Theories Of The Family Flashcards
1
Q
Primary Socialisation - Parsons
A
- family teachers the basic norms and values of society
- enables children to cooperate and integrate them into society
- e.g. teaches children manners
2
Q
Evaluation of Primary Socialisation
A
- feminists argue that we are socialised into the norms and values of patriarchy
- functionalists tend to neglect the meanings families have for individuals
3
Q
Economic - Murdock
A
- family works as a unit in order to meet the basic economic needs of all its members
- men would act as the breadwinner playing the instrumental role
4
Q
Stabilisation Of Adult Personalities - Parsons
( Warm bath theory)
A
- idea that the family is a place where adults can relax and relieve tensions
- family gives the individual adult a ‘safety-valve’
- helps the smooth running and success of the economy
5
Q
Evaluation of Economic and ‘warm bath theory’
A
- Marxist cruise this as rose-tinted and that the family serves capitalism throughout this function
- feminists argue that functionalists tend to ignore the ‘dark side’ of the family, conflict between husband and wife
- radical feminist (Oakley) reject the idea that women get the ‘warm bath’ as women perform the role of the housewife for 77 hours a week
6
Q
Marxist - Socialisation (the family is part of the ideological state apparatus)
A
- family is an ideological state apparatus, passing on the norms and values of capitalism
- accepts the idea that hierarchy and inequality are inevitable
- prepares them for working life, where they will accept orders from the bourgeoisie
7
Q
Socialisation - Evaluation ( Marxist)
A
- family ideology supports patriarchy since it suggests that men and women should have different roles
- functionalists reject the view and say the family enables children to internalise the shared culture of society
8
Q
Economic - Unit of Consumption ( Marxist )
A
- family is a unit of consumption, it uses goods, and has to buy these goods, thus helping the economy
- advertisers urge families to ‘keep up with the Joneses’
- media target children, who use ‘pester power’ to persuade parents to spend
- children who don’t have the latest clothes and gadgets are mocked by others
- women are a reserve army of labour
9
Q
Economic - Unit Of Consumption ( Marxist ) - Evaluation
A
- Functionalists say that the family acting as a unit of consumption is vital to the success of the economy
10
Q
Economic - Myth of the warm bath / safety valve ( Marxist)
A
- Zaretsky states the family performs an ideological function by offering an apparent ‘haven’ from the harsh and exploitative world of capitalism
- ruling class requires women to take the stresses and frustration of working men caused by capitalism
- BOGOF, they get 1 worker who earns them money (instrumental), and 1 worker who completes all domestic work and supports the worker (expressive role)
11
Q
Economic - Myth of the warm bath / safety valve ( Marxist ) - Evaluation
A
- radical feminists state that Marxist emphasis on social class and capitalism underestimates the importance of gender inequalities
- liberal feminists say this idea is outdated as there have been legal and societal changes which benefit women
12
Q
Reproduction ( Marxist )
A
- family reproduces the labour force
- family creates more members of society which help bourgeoise create profits
- seen as wage slaves, primed for exploitation in capitalism
13
Q
Reproduction ( Marxist ) - Evaluation
A
- Functionalists argue that Marxists ignore the real benefits that the family provided for its members, such as intimacy and mutual support
14
Q
Sexual Regulation - inheritance of property ( Marxist ) - Evaluation
A
- family is the mode of production
- Engels called the ‘promiscuous horde’ or tribe, in which there were no restrictions on sexual relationships
- Engels argued that the need for the nuclear family arose when societies started to value private property, capitalism emerged with a shift to modern society
15
Q
Sexual Regulation - inheritance of property ( Marxist ) - Evaluation
A
- modern research has suggested that Engels’ interpretation of the development of the family is historically inaccurate, e.g. monogamous marriages are often found in hunter-gatherer (non-capitalist) groups
16
Q
Liberal Feminism
A
- resocialised thanks to changes to laws and attitudes.
- ‘march of progress’ view
- Equal Pay Act (1970) + Sex Discrimination Act (1975) helped women win equality
- Contraception and Abortion Act (1967) given them more freedom and choice over their bodies
- less stigma around women’s sexual behaviour due to sexual revolution of the 1960-70s
- men do more housework
17
Q
Evaluation of Liberal Feminism
A
- Duncombe and marsden would say that women work a triple shift (job, housework and supporting emotional wellbeing of the family)
18
Q
Radical Feminism
A
- Millett (1970) families characterised by patriarchy through a system of subordination in which men exercise power over women and children
- men are the enemy
- marriage and family oppress women
- men dominate families through domestic violence or the threat of it
- children socialised into the norms and values of patriarchy
- separatism, women must live independently
- avoid ‘sleeping with the enemy’ rather than having their sexuality controlled by monogamous marriages
19
Q
Evaluation of Radical Feminism
A
- Hakim (1995) says that females might be exercising rational choice in choosing domestic roles, e.g. being supported financially
- functionalists disagree as a women’s role in the warm bath theory and primary socialisation are essential for society to continue
20
Q
Marxist feminism
A
- nuclear family meets the needs of capitalism, benefits the powerful at the expense of the working class and women
- women reproduce the labour force. Benston (1972) reproducing and rearing the future workforce at little cost to the capitalist class
- women absorb anger. Ansley describes women as ‘takers of shit’.
- maintain the workforce’s emotional fitness through their domestic labour. (BOGOFF)
- women are a reserve army of cheap labour. They are used in times of economic growth and pushed back into the bone during times of economic slow-down
21
Q
Evaluation of Marxist feminism
A
- functionalists disagree as women’s role in the warm bath theory and primary socialisation is essential for society to continue
22
Q
Difference feminism
A
- cannot generalise women’s experiences
- lesbian and heterosexual have different experiences of the family
- black feminists view as a source of support and resistance against racism
23
Q
Personal life perspective
A
- beyond ties of blood and marriage, wider conception of what ‘family’ is
- without knowing what relationships mean, it is difficult to understand actions
- range of other intimate relationships that help to create an identity or sense of relatedness
- e.g. relationships with friends, fictive kin, LGBT ‘chosen families’, relationship with dead relatives, pets
Donor Conceived Children
- Smart, differences in appearance also led parents to wonder about the donor and any children they may have had
24
Q
Evaluation of Personal life perspective
A
- recognises choice rather than imposing definitions, postmodernist support
- recognised family has functions
- acknowledges relatedness is not always positive, e.g. trapped in violence
- too inclusive. Doesn’t appreciate the significance of what is special in blood relationships
