Family Diversity

What does Parsons mean by 'functional fit' between society and the family?

Family changes to fit the needs of society.

- Pre-industrial family valued extended.

- Industrial values nuclear.

What do New Right sociologists such as Murray advocate about the family?

They believe nuclear families, specifically the expressive and instrumental roles are best. They dislike lone parent families, same sex marriage and cohabitation because they believe the nuclear family is the only family type that provides adequate socialisation.

What does Benson claim? (New Right)

- Cohabitating couples are more likely to break up, they account for majority of family breakdowns. Children do not have the right role models.

What are the criticisms of the New Right?

- Ignore abusive families

- Victim blaming

- Too simplistic (generalise lone parents etc)

- No evidence that children of Lone Parent Families will be delinquent.

- Smart: poverty causes breakup rather than cohabitation

What does Chester (Neo-Functionalist) claim about family diversity?

Family diversity increase is not significant or negative.

What is the Neo-Conventional family?

A dual-earner family

What evidence is there that Chester's theory is correct?

- Most people are married (12.9m)

- Majority have children and raise them

- Most marriages continue until death

- Cohabitation is a temporary phase

What are the criticisms of Chester?

- Writing before same-sex marriage

- Marriage rate is still declining

- Immigration brings more beliefs/diversity

How do post-modernists argue how our society has changed?

- Diversity and fragmentation

- Rapid social change

What do the Rapoports believe?

- Families have adapted to a fragmented society.

- Family diversity is positive, it represents greater freedom of choice and acceptance to different cultures.

What are the 5 types of different diversity in Britain today identified by the Rapoports?

-Cultural diversity

-Life-stage diversity

-Organisational diversity

-Generational diversity

-Social class diversity

What does Stacey believe?

- Greater freedom and choice has benefitted women

- Women rather than men are the main agents of family

- Post-modern families are diverse

What is individualisation thesis?

- Giddens and Beck explore increasing individual choice among families.

- Traditions like class, gender and family have lost influence.

- There are less roles to follow because of more freedom.

What is life-course analysis?

Sociologists should look at individual family members and their choices regarding family arrangements eg. when they make them such as raising children, living alone.

What does Giddens argue about same-sex couples?

- The family has transformed because of greater choice.

- Couples today are free to define their own relationship

- Same sex couples are the new family type and not influenced by tradition, they serve their own needs.

What is a pure relationship?

A relationship that is held together by choice and love, not tradition or social norms. Exists solely on satisfying a partners need. Giddens.

What is Beck's negotiated family?

- We now live in a 'risk society' because people have more choice.

- Patriarchal family has been undermined by greater gender equality and individualism.

- A negotiated family does not conform to tradition and is less stable.

What is a zombie family?

- A family that appears to be alive but in reality is dead.

- People want security but society can not provide it because of instability

What is the personal life perspective? (Smart and May)

- Disagree with Beck and Gidden's explanation.

- Individualisation thesis exaggerates choice

- Ignores choices are made within a social context

- Ignores importance of structural factors

- Ignores the fact everyone does not have the same availibility.

What is connectedness thesis?

Smart's alternative thesis- argues we are fundamentally social beings whose choices are made within a web of connectedness. We live in networks of existing relationships, influencing our options and choices in relationships. Challenges pure relationships.

How has globalisation impacted family diversity?

- Different family types bought over via immigration and integration of other cultures.

- Black African and Caribbean families have a higher proportion of lone parent families.

- Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian families tend to be larger. Wilmott, extended families still exist but are dispersed.

What percentage of households are single people living alone?

28%

What are Boomerang Kids?

adult children who return to live with their parents

What does McIntosh believe about single parent families?

Used as a scapegoat

What does McLanahan believe about single parent families?

More likely to suffer from poverty, which causes delinquency