THEORIES OF THE FAMILY

Question 1

Talcott Parsons, (Functionalist)

Answer 1

• The functions in which the family performs depends on the type of society it’s found in, and it will also differ between different family types, that being the nuclear family and the extended family as identified by Parsons.
• The structures and functions of a given type of family will ‘fit’ the needs of the society in which its found (performing a ‘functional fit’).
• There are two basic types of family, modern industrial society (which the nuclear family now fits) and pre-industrial society (which the extended family fitted).
• The shift from the extended to the nuclear family came as a result of the need for a geographically mobile workforce (nuclear families can easily move around, so they can move where their ‘jobs’ take them as they’re more compact),
• socially mobile workforce (a lot of skills and competence is needed in modern society, and so it’s essential the most talented people obtain the best jobs, and the nuclear family helps encourage this achievement of status). Furthermore, this societal shift has also led to the family losing functions, like being a unit of production, but now the family has two irrefutable functions: the primary socialisation of children, and the stabilisation of the adult personality.

Question 2

Eval (Fran Ansley, Feminist)

Answer 2

• These family functions aren’t working, specifically as a result of the fact woman absorb the anger and frustration of the other members within the family, which does the opposite of ‘stabilising the adult personality’.

Question 3

Louis Althusser (Marxist)

Answer 3

• The family is part of the ideological state apparatus, helping to spread ideology which allows capitalism to control future generations.
• This occurs through actions such as parents teaching their children to be obeying and submissive, which is an example of capitalist ideology being transmitted through primary socialisation, helping them be controlled easier when they reach adulthood.
• Furthermore, actions such as parents constantly exercising power over their children reinforces to children that hierarchy and inequality are necessary, and that should always be someone in charge helping prepare them for a working life where they accept orders from a capitalist employer.

Question 4

Eval (George Peter Murdock, Functionalist)

Answer 4

The family doesn’t serve to spread ideology, the family helps to socialise children into society’s shared norms and values, which helps them find a job and function later in life around others.

Question 5

Charles Murray (New Right)

Answer 5

• Charles Murray (New Right) The nuclear family should be the dominant family (they’re the ‘new Victorians’ (new middle class who marry, properly socialise their children, work and pay taxes)) as it helps properly socialise children; a family needs a father (the bread winner), and a mother (childcare) to provide adequate socialisation as role models.
• Furthermore, single parent families not only don’t have these role models and so lead to issues like increased crime due to improper socialisation of children, but it also creates this ‘new rabble’ (long-term, unemployed, single parents relying on welfare).
• This** ‘new rabble’ are problematic as they feed off of benefits, helping turn the state into a nanny state/ dependency state, whereby they lack contributions, as well as encourage irresponsible behaviour (e.g. encourage teen mothers to get pregnant and stay single as they’re provided with council houses).**

Question 6

Eval (Pam Abbott and Claire Wallace, Feminist)

Answer 6

Argued that that New Right is sexist, and not only that but in modern society families can’t just simply rely on male income. They also argued that cutting benefits would simply drive many poor families into even greater poverty, and make them even less self-reliant, rather than encouraging these ‘strong families’.

Question 7

Judith Stacey (Postmodern)

Answer 7

• Stacey carried out interviews to discover how great freedom had benefitted woman.
• She found that woman rejected the housewife role, for example, they returned to work after childbirth, returned to education as adults and divorced if they had had enough of the ‘dual burden’.Woman began becoming the main agents of change within the family, making major decisions like divorcing when relationships broke down.
• Woman began to create new family structures to meet their own needs, such as through divorce, extended families etc.
• Economic, technological and social change has enabled woman to free themselves from the traditional nuclear family.
• She studied two-woman, Pam and Dotty, who, during her studies, were both part of an extended family network in Silicon Valley, California. Both woman had married in the 1950s, and had to work in order to supplement their husband’s.
• Both woman took college courses in the 1970s, and were exposed to feminist ideas, which led them to question their husband’s limited involvement in family life, Dotty especially who was abused by her husband, which saw them both leave their husbands.
• Pam remarried, enjoying a more egalitarian society, but still remaining close with her first husband’s new partner.
• Dotty remarried her first husband after he had a heart attack on the condition he did more household; he died, and she then fought for custody for her dead daughters child against their abusive father and won.
• These woman were able to redefine what families are and create the kind of families that work best for them.

Question 8

Eval (Carol Smart, PLP)

Answer 8

• People’s choices are not based purely on individual preferences, choices are limited by norms (e.g. after divorce woman normally take custody of the child which can limit future relationships), as well as the idea of the connectedness thesis (peoples decisions are often influenced by their past/ already existing relationships).