Theories Of The Family

Question 1

what is parsons functionalist fit theory

Answer 1

the family will depend on the kind of society in which it is found

Question 2

what two kinds of family structure does parsons distinguish between

Answer 2

1) nuclear family: parents and dependent children (industrial society )
2) extended family: 3 generations under one roof ( pre industrial society)

Question 3

what two essential needs does parsons see for industrial society

Answer 3

1) geographically mobile- move where there’s work and money

2) socially mobile- move from promotions and also move due to conflict

Question 4

what does loss of functions mean

Answer 4

• pre industrial family was ‘multi function’ unit eg working together…
• more self sufficient than modern nuclear family
• according to parsons when society industrialises, the family not only changes but also loses many of its functions eg educated in schools

Question 5

in parsons view as a result of the loss of functions, the modern nuclear family comes to specialise in performing two essential or irreducible functions. what are these functions

Answer 5

1) primary socialisation: basic skill and values enable cooperation
2) stabilisation of adult personalities: family is a place where adults can relax and release tensions to return refreshed work

Question 6

what do Marxists argue about ideological functions (Zaretsky)

Answer 6

• family performs ideological state functions by socialising children into accepting hierarchy and inequality are inevitable
• parental power accustoms them to the idea someone (a man) has to be in charge and accept orders from employers

Question 7

what does ideology mean

Answer 7

Marxists mean a set of ideas or beliefs that justify inequality and maintain the capitalist system by persuading people to accept it

Question 8

what did Zaretsky say about ideological state functions

Answer 8

family offers an apparent ‘haven’ from harsh world of capitalism, but it is an allusion eg exploitation of women

Question 9

what is unit of consumption

Answer 9

capitalism exploits labour of workers: makes a profit by selling products for more than what it costs to produce them

Question 10

how does the family generate profit

Answer 10

1) advertisers urge families to ‘ keep up with joneses’ buy buying all of the latest products
2) media targets children ‘pester power’
3) children who lack ‘latest’ clothes/ gadgets marked by peers

Question 11

what are the criticisms of Marxist theories of the family

Answer 11

• functionalist: Marxists ignore the benefits the family provides
• ignores wider family structure and assumes nuclear family to be dominant
• feminist: family senses the interest of the man, not capitalism, more gender inequalities than class inequalities.

Question 12

what are radical feminists theory of the family

Answer 12

• all societies are ruled by men; key division of society: 1 men are the enemy and source of women’s oppression
  2 men benefit from women unpaid labour and sexual services
  the patriarchal system needs to be overturned, family must be abolished. Achieved through ‘separatism’

Question 13

what does ‘separatism’ mean

Answer 13

women living independently

Question 14

what is ‘political lesbianism’

Answer 14

heterosexual relationships are oppressive because involves ‘sleeping with the enemy’

Question 15

what did Greer say about the theories of the family

Answer 15

feminist- argues for the creation of all female or ‘matrilocal’ households as an alternative to the heterosexual family.

Question 16

what do liberal feminists argue

Answer 16

argue that radical feminists fail to recognise women’s positions have improves considerably eg job opportunities. Somerville also argues that sexual attraction would make separatism difficult

Question 17

what do difference feminist argue

Answer 17

Difference feminists argue that we cant generalise women’s experience: lesbian + heterosexual, white + black, middle + Wc women have different experiences. Black feminists view the family positively as a source of support

Question 18

what are the criticism of difference feminism

Answer 18

other feminist argue that difference feminism neglects the fact that many women share similar experiences

Question 19

what are the personal life views on beyond ties of blood and marriage

Answer 19

• PLP takes a wider view of relationships based on blood/marriage
• for example, we may form relationships with non- blood based relatives such as ex partners parents. These may be stronger than blood relatives but we wouldn’t know unless we examined the meaning

Question 20

PLP draws our attention to a range of intimate relationships that are not conventionally deemed as family. These people see relationships as significant and gives them a sense of belonging what does this include:

Answer 20

• relationships with friends- ‘brother /sister ‘
• fictive kin- people you call ‘aunty’
• gay/lesbian chosen families- made up of a supportive network
• relationships with dead relatives who continue to shape identities
• relationships with pets- tipper found that children frequently see pets as family

Question 21

what is the evaluation of personal life perspective on theories of the family

Answer 21

+ illustrates the value of ‘bottom up’ approach in helping us to understand how people define relationships

• accused of being too broad- ignores what is special about relationships based on blood
• reflects functionalist view + but does agree family provides the function of belonging

Question 22

what do functionalists argue about society

Answer 22

believes society is based on value consensus (all humans working towards the same goal)-set of shared norms and values. It enables society to harmoniously cooperate to meet shared goals.

