theories of family

Question 1

what perspective does Murdock have?

Answer 1

functionalist perspective

Question 2

what are the four functions the family carries out according to Murdock?

Answer 2

stable sex drive, reproduction, socialisation, economic needs

Question 3

what does Murdock see the family as?

Answer 3

a man and a woman, married with preferably two kids, maintaining a sexual relationship and co operating economically

Question 4

what does Murdock believe about his type of family?

Answer 4

it is universal and found in all societies

Question 5

how can Murdock be criticised for his views on family?

Answer 5

he can be criticised by Marxists for the reproduction function, as Marxists say families reproduce the next generation of workers who will obey their capitalist employers

Question 6

what perspective does Parson’s have and what is his theory on family called?

Answer 6

functionalist perspective, functional fit theory

Question 7

what does Parson’s argue about the family and it’s functions?

Answer 7

the family performs different functions depending on the kind of society it’s found in

Question 8

what are the two types of family that Parson’s talks about?

Answer 8

the extended family and the nuclear family

Question 9

what does the extended family contain?

Answer 9

grandparents, uncles, cousins and aunties all living together under one roof

Question 10

what does the nuclear family contain?

Answer 10

a man, a woman and children who are dependant on the parents, they are heterosexual and monogamous

Question 11

what are the two types of society Parson’s talk about?

Answer 11

modern industrial society and traditional pre-industrial society

Question 12

what are the features of a modern industrial society?

Answer 12

nuclear family, urbanisation, geographically mobile workforce, meritocratic

Question 13

what are the features of a traditional pre-industrial society?

Answer 13

extended family, agricultural, family is self sufficient and multi functional

Question 14

what are the two essential functions that the modern nuclear family performs?

Answer 14

the primary socialisation of children, the stabilisation of adult personalities

Question 15

how can Parsons be criticised on his view of the family?

Answer 15

he can be criticised by Willmott and Young who argue that the pre-industrial family was not as extended as Parson’s claims, extended family hasn’t disappear just doesn’t live under same roof anymore

Question 16

what do Marxists think about the functions that the family performs?

Answer 16

the functions the family performs are for the benefit of capitalism

Question 17

what do Marxists think the three main functions are that the family performs for capitalism?

Answer 17

inheritance of property, ideological functions, a unit of consumption

Question 18

what does Engels believe the earliest stage of society was?

Answer 18

primitive communism, all members of society owned the means of production communally

Question 19

what does Engels say about family in the stage of primitive communism?

Answer 19

there was no family, only what Engels called the promiscuous horde

Question 20

what does Engels believe brought about the monogamous nuclear family?

Answer 20

society’s wealth increasing and the development of private property

Question 21

Why does Engels believe the nuclear family then became essential to society?

Answer 21

because men needed to be certain of their child’s paternity to ensure they were a legitimate heir

Question 22

what do Marxists mean when they argue that the family performs ideological functions?

Answer 22

the family encourages a set of ideas or beliefs that justify inequality

Question 23

what is one way the family performs ideological functions?

Answer 23

by socialising children into accepting hierarchy and that inequality is inevitable

Question 24

what is another way the family performs ideological functions?

Answer 24

by offering an haven from the harsh capitalist society, zaretsky argues this an illusion as the family cannot meet each members needs

Question 25

how do Marxists believe the family is a unit of consumption?

Answer 25

it generated profits for capitalists because it is an important market for the sale of consumer goods

Question 26

what are three examples of the family as a unit of consumption?

Answer 26

advertisers urge families to consume latest products to keep up with other families, media target children who persuade parents to spend more, children who lack the latest clothed or gadgets are mocked by peers

Question 27

how can Marxists be criticised on their view of the family?

Answer 27

feminists argue that Marxists emphasis on class and capitalism underestimates importance of gender inequality in family, nuclear family primarily serves interests of men not capitalism

Question 28

what are the the five types of feminism?

Answer 28

liberal feminism, Marxist feminism, radical feminism, difference feminism and black feminism

Question 29

what differs about all these different forms of feminism?

Answer 29

lib fems- recognise the progress that’s been made towards gender equality
marxist fems- main cause of women’s oppression is capitalism
radical fems- men dominate women and family is root of oppression
difference fems- women from different classes and different races all have different experiences, can’t generalise about them
black fems- feminism needs to include race analysis

Question 30

which forms of feminism are not structural theories and why?

Answer 30

difference fems and black feminism because they both think that you cannot generalise about women’s experience

Question 31

examples for march of progress arguement

Answer 31

sex discrimination act 1975 and equal pay act 1970

Question 32

what does lib fem somerville say about housework?

Answer 32

many men still don’t take on full share of housework, but women’s improved social position means can show these men the door

Question 33

lib fems eval

Answer 33

max and rad fems argue they lack drive for change, don’t challenge root causes e.g capitalism

Question 34

functions women’s opression performs for capitalism

Answer 34

reproduce labour force, absorb anger otherwise directed at capitalism, women are reserve army of labour

Question 35

what did fran ansley describe wives as?

Answer 35

takers of shit

Question 36

marxist feminism eval

Answer 36

rad feminists argue men = enemy not capitalism, intersectional fems argue ignore WOC

Question 37

what did rad fem deworkin say about marriage?

Answer 37

‘marriage as an institution developed from rape as a practice…became marine by capture’

Question 38

what does rad fem greer say about political lesianism?

Answer 38

advocates for all female households, known as matrilocal households

Question 39

rad fem eval

Answer 39

somerville- ignores march of progress

Question 40

overall eval of structural theories

Answer 40

fail to recognise family diversity and varying expierences in family life, e.g all focus on nuclear family

Question 41

personal life perspective

Answer 41

focuses on people’s meanings and draws attention to other relationships individuals see as sigficant

Question 42

examples of other relationships individuals may deem ‘family’

Answer 42

refer to friends as brother or sister, LGBT communities chosen families, relations with pets