Family - Functionalism

Murdock study

Studied 250 societies across world and found nuclear family occured everywhere so must be the best

Nuclear family

‘Standard’ family, 2 heterosexual monogamous married parents with 2 biological children

Murdock 4 basic functions of family

RESS - Reproductive, Economic, Socialisation, Sexual

Murdock - Reproductive

Reproducing members of society by having children

Murdock - Economic

The family is a unit of production (making things) and a unit of consumption (buying things as familly has to provide)

Murdock - Socialisation

Teaches young of society norms and values to create consensus and social solidarity (Primary Socialisation)

Murdock - Sexual

Satisfies sex drive with same partner (monogamous), preventing social disruption by sexual ‘free for all’

Parsons key ideas

Nuclear family is important, Functional fit theory, Warm bath theory, 2 key functions, loss of functions

Parsons - Geographical mobility

Pre-industrial society - Classic extended family, living together, farm, best fits society needs

Modern society - Move to where jobs are, nulcer family moves easier that extended.

Parsons - Social Mobility

Pre-industrial society - Status based on parents status

Modern society - Meritocracy, you can move social class position

Parsons 2 key functions

Primary socialisation - Teaching children basic skills and society’s norms and values, how to integrate into society

Stabilisation of Adult personalities - Family is place where adults can relax and release tensions, so return to workplace refreshed ready to meet demands of economy

Parsons traditional gender roles in family

Instrumental role - Role of husband, provide financially as ‘breadwinner’

Expressive role - Role of wife, to look after husband and kids in nurturing and emotional role

Parsons Warm bath theory

Man comes home from work and sinks into ‘warm bath’ of family, wife nurtures, cooks dinner, relieves stress, looks after children to refresh man for next day of work (fulfills stabilisation of adult personalities)

Parsons loss of functions

Family has lost some functions, e.g. education, healthcare etc and other institutions have taken on this role, NHS for healthcare, Schools for education. Views this positively as family specialised in emotional role.

Bell and Vogel scapegoat theory

Children act as emotional scapegoats, to help adults relieve stress and get out anxieties. Functional as helps protect rest of society by keeping conflict in private

Critisism of Scapegoat theory

Not functional for children, can result in emotional/domestic abuse