TOPIC 3 THEORIES OF THE FAMILY

what do functionalists believe society is based on and what type of theory is it

consensus theory

they believe that society is based a value concusses.

value consensus is a set of shared values and norms in society which socialise its members.

what does functionalist regard society as

a system made up of different parts or sub-system that depends on each other. This is also known as the organic analogy.

2 main functionalists

Murdock
Parsons

Murdock argues that....

the family performs 4 essential functions to meet the needs of society and its members.

What are the 4 functions?

1. Stable satisfaction of the sex drive
2. Reproduction if the next generation
3. The socialisation of the young
4. Meeting economic needs

Who criticises murdock and what do they say?

Feminists and marxists say murdock has a rose tinted view
Feminists - the family oppresses women
Marxists - the family is good for capitalism

What is Parson's theory of the family?

Functional fit theory.

Parsons argues that....

The functions that the family performs will depend on the kind of society in which it is found.

Two kinds of family structure according to Parsons?

Nuclear and extended.

The nuclear family fits the needs of what society?

industrial society.

While the extended family fits the needs of?

Pre-industrial society

Parson believes that there were 2 basic and ‘irreducible’ functions the nuclear family performs

1. primary socialisation of its members

2. stabilisation of adult personalities-nuclear family is a safe haven where members can relax and confide in each other. This is a functional fit

what is the warm bath theory by Parsons about

idea of the man coming home from a hard day at work and he should be able to relax in his family like a warm bath and it should take away all the stress from his previous day at work and get him ready for his next day.

give a summary of the Marxist perspective on family

see capitalist society as based on unequal conflict between the working class(the proletariat) and the capitalists class (the bourgeoise). It is a conflict theory

3 ways in which the family plays a major role in fulfilling for capitalism.

1. inheritance of property

2. ideological functions

3. a unit of consumption

explain inheritance of property

with the increase in wealth during the industrialisation, the development of private property began.

Engel believed before industrialisation people lived as ‘prominious hoards’ with no restriction on relationships

industrialisation caused the monogamous nuclear family to increase. women were married only for work contacts.

Sexual behaviours became controlled to ensure claims to property go to the right offspring.

inheritance of private property would eventually go to the child.

explain ideological functions

done by socialising children into the idea that hierarchy and inequality are inevitable.

done through parent power for example. power over the child by a man normally-preparation for workplace-accept orders from their capitalist employee

Zaretsky says the family also performs ideological functions by offering a safe ‘haven’ be themselves and have a private life from the harsh and exploited world outside of capitalism outside in which workers.

However Zaretsky argues that this is largely an illusion as the family cannot meet its members’ needs.

explain how the nuclear family is a unit of consumption

the nuclear family serves capitalism by encouraging a ‘consumer culture’.

children are targeted by the media to consume commodities and pressure the parents to buy the product-the parents give in because they don’7t want their child to be bullied in school.

Criticism of the Marxist perspective

they assume that the nuclear family is dominant in a capitalist society-therefore ignoring the other family types

Feminists argue that Marxists emphasis on class and capitalism underestimates the importance of gender inequalities

Functionalists argue that Marxists ignore the very real benefits that the family provide for its members.

What approach does functionalism, marxism and feminism take?

Top down.

4 different types of feminist perspectives on the family

1. liberal
2. marxist
3. radical
4. difference

give an overview of the feminist perspective on family

they argue it oppresses women. They don’t see gender inequality as natural or inevitable but see it as something that was created by society. is a conflict theory

explain what liberal feminists say

explain what Marxist feminists say

explain what radical feminists say

explain what differences feminists say

The personal life perspective argues that all the other perspectives suffer from two weaknesses:

1. they assume the nuclear family is dominant.
2. they are all structural theories.

What approach does the personal life perspective take?

Bottom up therefore emphasising the meanings that the individual family member holds and how these shape their actions and relationships.

What is the sociology of personal life?

To understand families we must start at the point of view of the indivuduals.

Personal life perspective also takes a wider view of the relationships than just traditional ‘family’ relationships based on blood

give some examples of these

1. relationships with friends-’love you like a sister’

2. fictive kins-close friends who are treated as relatives-mum’s best friend is seen as an auntie

3. relationships with dead relatives-their memory is still alive so they shape peoples identity

4. relationships with pets-Tipper found children saw their pets as apart of their family

Evaluation of the personal life perspective

accused of taking too broad of a view-focusing on a relationship that is not blood ignores what is actually special about a blood or marriage relationship