Unit 1 Family Flashcards
What is a family?
It is difficult to define the term ‘family’ as there is a variety of family types in Britain and not one main type. Functionalists see the basic traditional nuclear family as the best way to bring up children, but other sociologists disagree. Functionalist theories had a very significant effect on how families were viewed, but their definition of the family is now out of date.
How do families vary globally?
There is a great variety of practices regarding family and marriage throughout the world. ‘Normal’ family life in one culture might be considered strange in another culture. Different countries also have different laws regarding marriage. In most Western countries, for example, polygamy is illegal.
What types of family exist in the UK today?
People in Britain today live in a variety of family forms. There is no one dominant
family form.
Why have marriage trends changed in the UK?
Social, economic and religious developments have led to significant changes in marriage patterns in Britain today: More people are never marrying and living as single people. More couples are cohabiting instead of marrying. Many couples are marrying at a later age. There are now more remarriages per year than there are first-time marriages.
Why is there increasing family diversity?
The Rapoports identified diversity in families in Britain today. Robert Chester
disagrees with this view, arguing that the nuclear family is still the main family type.
Some sociologists see such diversity as a positive development, allowing family
members, and women in particular, more choice on how to live their lives.
How has family diversity come about?
Family diversity in Britain has increased due to a variety of factors: Social norms relating to families have changed. The decline in religion has removed the religious barrier to other family forms. The position of women in society has improved, giving women more economic independence. Legal changes have given both men and women greater freedom to divorce. There is greater ethnic family diversity.
Why are there more lone-parent families?
Social, legal and economic changes have led to the growth in the numbers of lone parent families in the UK.
The New Right blame the ‘inadequacy’ of lone-parent families for some of society’s
problems. Feminists argue against this view, pointing out that lone-parenting frees
women from dependency on men and allows them to bring up their children away
from, for example, an unhappy relationship.
Why has there been a growth in singlehood?
There has been a growth in singlehood, caused by social, economic, religious and
technological changes:
Social norms have changed. It is now acceptable for women to remain single or
concentrate on a career. Sex outside marriage has become acceptable.
Contraception is available to people who are unmarried.
Women are now more able to support themselves financially.
Why have there been changes to the divorce?
Changes in the law have extended the grounds of divorce to include irreconcilable differences, ie, relationship breakdown, which allows more people to divorce now than could in the past. Social and economic changes, particularly affecting women, have also contributed to a rise in divorce rates.
How do functionalists and the New Right view divorce?
There are different sociological views on divorce. The New Right see it as destroying the nuclear family and the cause of many social problems. Functionalists see it as a
way of people escaping an unhappy marriage, not marriage itself. Feminists believe divorce gives women the opportunity to free themselves from unhappy marriages
and patriarchy.
Why has there been a reduction in family size?
The average size of families in the UK has decreased over the last 40 years. This is the result of a number of social, economic, religious and technological changes. There
has been an increase in the overall birth rate, but more families are choosing to have only one child.
is the family in decline?
There are different views on whether or not the family has declined. If the family is defined as the nuclear family, then changes such as the increase in lone-parent families, cohabitation and children born outside of marriage are leading to family decline. An alternative view, however, is that there are many different types of family that function effectively and carry out the functions of a family unit.
Are conjugal roles changing?
Sociologists Willmott and Young claim that conjugal roles became symmetrical
in the 1970s, in that women and men shared the responsibilities of their domestic partnership in terms of work, household duties and childcare. Feminist sociologists dispute this claim, saying that, in the majority of families, there is an imbalance between male and female roles.
Has the ‘new man’ become the norm?
Studies indicate that there is a move towards equality in conjugal roles, especially when women work. However, there is little widespread evidence of the ‘new man’ who is as equally involved in housework, childcare and emotion work as his partner.
How have the roles of men been affected by social changes?
Social changes, such as in the world of work, have affected the role of men in the
family and in society. Although in some families, the father is still the breadwinner
and authority figure, some men face a crisis of identity or masculinity as they
struggle with their changing roles.
How has the role of children in families changed?
The meaning of childhood has changed over the last 50 years in Britain, with children being given more rights. Some people believe we live in a very childcentred society. Not all children have shared equally in the improvements, however, and there are
still concerns over some children’s welfare compared with some other countries.
How has the role of older people in families changed?
The arrangement of members of an extended family all living in the same house is less common in Britain today than it was in the past and still is in some other countries. Nonetheless, extended family ties are still strong and grandparents often help and support their children. At the same time, increasing numbers of elderly people who are in ill health and poverty might have to be supported by their family.
What is the functionalist view of the family?
Functionalists are very positive about the family and see it as performing vital roles
within a well-functioning society. Other sociologists, such as feminists and Marxists
do not agree with this view of the family.
Has the nuclear family become more privatised?
Talcott Parsons argues that the modern privatised nuclear family has emerged because
it is mobile and can move to areas where there are jobs, so it is therefore functional
for the needs of modern society. However, there is evidence that many contemporary
families are not isolated and instead maintain ties with the extended family.
What is the Marxist view of the family?
Marxists argue that the family serves the interests of capitalism and the bourgeoisie
because:
-workers bury themselves in the family unit and do not rebel against the injustice
of capitalism
-the capitalist classes focus on the family to buy their products
-workers have to support their family so are afraid to protest or strike.
Other groups, such as functionalists and feminists, disagree with this view.
What is the feminist view of the family?
Feminists argue that the family is patriarchal and benefits men at the expense of
women. They point out that children learn gender roles in the family and that men
have a superior role to women. Women in the family are also more likely to be
victims of abuse and violence than men.
Why are feminist critical of the family?
Feminists believe the family is a patriarchal institution in which the roles of females are socially constructed to become housewives and mothers. Sylvia Walby argues that violence in the family is mainly committed by men against women, and shows that men exert their power over their partners in the home. She says that domestic abuse is a result of the inferior position of women in society.
How can the theories of the family be summarised?
Functionalists argue that families benefit society and individual family members. Marxists argue that families benefit the upper class. Feminists argue that families benefit men.
