theories and functions of the family

Question 1

what approach do functionalists have?

Answer 1

adopt a very positive march of progress approach -that believes the family is constantly moving forward and improving

Question 2

briefly explain what Murdock meant when he described the family as a universal institution
-functionalism

Answer 2

The family is the most important social institution and is found in all cultures, countries and societies

Question 3

briefly explain the 4 functions Murdock believes the family performs to meet the needs of society, and explain what would happen if this function wasn’t performed
-functionalism

Answer 3

sexual: allows couples to maintain a healthy relationship by promoting monogamy and stables satisfaction of the sex drive that prevents social disruption. If not their relationshio will breakdown/increase divorce which makes their childs life unstable.
reproduction: allows the next gen of workforce to maintain social stability & mobility. If not society breaks down as there is an increased ageing population and decreased birth rate that increases dependency ratio.
economic: allows children to be better supported as the family can fufill personal needs that government cannot 100% fufill. If not children become more dependent on government which leads to child poverty, decreasing their life chances.
socialisation: social stability/harmony can be maintained by an agreeance of n&v’s that carry though into a childs life. If not children may begin to become more deviant due to a lack of these valuable unwritten rules of society

Question 4

briefly explain which of Murdocks functions same-sex, lone parent, extended, w/c families cannot perform
-functionalist

Answer 4

same sex: reproduction, socialisation (have different norms)
lone parent: sexual, economic, reproduction
extended: economic (more members to provide for)
w/c: economic, socialisation

Question 5

briefly explain the functional fit between extended families in pre-industrial and nucleur families in industrial society that Parsons argues there to be
-functionalist

Answer 5

pre-industrial = extended family most common, as there was very few social institutions (no education or healthcare) meaning the family needed very large to perform all the necessary functions

**industrial **= nucleur families, many different social institutions (schools, NHS) perform the functions the family required to in the past, so family can be smaller.

Question 6

what 2 workforces does the nucleur family provide in modern industrial society, according to Parsons?
-functionalist

Answer 6

geographically mobile workforce (it can move around the country easily)
socially mobile workforce (members can move up the class structure)

Question 7

briefly explain the 2 essential irreducible functions the family provides according to Parsons
-functionalism

Answer 7

primary socialisation of children: teaches n&v’s that enables children to cooperate with others and become fully functioing adults (manners, speech does, etc)

the stabilisation of adult personalities/warm bath theory: where adults can relax and destress to be able to return to the workplace refreshed and ready to meet demands. Functionalists believes this benefits both individuals and the economy

Question 8

give the evaluation points of Parsons (functionalist) theory of the family by:
-Laslett
-Young & Willmott
-Post-modernists

Answer 8

Laslett: argues the extended family was never really dominant in pre-industrial society, because of high infant mortality rates and short life expectancy
Y&W: believe industrialisation created a mum-centred extended family, where children relied on mums for emotional support and socialisation
post-modrenists: in 21st century nucleur family is no longer the norm, due to technology and transport making extended families popular again

Question 9

what is the main idea marxists have of the family?

Answer 9

the family reproduces and maintains class-based inequalities and main function of the family is to distract the proletariat from their explotation of the bourgeoisie

Question 10

briefly explain how Marx and Engels argue the bourgeoisie control proletariat families with the ideological function of families
-marxism

Answer 10

parents socialise their children into capitalist, bourgeoisie norms and values through:
* chores and dull jobs that mimick the w/c boring mundane jobs they will have in the future
* saving pocket money will allow them to afford to live in capitalistic society
* healthy eating means they will maintain good health and have less sick days in their jobs
* discipline and authority prepare them not to question the authority and obey their bourgeoisie bossses

Question 11

briefly explain how Engels argues the bourgeoisie control proletariat families through the inheritance of property
-marxism

Answer 11

in the capitalist society of the UK an ideological belief exists that nuclear families should aspire to get a mortgage and buy their own home.
As it allows the bourgeoisie to control the proletariat by giving them the inability to ever save enough to economicaly challenge the wealth of the ruling class.