Question 23

what to functionalists compare society to

Answer 23

they compare society to a human body because it is made up of different parts that depend on each other. Each part is vital for the wellbeing of its members

Question 24

what 4 essential functions did parsons argue the family performed in order to meet the needs of society and its members.

Answer 24

• satisfaction and sex drive-same partners, social disruption of “free for all”
• reproduction-without this society would not continue
• socialisation- of the young, shared values and norms
• economic needs- food and shelter etc

Question 25

what are the criticisms of Murdock’s functionalist view

Answer 25

• these functions can be performed equally as well as other institutions or non-nuclear families
• feminists reject this rose tinted view of the family. IT neglects conflict +exploitation (serving men, oppressing women)
• Marxists argue that it meets the needs of capitalism and not society as a whole.

Question 26

what did Marxists believe about the family

Answer 26

Marxists believe that functions of the family are performed purely for the benefit of the capitalist system. Marxist have identified several functions they see as fulfilling capitalism

Question 27

what do Marxists argue shapes social institutions

Answer 27

production ( who owns and controls forces eg raw materials, land. wealth is linked to family

Question 28

what is primitive communism

Answer 28

no private property, all members owned the means of production. There was no family but a promiscuous hoard. (Marxism)

Question 29

what happened when forces of production developed

Answer 29

wealth increased, private property developed .class of men secured control of production. This brought about the patriarchal monogamous nuclear family.

Question 30

why was monogamy essential (according to Marxism)

Answer 30

to be sure of the inheritance of family. Rise of nuclear family represented a ‘world historical defeat of the female sex’. women’s sexuality were under male control and used for reproduction. Women will only be liberated with the over throw of capitalism

Question 31

what do feminists believe the family does to women

Answer 31

• believe that the family oppresses women eg domestic division of labour, violence
• gender inequality is created by society
• feminism is a broad term and approaches the family in different ways

Question 32

what are liberal feminists theories of the family

Answer 32

(equal pay, discrimination)

• hold a similar view of ‘march of progress ‘ gradual progress towards gender equality, overcome laws +attitudes, but will need further performs to reach equal aspirations
• for example men are doing more domestic work, sons/daughters have more equal aspirations

Question 33

what are the criticisms for liberal feminists views

Answer 33

other criticise liberals for failing to challenge cause of women’s oppression and believing peoples attitudes will be enough to be bring equality

Question 34

what are Marxist feminist theories of the family

Answer 34

believe main form of oppression in the family is not men but capitalism.

Question 35

how does women’s oppression perform several functions for capitalism.

Answer 35

1. women reproduce the labour force through unpaid work labour +socialising the next generation
2. women absorb anger that would be directed at capitalism. Ansley -‘takers of shit’ who soak up frustration of men
3. women are a reserve army of cheap labour when extra workers are needed

Question 36

how is oppression of women linked to working class

Answer 36

Marxism -equality will only be achieved through a class less society and abolishing family

Question 37

what two weaknesses to personal life theorists argue other theorists suffer from

Answer 37

1. they assume that the traditional nuclear family is the dominant type.
2. they are all structural theories. interactionalist and post modernists sociologists argue that theories ignore the fact we have some choice in creating our family relationships. we must focus on ‘meanings ‘rather than ‘functions’

Question 38

what is the personal life perspective on families

Answer 38

this is a new perspective on families. it is influenced by interactionalists ideas and argues I order to understand families, we must start from the point of view of the individuals + meanings they give to relationships.

Question 39

how does the personal life perspective contrast to the three other perspectives

Answer 39

it contrasts as the other approaches take a ‘top down’ structural approach. the personal life theory is a ‘bottom up’ theory- how family members shape actions

Question 40

what did Nordquist and smart find (personal life perspective)

Answer 40

-research donor conceived children-
‘what counts as family when your child shares a genetic link with a stranger’
*issue of blood and genes raised a range of feelings +emphasised the importance of sexual relationships

Question 41

personal life perspective: Erin

Answer 41

the mother of an egg donor child, defined motherhood as the time + effort she put into raising her child.
however difficult feelings would flare up in terms of identity of the real parent and lesbian couples.