Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Sociology Paper 2 > Theories of the Family > Flashcards

Theories of the Family Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Sociology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is the functionalist approach to the study of the family?

A
  • functionalism puts forward the theory that our society is based on a value consensus
  • socialisation is the means of transmitting the cultural values to children, our identity is formed from the effect that our family has on us
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Outline 3 ways in which the family has influenced cultural values to children

A
  • what football team to support
  • using manners & being polite
  • determination
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What was Murdock’s (functionalist) research into the family?

A
  • Murdock analysed 250 different types of societies and proposed the concept of the ‘universal functions of the family’: the sexual function, the reproductive function, the educational function and the economic function
  • Murdock argues that every family in the world performs these four basic and universal fictions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the sexual function according to Murdock? (functionalist)

A
  • sexual satisfaction achieved between 2 adults in family
  • without this there would be a sexual free for all
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the reproductive function according to Murdock? (functionalist)

A
  • the family is responsible for bringing new members into society (eg making children)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the educational function according to Murdock? (functionalist)

A
  • aka primary socialisation
  • children taught norms and values of society (usually the female adult)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the economic function according to Murdock? (functionalist)

A
  • adults (usually male adult) provides necessities for family members (eg food, shelter and warmth)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Why does Murdock (functionalism) argue that the nuclear family is ‘universal’?

A
  • because it is the best family structure to meet these four functions compared to other types of families
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the strengths of Murdock’s research? (functionalism) [1]

A
  • it is well supported with evidence: researched over 250 types of societies
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the limitations of Murdock’s research? (functionalism) [1]

A
  • he was writing in 1949 and since then family structures have changed
  • outdated: doesn’t account for new family types and also some functions (eg sexual) aren’t limited to family in todays society
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What did Parsons (functionalist) say was the most common family type and why?

A
  • nuclear family is the best type of family to fit the needs of society
  • extended type of family was most common in pre industrial society where we lived off land and shared it with family members
  • however when industrialisation occurred families become smaller and geographically mobile to live in towns and cities and work in factories
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What were Parsons (functionalism) two basic and irreducible functions that the family will always perform?

A
  • the primary socialisation of children
  • the stabilisation of adult personalities
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the primary socialisation of children according to Parsons? (functionalism)

A
  • equipping then with the basic skills and society’s values thus enabling them to cooperate with others and integrate into society
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What basic skills and values does the family equip children with? [7]

A
  • respect
  • manners
  • walking and talking
  • please and thank you
  • reading and writing
  • how to interact
  • hygiene
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is the stabilisation of adult personalities (the ‘warm bath’ theory) according to Parsons? (functionalism)

A
  • the mother creates a warm, loving and nurturing environment which allows the family adults to relaxed and real ease tensions created in the outside world
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Why may the ‘warm bath’ created by the family for its members be beneficial for society as a whole? [2]

A
  • creates a friendly society
  • benefits the economy (people still want to go to work / happy workers)
17
Q

What is the expressive leader according to Parsons? (functionalism)

A
  • performed by women
  • the caregiver and homemaker
18
Q

What is the instrumental leader according to Parsons? (functionalism)

A
  • performed by men
  • wage and breadwinner
19
Q

Why does Parsons (functionalist) argue that the instrumental and expressive leader roles are best performed by men and women separately?

A
  • as they are both biologically set up to complete these roles
20
Q

Why would feminists criticise Parsons views of the family? [3]

A
  • too positive: it ignores the negative aspects of family
  • Parsons takes a sexist view, nuclear family places women in a financially dependant position
  • ignores that women now taken on paid work (outdated)
21
Q

What did Laslett find in his study of English households from 1564-1821?

A
  • they were almost always nuclear
  • a combination of late child bearing and short life expectancy meant that grandparents were unlikely to be alive for very long after the birth of the first grandchild
22
Q

According to Anderson and his study of the world 19th century, was it always ‘worth it’ being a part of an extended family?

A
  • extended families greatly outweighed the cost
  • benefits included using older kins as childcare while parents worked and taking in orphaned relatives to produce extra income and help towards rent
23
Q

What does Fletcher (functionalist) claim about the family losing its functions?

A
  • claims the traditional functions such as the care and education of children have been supported rather then removed by the welfare state through state schools, hospitals and welfare provisions
24
Q

According to Fletcher (functionalist) how is the NHS supported within the family?

A
  • for minor illnesses, the family still provides care, but hospitals, GP’s and surgeries provide care for more serious injuries / illnesses
25
Q

According to Fletcher (functionalist) how is education supported within the family?

A
  • norms and values, assist with reading and writing / things families may have less knowledge with (eg speech)
26
Q

According to Fletcher (functionalist) how is media supported within the family?

A
  • teach norms and values of society that family may not
  • entertainment
  • media as a career
27
Q

What are the strengths of Fletcher’s argument? (functionalism) [1]

A
  • plenty of supporting evidence for roles being supplemented by other institutions
28
Q

What are the weaknesses of Fletcher’s argument? (functionalism) [1]

A
  • fletcher = too positive
  • ignored the potential negative effects these institutions have, or how it has negatively impacted the family (eg parents over relying on media)

Sociology Paper 2 (1 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions