Sociology Family

What are the general functionalist views for society?

Families should aim to provide value consensus and are a positive sector for society to function

What was mudock’s views of family?

Murdock 1948, the family has four essential functions

• economic needs, to provide food, shelter, and clothes to survive. Changes have meant welfare can be provided and woman can work

• Sexual needs, providing a sexual outlet for adults needs

• Educational, teaches children norms and values to be good citizens, half of this is done by the family and the other half done through education

• Reproductive needs, having children, producing the human race. Changes have occured due to attitudes and scientfific changes

What was Parson’s views on the family

• Stablisation, adult personalities and the warm bath theory

• this is the idea that families provide emotional support for adults. The idea was based on an image of a husband coming home from work and his wife providing emotional support and comfort. Family should be like sitting in a warm bath, relaxing at the end of the day

• feminists would disagree and the family can be abusive

• primary socialisation, childrens early socialisation will occur in the family, they learn norms and values e.g dressing, eating, manners etc

How can we evaluate functionalist views?

• too positive, ignores negative parts of the family like abuse and domestic violence

• Feminists say the the family mainly benefits men

• many functionalist views on the family are based on the nuclear family

• ideas are outdated

What is the general marxist belief about the family?

The main function is to support capitalism and maintain inequality

What was Engel’s belief about the function of the family?

The family preforms an economic function, inheritance of property and wealth

• Engel’s argued that the nuclear family is very important in maintaining social inequality, the inheritance of wealth gives people an advantage in society and maintains the gap between rich and poor

• Primogeniture is the idea that the eldest son inherits all the wealth which enables a small group of people to control the most wealth

What was zaretesky’s belief about the function of the family?

• Zaretsky believed that the family was a place for workers to release their frustrations over capitalism

• He argued that the family maintains capitalism through keeping the workforce healthy and happy

• workers may feel frustrated as they often work very hard for little fiancial reward, Instead the wealthy business owners will profit out of the working class

• The workers take their frustration out on family members which act as a saftey valve enabling them to return to work the next day

What is the idea of the unit of consumption and how does it take part in the families capitalist function?

• This is the idea that the family plays a major role in generating profits for capitalism 'from buying material goods e.g clothes, phones, holidays, toys

What are the limitations of the marxist beliefs about the function of the family?

• People live in family units in all different societies not just capitalist ones, including communist ones. This would suggest that families are not just a product of capitalism

• Tends to be too negative about the family and ignores it’s positive functions e.g primary socialization

• It is quite outdated and presumes all families are like the nuclear family which isn’t the case today

What do feminists believe about the family?

Feminists believe that the family is patriarchal but different feminists disagree about the extent of it

What is the liberal feminist view on the family?

Liberal feminists believe that society is patriarchal but that things are gradually improving for women within the family. Wilmott and young identified this as the the ‘march of progress’

• this is the idea that although woman still do most of the work in the family like childcare and housekeeping these roles are becoming shared. Things are not equal but the are moving towards equality

What do feminist Marxists believe about the family?

Argue that woman are oppressed through capitalism in three ways;

• rearing a healthy workforce

• To be a ‘reserve army of labour’ to do low paid insecure jobs

• Fran ansley’s idea ‘takers of shit’ woman have to listen and support men after work and the husbands frustration is taken out on the woman in order to go back to work productively

What do radical feminists believe about the role of women in the family?

Believe the the family is the main source of patriarchal dominance and the only way to escape the violence is to live in female only households called Greer, ‘matrifocal households’

What do difference feminists believe about the role of the woman in the family?

Woman experience different types of oppression based on their age/ethnicity/type of family

How can we evaluate feminist ideas about woman in the family?

• tends to be very fixated on the nuclear family

• Focus totally on gender and ignores issues of ethnicity and class

• Ignores violence towards males

• Doesn’t acknowledge domestic violence in same sex relationships

What do different types of sociologists believe about the families relation to the economy?

• Marxists believe that the family is responsible for keeping capitalism alive, they have evolved to maintain this

• Functionalists say the economy has also changed the families shape and role

What is the idea of the industrialisation of the family?

Parsons 51

• due to the organic analogy, the idea that to create/maintain value consensus the institutions need to work to support people, when changes are made, institutions like the family do to.

• Pre industrial society was based uon extended famiies, however, due to the industrial revolution families moved to towns/cities and changed in size and role

• They changed into nuclear families which allow;

  • Geographical mobility, easier to move to towns as families aren’t as extended

  • social mobility, earning of wage and having lesss children means parents can provide more financial oppurtunities like paying for university, this in turn means they get a better paid job than their parents

  • they provuide specialist roles, the rather is the ‘provider’ and the mother is the ‘caregiver’

How can we evaluate the ideas of industrialisation of the family?

Records don’t back this up, there were nuclear families before industrialisation and extended families after

What are the ‘stages’ of the march of progress - wilmott and young?

1) pre industrial family, a unit of economic production where the family produces food and goods to sell

2) early industrial family, home and work became separated, traditional gender roles where present

3) symetrical family, joint conjugal families, the family plays a role being a ‘unit of consumption’, men and woman share roles like childcare and housekeeping

4) asemetrical families, family spends most time out the home, this is because of ‘stratified diffusion’, wilmott and young said that families with both parents working full time often spend time apart due to childcare and working hours

How can we evaluate wilmott and young’s idea?

it presumes that the nuclear family is the best so it’s not fact

What was free contraception of 1961? Aim, government and sociological approval

The pill was to be given to woman whose health was put at risk by pregnancy, the conservative government brought in this policy which feminists and Marxists would agree on

What was the abortion act of 1967? Aim, government and sociological approval

This policy legalised abortion under certain conditions;

• if the pregnancy posed a threat to the woman’s physical and mental health

• If the pregnancy came from rape or incest

The aim was to provide legal access to abortion and was brought in by the labour government, feminists would agree with this policy

What was the divorce act of 1969? Aim, government and sociological approval

Made divorce raiser and more accessible “irretrievable breakdown” could now be used as grounds for divorce, this aimed to help couples getting divorced by removing reason to prove fault. This was a labour policy and feminists liked it

What was the equal pay act of 1970, aim, government and sociological approval

Equal pay for men and woman, aimed to prevent discrimination brought in by the labour government which feminists liked

What was section 28 of 1988, aim, government, sociological approval

Creating censorship and stopping promotion of homosexuality, conservative policy which agreed with the new right

What was the children’s act of 1989, aim, government, sociological approval

To ensure children are safeguarded and welfare is promoted, increasing the protection of children. Brought in by the conservative government and liked by the new right

What was the children’s support act of 1989? Aim, government, sociological approval

Making sure parents who separate pay child support, aiming to reduce child poverty. Brought in by the conservative government and liked by Marxism

What was the adoption and children’s act of 2002? Aim, government and sociological approval

Allows unmarried or married people and same sex couples to adopt children, modernised and improved adoption service, labour policy, feminism and Marxism

What was the civil partnership act of 2002? Aim, government and sociological approval

Enabled same sex couples to attain legal recognition of their partnership. Labour policy which feminists liked

What was the changing of definition of domestic violence? Aim, government, sociological approval

Created a new definition of what controlling and threatening behaviour is, included over 16s who have experienced this from intimate partners or family, this is about raising awareness about domestic abuse and encourages people to get help, conservative government, Which feminists would support

What was the benefits cap of 2013? Aim, government and sociological agreement

Limits the maximum amount in benefits a working age household can receive £500 pound a week, this was to limit the amount. Of unemployment and make the welfare system fairer, conservative policy, new right

What was shared parental leave of 2015, aim, government, sociological approval

allowing 50 hours a week to be shared of maternity leave for parents, providing parents more flexibility in sharing care, conservative policy which is liked by feminism

What was staying in education till 18? Aim, government, sociological approval

Making it compulsory to stay in education or training, aiming to prepare young people for employment or higher education, set up by the conservative government and is liked by the new right

What was conservative social policy towards family?

How can we evaluate this?

• based on the new right and policies were coordinated by Thatcher and Major

• Preference for Nuclear families (section 28) and banning the promotion of homosexuality in schools

• Individual and parental responsibility like child support

• Encouraging mothers to stay at home, married men’s tax allowance, tax free allowance also included stay at home mums which made salary worth more

However, these policies didn’t work. In this time divorce rates rose and attitudes changed, families became different

What was New labour policy towards families?

How can we evaluate them?

• Tony Blair was inspired by the sociologist Giddens

• They focused on helping families not changing them, working class families and child tax credits, these were top ups given to working age families as incentives to stay in work rather than relying on the state

• They acknowledged the existence of a range of family types (civil partnership act) same sex couples have the same legal rights

• Equality, paid paternity leave

The issue with these policies is that they were very expensive and didn’t work, many parents don’t use shared parental leave

What was coalition government policy towards families

How can we evaluate this?

• David Cameron was the leader of a conservative and lib-dem government

• They still wanted to promote the nuclear family but they went through modernisation policies, e.g Gay marriage

What policies towards the family have been introduced from 2015? Conservative government

• married tax allowance, when one part of a couple can pass on some of their earnings up to £11,500, this now applies to all married couples regardless of gender and who is the breadwinner

• Two child benefit cap

• Universal credit, benefits are combined into one payment directly to the family, the system is complicated and leaves many worse off, many are responsible for using their own money and paying rent. Before this rent was paid directly by the council to landlords. Many vulnerable people have entered debt because of this

How do functionalists see social policy? How can we criticise this?

• Functionalists see social policy as a way to support the family, e.g health service protects the family and he education system enables students to learn skills about raising a family

• However, different groups in society don’t have equal means of access, some cannot access types of schools and NHS appointments

How do the New right view social policy, How can we criticise this?

• They believe that social policy undermines the ‘nuclear family’ ideal and leads to unacceptable types of family, like the adoption of children, child benefits and working tax credit

• Murray argues that too much state support and intervention leads to a dependancy culture where people rely on benefits

• However, this idea ignores policies that support the nuclear family and taking away benefits helps no one

How do feminists view social policy, how can we criticise this?

• Many policies aim to support the nuclear family and the patriarchy like maternity pay which assumes that the mother is the primary care giver. Care for sick and elderly doesn’t give much to claim, carers allowance is low and means tested, many cannot claim benefits if they are working

• However, they ignore policies that support woman like equal pay, sex discimnation acts, divorce reform acts

What three acts made divorce more accessible?

• Divorce reform act 1967, this enabled a no fault divorce to occur, it didn’t have to be on terms like abandonment and adultary, if both parties agreed they could get a divorce if they had lived separately for 2 years, or if one party didn’t it was 5 years

• matrimonial and family proceedings act 1984, enabled people to file for divorce after a year

• Divorce, Dissolution and separation act 2022, this removes the capacity to make accusations about each other and can be done online

How did the role of woman change though law and work and how is this going to impact marriage trends?

• laws were passed like the equal pay act of 1967, the sexual discrimination act of 1976

• Feminisation of the workplace, Wilkinson had argued that there had been an increase in service sector and white collar jobs which are more accessible to woman

Changes in the role of woman influencing marriage

• marriage becoming less embedded in the economic system

• Hothschild 97’

• Allan and crow argued that the traditional nuclear family with the male as the provider and the female as the caregiver has disappeared and dual income families mean the nuclear family is less linked to the economy

• Hothschild argued that the home compares unfavourably with work for some woman, this is because it is seen as a dual burden

How did changes in attitudes change marriage patterns?

• secularisation, decline in religious beliefs

• ‘Confluent love’, Giddens argued that the concept of romantic love is seen as something that all people should be part of has led to marriage being transitory and fragile

What do the different sociologists view about changing lives on woman and marriage?

The new right - they would not like these changes they would argue it makes divorce too easy, they believe families need two parents in traditional roles

Feminists - they would welcome these changes because the believe in the nuclear family being patriarchal and doesn’t benefit woman

Postmodernism - they would accept the changes because they believe in diversity and choice

How have birth rates changed in the UK?

The birth rates in the uk have been on a long term decline overall with occasional ‘baby booms’ e.g the increased birth rate after WW2. this has been changed by;

• changing role of woman, Giddens and Beck believe this is the largest factor in why birth rates have fallen, career now comes first and woman make half of the workforce, there has been changing attitudes to family life

• People are put off having children as it is a drain on their parents income, they have economic dependency on parents and cost a lot more to have

• We live in a now child-centred society, families concentrate on providing a good quality of life and having less children

How have death rates changed in the UK?

There has been a long term decline in death rates, decrease of 5.8% from 1915 to 2015

this is due to changes like;

• better food and nutrition, this makes children more resistant to diseases

• Better quality of housing, less damp issues and smaller family sizing

• More money for public health, this is funded by taxes, however some issues like obesity have put pressure on the NHS

• Health and safety laws at work

• The clean air act

How has life expectancy changed in the UK?

Overtime the life expectancy has increased, this However has created an ageing population

• life expectancy was so low in the 1900s and many children did not live past their first years 15% died

• Changes especially in healthcare have helped improve life expectancy

How has globalisation changed families in the UK?

