Topic 5 - Theories/Role Of The Family

Question 1

What perspective do Functionalists hold when discussing the role of family?

Answer 1

Consensus perspective - a way of sharing norms and values to foster cooperation

Question 2

According to Functionalists, what are the 4 essential functions family plays (theorist)

Answer 2

Murdock

1. Stabilisation of sex drive - with the same partner preventing social disruption
2. Reproduction of the next generation - without which society could not continue
3. Socialisation of the young - preserving shared values and norms
4. Meeting its members’ economic needs - such as food and shelter

Question 3

Criticise Murdocks 4 essential functions using a perspective.

Answer 3

Marxist - Murdock ignores the conflict and exploitation in the family.

Family meets the needs of capitalism, not the family members.

Question 4

Explain the ‘functional fit’ theory. What perspective is it from/who produced it.

Answer 4

Parsons a functionalist theorist. Explain that family performs different functions based on the needs of the society it’s in.

Such as the nuclear family compared to extended family

Question 5

Using the functional fit theory compare pre-industrial society to industrial society. Who came up with this theory?

Answer 5

Parsons

Extended families provided the best fit for pre-industrial society requiring self-sufficiency.

In industrial society, nuclear families became the best fit due to the need for a geographically and socially mobile workforce.

Question 6

Outline the two types of mobile workforces.

Answer 6

Geographically, mobile workforce - industrial society constantly springs up and declines nuclear families are more compact and easy to move according to Parsons.

Socially mobile workforce - people need to be able to change professionals not based on their parents. Nuclear families mean children move out sooner and parents have less influence.

Question 7

Criticise Parsons ideas about types of families. (Theorist)

Answer 7

Laslett argues that in pre-industrial society, extended families wouldn’t exist due to late childbearing age and low life expectancy

Question 8

Due to loss of function via industrialisation (family isn’t a unit of production), what 2 roles do modern families have? (Theorist)

Answer 8

Parsons
1. The primary socialisation of children - equipping them with skills and social values

2. Stabilisation of adult personalities - family is a place where adults can relax and release tension

Question 9

What perspective do Marxists hold when discussing the role of family?

Answer 9

Class conflict perspective - Marxists believe that family functions are performed purely to benefit capitalism and individual members.

Question 10

What 3 functions do Marxists belive the family has? (List)

Answer 10

1. The inheritance of property
2. Ideological function
3. A unit for consumption

Question 11

Explain the Marxists family function inheritance of property (theorist)

Answer 11

Engles
In early society, there was no family as everyone owned everything ‘primative communism’, and there were no sexual restrictions.

In current society, the nuclear family and monogamy are needed to ensure that the male breadwinner can pass down his property.

Only the other throw of capitalism will liberate women from patriarchal control.

Question 12

Explain the Marxists’ family function the ideological function (theorist)

Answer 12

The family justifies inequality and the capitalist system by

Socialising children into the idea of hierarchy

Zaretsky family offers an apparent haven from the harsh exploitative world

Question 13

Explain the Marxists’ family function, a unit of consumption (example)

Answer 13

Families generate profit for capitalists maintaining the system.

For example, advertisement urges families to ‘keep up with the joneses’

Children are stigmatised for not wearing trendy clothing

Question 14

Criticise the Marxist belief that family only serves capitalism. (Perspective)

Answer 14

Marxists assume that the nuclear family is dominant in capitalist society.

Functionalists argue that Marxists ignore the positive benefits family performs for it’d members

Question 15

What perspective do Femisits hold when discussing the role of family?

Answer 15

Gender conflict perspective - they argue that family oppresses women focusing on inequalities division of labour and domestic violence.

They regard gender inequality as a social construct.

Question 16

How do liberal feminists believe women’s family life is changing. (Evidence)

Answer 16

They believe that campaigns for equal rights have had an impact.

Women’s oppression is gradually being overcome and we are moving to greater equality.

Equal pay act

Question 17

Criticise liberal feminists there is a march of progress for women’s positions in family. (Perspective)

Answer 17

Marxists and radical feminists - changes to laws and opinions do little as changes to deep-rooted social structures are needed.

Question 18

Marxist feminists argue that the main cause of women’s oppression in family is not men but capitalism. Women’s oppression serves capitalism 3 ways… (1 theorist)

Answer 18

1. Women reproduce the Labour force - through their unpaid domestic labour, socialising the next generation to be like the current one.
2. Women absorb anger - Anstey describes wives as ‘takers of shit’ who soak up their husbands’ frustrations, which otherwise would be directed at capitalists.
3. Women are a reserve army for cheap labour - they are taken on when extra workers are needed and return to domestic labour afterwards

Question 19

What do radical feminists believe the role of family is?

Answer 19

All society is based on patriarchy. Men are the enemy family reinforces patriarchal society as women can be oppressed and exploited directly either sexually or through unpaid labour.

Question 20

What do radical feminists believe the ideal family type to be? (Theorist)

Answer 20

They advocate for political lesbianism seeing heterosexual relationships as oppressive.

Greer argues ‘matrifocal’ (all female) are the preferred family type.

Question 21

Criticise radical feminists views on the role of family and position of women in society. (Theorist)

Answer 21

Liberal feminists such as Somerville Argue radical feminists fail to recognise that women’s positions have improved.

Also arguing separatism wouldn’t work due to heterosexual attraction

Question 22

What do difference feminists believe women’s experiences in family are?

Answer 22

Women don’t share similar experiences.

They argue we can not generalise these experiences. Different women from different cultures have vastly different experiences.

Question 23

Criticise difference feminists approach that women don’t share similar experiences in families. (Perspective)

Answer 23

Other feminists argue they neglect the fact that women share many similarities such as risk of domestic violence, lower pay, and sexual assault

Question 24

What 2 weaknesses do all other perspectives suffer from according to the personal life perspective?

Answer 24

1. They tend to assume that the traditional nuclear family is the dominant family type, ignoring increasing diversity
2. They are all structural theories assuming people are passive puppets manipulated by societies structures

Question 25

Explain the sociology of personal life perspective.

Answer 25

Strongly influenced by interactionalist theory, they feel we need to look at the view of individuals and what family means to them.

Question 26

What non-traditional personal relationships do the personal life perspective focus on?

Answer 26

1. Relationships with friends
2. Chosen family/gay and lesbian
3. Relationships with dead relatives
4. Relationships with pets

Question 27

Provide a theorist for Doner-conceived children.

Answer 27

Nordqvist and Smart - found social blonds were more important than blood bonds.

Question 28

Criticise the personal life perspective.

Answer 28

It can be accused of taking too bored of a view by including so much family diversity we ignore what’s special about relationships based on blood and marriage