, voluntaristic theories that see society as inter- subjective, constructed through interaction and meaning, ‘bottom up’ approaches that focus on the actions and interactions of the individual. .
• Structural theories are macro-level, deterministic theories that see society as objective and external to individuals.

Question 7

What’s primary socialisation?

Answer 7

It begins within the home, the teaching and learning of attitudes, values, behavioral norms, social skills and traditions. This mainly occurs during childhood and prepares a child to take its place as a civillised adult in a particular culture or society, this is often later rienforced by agents of secondary socialisation.

Parsons believes that personalities are ‘made not born’ as parents ensure their children conform to their society’s ‘value consensus’.

Question 8

What is secondary socialisation?

Answer 8

Takes place outside the home, i.e. the education system. It refers to the process of learning what is the appropriate behavior as a member of a smaller group within the larger society.