Theories Of The Family Flashcards
What is the functionalist perspective of the family?
The family plays a vital part in the organic analogy maintenance of society, the family supports society sub systems such as the economy, they see family as harmonious and ignore family conflict etc. I’m
What does the functionalist Murdock (1949) argue?
That there are 4 functions of the family:
Stable satisfaction of sex drive, preventing a society of a sex free for all
Reproduction of the next generation, to keep society alive
Socialisation of young, into societies norms and values allowing integration
Satisfaction of members needs, provides food and shelter.
In conclusion the family is practical and maintains a consensus society through primary socialisation as well as meeting basic human needs
What does Parsons ‘functional fit’ theory advocate?
Parsons argues that the type of family found matches the society it is founded in, for example extended or beanpole families were common before the industrial revolution where many generations worked on a farm and supported the elderly whilst the elderly looked after young children but now this is uncommon as pensions and better healthcare etc allow elderly people more freedom
How does parson argue that the nuclear family fits the needs of the modern society
Geographical mobility, due to globalisation industries are increasingly declining and rising in different places meaning that people are needing to be more Mobile, nuclear families allow this to be done efficiently
Contrasting with the traditional agricultural family
What functions do parsons argue that nuclear families provide
Primary socialisation of the young with necessary values
Stabilisation of adult
What is the New right perspective of families?
A biologically based division of labour, Household division of labour is based on natural Differences similarly to functionalist perspectives, Critics argue that gender roles are socially constructed not biological, they also argue that ideal families should be self reliant and not depend on the state, they argue that a dependency culture creates family breakdown and lone parents
What Are The a Marxist views of Family?
They see family as yet another institution of society that contributes to capitalism, they see family as a way of passing on wealth and limiting any chance of social mobility, they also believe society is family dominated because families provide a huge market for capitalism to generate income, this is similar to functionalism in that they both see family as something shaped by wider society
What do Marxist feminists argue about family?
They believe that capitalism causes oppression in families as women socialise their children into a working mindset for free which benefits capitalism, they believe that wives take the anger of their husbands oppression at work and they see women as a reserve army of workers that return back to domestic work when not needed I
What do Radical feminists argue about family?
That patriarchy is deep rooted in family and marriage as men benefit from free domestic labour and sexual services.
What does difference feminism believe about family?
They believe that every woman has a different experience of family but ethnic minority working class women are especially vulnerable in families because of patriarchy
What does the personal life perspective argue about family?
They take a bottom up approach to family unlike other perspectives by Attempting to understand the individual meaning between relationships of a family, they instead discover the personal relationships and love between family rather than marriage or blood, this covers all types of family relationships that give a sense of relatedness such as same sex families etc. Or even pets
What does the personal life perspective argue about donor conceived children?
Nordqvist and smarts found that parents with donor conceived children emphasised the importance of social relationships rather than genetic ones , they found that lesbians were concerned the sperm donor would be treated as the real second parent.
