theories of the family

Question 1

func view - Murdock’s 4 essential functions

Answer 1

stable satisfaction of the sex drive

reproduction of the next generation

socialisation of the young

meeting its members’ economic needs

Question 2

func view of family

Answer 2

see the family as a particularly important sub system

Question 3

func - murdock ao3

Answer 3

marxists and feminists reject the ‘rose tinted’ harmonious view that the family meet the needs of society

feminists see the family as serving needs of men and oppressing women

marxists argue it meets the needs of capitalism

Question 4

parsons functional fit theory

Answer 4

the functions the family performs depends on the kind of society in which its found

functions it has to perform effects its structure - 2 types:
nuclear
extended

Question 5

parsons two basic types of society

Answer 5

modern industrial - nuclear family fits the needs

traditional pre-industrial - extended family meets the needs

Question 6

parsons sees industrial society as having 2 essential needs

Answer 6

a geographically mobile workforce

a socially mobile workforce

Question 7

a geographically mobile workforce - func, parsons

Answer 7

industries constantly spring up and decline - this requires people to move to where the jobs are

the nuclear family is better fitted to the needs of the modern industry

Question 8

a socially mobile workforce - func, parsons

Answer 8

modern society is based on constantly evolving science and technology and so it requires a skilled workforce so its essential that talented people can compete for jobs

in mod society an individuals status is achieved by own efforts not ascribed - makes social mobility possible

nuclear family is better equipped to meet the needs and encourages social mobility - e.g son has a higher achieved status than father = conflict in home = adults leave home

Question 9

parsons 2 essential functions of the family

Answer 9

primary socialisation of children

stabilisation of adult personalities

Question 10

primary socialisation of children

Answer 10

equip them with th basic skills and society’s values

Question 11

the stabilisation of adult personalities

Answer 11

the family is a place where adults can relax and relate tensions enabling them to return to the workplace refreshed and ready to meet its needs

Question 12

functions marxists have identified that they see the family as fulfilling for capitalism

Answer 12

inheritance of property
ideological functions
a unit of consumption

Question 13

Marx - inheritance of property

Answer 13

Engles
earliest ‘classes society’ is called primitive communism = no private property - all members of society own the means if production

monogamy became essential as wealth increased as the inheritance of property meant that men had to be sure that the child was theirs

rise of the monogamous family left women’s sexuality under male control

Question 14

Marx - ideological functions

Answer 14

ideology means a set of beliefs that justify inequality and maintain the capitalist society by getting people to accept it as fair

e.g socialising children into the idea that. a hierarchy and inequality are inevitable and that there will always be someone in charge (capitalist employers)

Zaretsky
family offers a haven from the harsh outside world of capitalism, this is an illusion as the family cannot meet its member’s needs

Question 15

zaretsky

Answer 15

Marx
ideological functions
family offers a haven from the harsh outside world of capitalism, this is an illusion as the family cannot meet its member’s needs

Question 16

engels

Answer 16

marx
inheritance of property
monogamy became essential as wealth increased as the inheritance of property meant that men had to be sure that the child was theirs

Question 17

marx - a unit of consumption

Answer 17

capitalism exploits the labour of workers by making a profit by selling their product for more

family plays a role in generating the profits
1. advertisers urge families to ‘keep up with the Joneses’
2. pester power media targets children to persuade their parents to spend more
3. children who don’t have the latest things are mocked by their peers

Question 18

marxist ao3

Answer 18

1. they assume the nuclear family is dominant but ignores the increasing variety of family structures
2. feminists argue their focus on social class and capitalism underestimates gender inequalities in the family
3. in feminist view family serves in the interest of men rather than capitalism
4. functionalists argue that marxists ignore benefits family provides for its members

Question 19

liberal feminism view

Answer 19

• women’s oppression is being gradually overcome through changing people’s attitudes and through changes of the law such as sex discrimination act
• we are moving towards greater equality - don’t fully believe their is equality but there is progress

Question 20

liberal fem view ao3

Answer 20

1. despite progress women s6il have the triple shift
2. marxist and radical fems argue they fail to challenge the underlying causes of women’s oppression
3. changing the law isn’t enough for equality there needs to be a change in social structure

Question 21

marxist fem view

Answer 21

• main cause of oppression is capitalism

women’s oppression performs functions for capitalism:
- they reproduce the labour force through unpaid domestic labour
- women absorb anger that would otherwise be directed at capitalism
- women are a reserve army of cheap labour

Question 22

Marx fem ao3

Answer 22

women are no longer a reserve labour force as they have equal rights ate work and are as likely as men to be the main breadwinner

Question 23

radical fem view

Answer 23

all societies have been founded on patriarchy

the key division in society is between men and women
1. men are the enemy: the source of women’s oppression
2. the family and marriage are the key institutions in patriarchal society: men benefit from women’s unpaid domestic labour

the patriarchal system needs to be overturned - only way to achieve this is separatism - women must live independently of men

Question 24

radical fem ao3

Answer 24

Sommerville argue that radical fems fail to see the improvements - better access to divorce and control over their fertility

Question 25

difference feminism

Answer 25

we cannot generalise about women’s experiences
all women have very different experiences of the family from one another

Question 26

difference fem ao3

Answer 26

neglects that many do share similar experiences regardless of ethnicity

Question 27

personal life perspective

Answer 27

• influenced by interactionist ideas
• ‘bottom up’ approach, emphasise the meanings that individual family members hold and how these shape their relationships

draws attention to all minds of relationships individuals see as important, such as:
- relationships with fiends
- relationships with pets

Question 28

personal life perspective ao2

Answer 28

Nordqvist and smart
some parents emphasised the importance of social relationships over genetic ones in forming family bonds

Question 29

personal life perspective ao3

Answer 29

Nordqvist and Smart’s study illustrates the value of the perspective as it helps us understand how people themselves construct and define their relationships as ‘family’ rather than imposing traditional definitions

can be accused of taking too broad a view. by including a wide range of different types of relationships we ignore what is special about relationships based on blood or marriage