Theories of the family Flashcards
What is a family?
The relationship of people through blood, marriage and living together- can include adoption and pets
What is a household?
When a group of people share a living space and address
What does Durkheim say about the family?
Everyone has a role and family has a function within society- positive
Who is the theorist for the functional fit theory?
Parsons
What is an extended family?
When more distant members of the family will be under one roof eg. aunties, uncles and grandparents
What is a nuclear family?
When a man and a woman are married and have children together
What was the most dominant family in pre-industrial society?
The extended family
What function do an extended family perform?
They could provide childcare, healthcare and education within the family
Why did the dominant family type switch to the nuclear family?
The industrial revolution meant that there were more jobs and businesses that provided these things so an extended family was no longer needed
What is the functional fit theory?
That the nuclear family is the most fit for the economy because they are geographically mobile and socially mobile
Define geographically mobile
Easier to move around from rural to urban areas in particular
Define socially mobile
Nuclear family avoids tensions due to there might be conflicts within extended families because of a status hierarchy within generations
What is the role of the family?
Socialisation
Economic
Reproduction
Sexual regulation
What does functionalist Parsons say about primary socialisation?
Family teaches the basic norms and values which integrates them into society
What is an example of functionalist primary socialisation?
Teaching children manners
Who are the theorists for functionalist family roles?
Murdock and Parsons
What does functionalist Murdock say about the economic role?
The man has the instrumental role of being a breadwinner by providing food and shelter for his family
What does functionalist Parsons say about the economic role?
The family relieves the stresses of the workplace as it is somewhere that they can relax which helps the economy to run smoothly- safety valve
What isfunctionalist Parsons theory called for the economic role?
The warm bath theory
What does functionalist Murdock say about the reproductive role?
The family reproduces the next generation for new members to work and keep society running
What does functionalist Murdock say about the sexual role?
Monogamous marriages mean that people satisfy their sex drives in a stable manner which prevents social distruption
What do marxists generally believe about the role of the family?
The family is there to reinforce social inequalities and exploiting workers which benefits the capitalist system and the ruling class
Who is the marxist theorist for socialisation?
Althusser
What does marxist Althusser say about the socialisation role?
The family acts as an ideological state apparatus where it persuades people to accept capitalism, this is reinforced by parents having power over their children
Who is the marxist theorist for the economic role?
Zaretsky
What does marxist Zarentsky say about the economic role?
Myth of the warm bath- the ruling class require women to take the stresses of men due to the exploitation within their jobs and the family is a break from being exploited
What is the marxist theory of ‘unit of consumption’?
People are persuaded to buy goods from the ruling class or children may be made fun of for not having the latest ‘gadgets’ which helps the economy
What is the marxist theory of reproduction?
The family reproduces the labour force and creates more workers that can be exploited to create profits
Who is the marxist theorist for sexual regulation?
Engels
What is the marxist theory for sexual regulation?
Capitalism emerged and monogamy came about due to private property staying in the family and being passed down so that society’s wealth would increase
What are feminists general view of society?
That the family oppresses women and reproduces the patricarchy
What do radical feminists say about socialisation?
It reproduces the norms and values of the patriarchy with stereotypical role models eg, dad is the head of the house while the mum looks after the children and the house
What do liberal feminists say about socialisation?
Society is being re-socialised through the family meaning that girls have more opportunities than they previously did
What do radical feminists say about the economic role?
Women provide free domestic labour which is low status and no pay and women arent rewarded
How does the radical feminist economic role help the economy?
By women doing this work, it releases stress off of the man so that they can continue working and it is no cost to capitalism as women arent paid for their work
What do marxist feminists say about the economic role?
Women absorb the anger of men so that he can return the work to be exploited
Who is the marxist feminist theorist for the economic role and what does she say?
Ansley- women are the ‘takers of shit’
What do radical feminists say about the reproductive role?
Women are expected to bear children which limits their career opportunities
What do Liberal feminists generally think?
That there have been many changes within society which have benefitted women and they are being given more opportunities
What do liberal feminists say about the reproductive role?
Many women now focus on education and careers before thinking about marriage or children
How do women have more choice whether to have a child or not?
The contraception and abortion acts
What do radical feminists say about sexual regulation?
Monogamous marriages control women’s sexual behaviour so that women are dominated by their husbands
