The Family In Society - Functionalists

Question 1

What is meant by the term consensus?

Answer 1

“Agreement” - functionalists believe everyone is in agreement about the norms and values

Question 2

What is socialisation?

Answer 2

The process by which we learn norms and values e.g. from the family

Question 3

What is meant by industrialisation?

Answer 3

The process by which society moved to factory production instead of farming, this caused changes to the structure of the family

Question 4

What is meant by stabilisation of personalities?

Answer 4

Parsons believes the family helps to maintain the emotional wellbeing of its members

Question 5

What is meant by instrumental roles (Parsons)?

Answer 5

Roles held by males in the family e.g. breadwinner

Question 6

What is meant by expressive roles (Parsons)?

Answer 6

Roles held down by women in the family e.g. housewife

Question 7

What is meant by geographic mobility?

Answer 7

When people move from the countryside to towns leading to more nuclear families

Question 8

What is meant by social mobility?

Answer 8

When people move up or down the class ladder

Question 9

What is structural differentiation?

Answer 9

When other institutions take over the functions of one institution e.g. nurseries taking over the role of the family

Question 10

What is functionalism?

Answer 10

It’s a structural theory which means that they see individuals as being controlled by the institutions in society. Therefore the structure of society is more important than the individual

Question 11

Functionalist perspective on the family

Answer 11

• They see the family as an essential building block of society - it helps to create value consensus and social solidarity
• it has many positive functions for individuals and for society

Question 12

George Peter Murdock (1949)

Answer 12

He believes that the nuclear family provides 4 key functions for its members:
1. Sex/sexual - creates regulations and stability regarding sex and ones sex drive
2. Economic - meets economic needs such as food and shelter
3. Education/educational - teaches norms and values
4. Reproduction - helps create the next generation

Question 13

Criticisms of Murdock

Answer 13

• Other institutions or family types could perform these function just as well
• Marxists and feminists would say that he over emphasises the positive aspects of family life

Question 14

Talcott Parsons (1955)

Answer 14

He identified 2 key functions of the family:

1. Socialisation of children into their society’s culture —> the family helps to teach norms and values which creates a value consensus. Family teaches norms and values relating to gender roles —> females have an expressive caring role whilst males have an instrumental breadwinner role
2. Stabilisation of adult personalisation - refers to comfort and emotional support that adults gain within the family (‘warm bath theory’)

Question 15

Criticisms of Parsons

Answer 15

• Not relevant to all the family types which exist today e.g. lone parent families
• Feminist criticise Parsons for suggesting that there are set male and female roles
• Warm bath theory ignores abuse within families e.g. domestic violence

Question 16

Parson’s Functional Fit Theory

Answer 16

Parson argues that the classic extended family has largely disappeared in contemporary society and has been replaced by the privatised nuclear family or the modified extended family

Question 17

What is meant by privatised nuclear family?

Answer 17

A self contained, self reliant home centred unit with free time spend doing jobs around the house and leisure time spent with the family indoors e.g. watching TV

Question 18

What is meant by modified extended family?

Answer 18

Related nuclear families living apart geographically but keeping in frequent contact and supporting each other by visiting, phoning, emailing and social networking

Question 19

Reasons for the decline in the extended family

Answer 19

• Geographical mobility
• Higher rates of social mobility
• Avoiding status conflict
• Greater affluence (wealthy or rich)
• Strengthened bonds between partners
• Meritocratic society (those who are hardworking + talented = succeed)

Question 20

How has reproduction of the population changed?

Answer 20

Marriage and family is now not seen as essential in terms of reproduction e.g. single mothers by choice (IVF)

Question 21

How has caring for dependent children changed?

Answer 21

People now pay others to help them care for children e.g. childminders, nurseries, after school clubs etc

Question 22

How has primary socialisation and social control changed?

Answer 22

The family is still the key place for socialisation and social control and transmits the norms and values. However, it’s not the only place as other childcare, pre school, school providers play a role.

Question 23

Strengths of the functionalist theory

Answer 23

• It’s a useful theory because even though it was written a long time ago, the functions they identified are still important today

Question 24

Weaknesses of the functionalist theory

Answer 24

• Out of date —> Parson’s view of the ‘instrumental’ and ‘expressive’ roles of men and women is very old fashioned —> gender roles have changed and become more equal
• Ignores the exploitation of women —> tend to ignore the way women suffer from the sexual division of labour in the family
• Ignores the harmful effects of the family —> stress and conflict
• Down plays conflict in the family / too positive —> paints nice pictures of families but downplay the ‘darker side’ of family life (e.g. violence against women, child abuse, conflict, domestic violence)