Question 12

briefly explain how Marx and Engels argue the bourgeoisie control proletariat families through making the family a unit of consumption
-marxism

Answer 12

the media builds false needs by;
* families feeling pressure to keep up with material goods/services that their peers have
* bourgeoisie target children in ad’s to then persuade their parents through Pester Power to buy expensive items

Question 13

briefly explain Zaretsky’s punch bag theory (marxist feminist concept)

Answer 13

he disagrees with Parson’s warm bath theory and instead said the family resembles a punch bag.
This is because capitalism causes stress on proletariat families who then take out their fustration on their children and partner instead of their bourgeoisie bosses

Question 14

give 3 strengths of marxists theory of the family

Answer 14

• marxism encourages critical thought of not just accepting the way family life is
• identifies power inequalities within society that are reinforced through the family that highlights the controlling force of the family over its members (e.g DV)
• Challenges the notion that the family is universal and natural that is an alternative to positive consensus theories

Question 15

give 3 weaknesses of marxists theory of the family

Answer 15

• functionalists believe Marxists are too negative and ignore the benefits of the family
• highly deterministic, it reduces family life to matters of economic class and ignores emotional aspects pf the family (e.g. love)
• feminists argue it ignores gender inequalities

Question 16

what is the main idea feminists have of the family?

Answer 16

families are patriarchal and teach children malestream norms and values

Question 17

briefly explain what Liberal feminists (Oakley) see as the main source of opression in the family and what change needs to happen to remove the opression?

Answer 17

gender role socialisation is the cause of female opression - boys & girls are socialised into norms and values that lead to patriarchy and inequality .

Through changes to peoples attitudes and the law to create equal rights (equal pay act 1970, equality act 2010)

Question 18

briefly explain what radical feminst (Firestone) see as the main source of opression in the family and what change needs to happen to remove the opression?

Answer 18

nuclear family encourages the notion that patriarchy in the family is natural through the sexual division of labour. the belief that men are naturally breadwinners and stronger, but this is a false patriarchal ideology.

Equality is only possible if the idea of motherhood needs to end because it is used to justify womens expressives role and believe equality is only possible in lesbian relationships

Question 19

briefly explain what difference feminists (hooks) see as the main source of opression in the family and what change needs to happen to remove the opression?

Answer 19

assuming all women are white and in a nuclear families, as it ignores the different experiences of different races, ages, sexualities, etc

We must consider experiences of all women and challenge all discrimination in society, tackling issues such as racism and homophobia

Question 20

briefly explain what Marxist feminists (Rubin) see as the main source of opression in the family and what change needs to happen to remove the opression?

Answer 20

nuclear families meet needs of the bourgeoisie and men as it pressures women to adopt a childcare role and reproduce next generation of workers for the bourgeoisie. Women are also the reserve army of labour that often perform low paid part time jobs with few rights so the bourgeoisie can move them about and control them more.

can only end through a female proletariat revolution to stand up for better workers rights and stop conforming to low paid unequal jobs

Question 21

why are difference feminists critical of liberal feminists?

Answer 21

as they are priveleged white women

Question 22

give 2 strengths of the feminist perspective of the family

Answer 22

• feminism has had a big impact on shaping government policy since 1960’s (equal rights laws)
• identifies gender inequalities in society that are reinforced in the family instead of ignoring them as natural

Question 23

give 2 weaknesses of the feminist perspective of the family

Answer 23

• feminism is an internally divided theory with many different feminisms competing over the path to gender equality
• concentrates on gender inequalities and ignores social inequalities

Question 24

briefly explain Carol Smart’s personal life perspective of the family

Answer 24

takes an interactionist approach that emphasises the meanings that individual family members hold and how these shape their actions and relationships.

Question 25

give the 7 personal or intimate relationships Carol Smart argues are as important as family in peoples lives
-personal life perspective/interactionist

Answer 25

• relationships with friends
• fictive kin/family friends who are treated as relatives
• **gay and lesbian chosen families **made up of a supportive network of close friends
• online communities (forums and message boards)
• **relationships with dead relatives **who continue to live on in people’s memories and shape actions/identities
• pets that are viewed as part of the family
• donor conceived children (e.g. through sperm and egg donation)

Question 26

give a strength and 2 weaknesses of the personal life perspective/interactionist view of the family (Smart)

Answer 26

strength:
* unlike functionalists, marxists, and feminists it looks beyond the idea that all families are nuclear. Instead highlighting the importance of undertsanding how people construct and define themselves as a family through increased chocie in society of personal relationships.

weakness:
* they ignore what is special about blood or marriage relationships
* fails to take into account structural reasons behind peoples family and relationship choices, e.g. remaining in an empty shell loveless marriage for financial reasons for children