Family sizes have declined and there are more childless families, this correlates to the growth in economy, dual income households and globalisation

• which here is greater diversity in familles shared over national borders due to migration

• There are more relationships online, people find friendships and relationships in other countries

• Childhood has become more toxic due to overexposure in the media flows

What is immigration, emigration and net migration?

• immigration is where there is movement into an area or society

• emigration is the moving our of an area

• net migration is the difference between the numbers immigrating and the numbers emigrating as a net increase or decrease

How has immigration changed from 1900-2004?

up until the 1980s population growth in the UK was made out of natural increase, between 1946-1978 more people left the UK rather than came into the UK

• between 1900-1935, most of the migration was from irish and the Jews from central and eastern europe. very few immigrants were non-white

• 1950s, caribbean immigrants arrived

• 1960s-70s south asian, india, pakistan, sri lanka etc

• 2004, eastern european immigration because of the EU, poland was the largest contributor

What has happened in terms of migration from the 1990s

overtime there has been a steady increase in both immigration and emigration, net migration is generally rising

• The right wing media has criticsed immigration as it puts too much pressure on the UK, for example the total fertility rate (FTR) in immigrant populations is higher creating a higher dependancy ratio

• However, rates of increase in net migration have to be balanced against a declining birth rate, Britain’s culture and economy has been impacted by immigration through diversity

How does the dependancy ratio work? what is good about migration for the dependancy ratio?

• the working age population will pay taxes to support dependants like pensioners and children, they also pay for education, welfare and health through their taxes. There needs to be a big enough working population in order to create funding without a large cost for each person

• immigration is good for adding a larger working population however, if they have children this could put more pressure on our services

What other migration patterns should we consider?

• Most migrants are under 40, They come to the UK to work or study, most emigrants are over 40 and they leave to retire = dependancy ratio is balanced

• TFR in immigrant populations is higher but this in the long term produces more workers = reduces the dependancy ratio

• Biggest pressures of migration like housing is in urban areas, this is added by pressure also from internal migration

How can an ageing population put pressure on services?

An ageing population puts pressure on services like health and social care, this can increase waiting times in hospitals as older patients end up staying in hospitals longer and he cannot be released

How can an ageing population impact the dependency ratio and the triple shift?

• The dependancy ratio increases, Hirsch in 2005 identified that an ageing population will increase dependency, for instance;

  • example 1, 25 million in work: 15 million pensioners, 5 million sick and 5 million children. This is problematic as there are too many dependants, too few children for a future workforce and need for more taxes and migration

  • Example 2, 35 million workers: 5 million pensioners and 15 million children, this is a good thing as there is more work, more children to support future employment and overall taxes are more affordable

• Dunscombe and Marsden identified that women would work a triple shift and this is worsening from the ageing population and have 3 roles in the family; paid work/ home work/ emotional work (caring for elderly and children)

How can an ageing population create loneliness and mental health issues as well as issues in housing?

• as people get older, they face issues with isolation due to being more limited physically in what they can do, many elderly live independently in single households if their partner has died

• Many larger properties remain occupied by one adult, this is typically from the ageing population

Is age a social construct? Should we blame the ageing population for pressures in society?

Townsend in 1981 identified that many older people now work longer in the past society has imposed restrictions on when people can and cannot work, however, now many older people still work and pay taxes contributing to the economy. Most elderly people are healthy and don’t need medical care until the last year or so of their life. The idea of older people being a drain on society is not true

How can an ageing population help families and be valuable as consumers?

• families like Beanpole have a grandparent supporting parents and their children, they all live in the same household or within close distance. This type of family has become more common as members can find emotional and financial support for each other. Grandparents also provide childcare for working parents

• They are often valuable as consumers as they have a larger disposable income and leisure time. Blaikie In 1999 said older people are often wealthier and have money to spend, this means they have more access to holidays, meals out and activities. When they spend they are providing employment in hospitality, retail,

What are traditional nuclear families?, symmetrical families? and nuclear family with ‘house husband’?

• Traditional nuclear families, 2 parents, 2 children, biologically linked

• Symmetrical family, family with seperate roles, with shared tasks

• Nuclear family with house husband, the father is the primary caregiver and the mother is at work

What are reconstituted families?, extended families?, singledom? And beanpole families?

• reconstituted families have half siblings, step siblings and step-parents

• Extended families, vertical extended families work from grandparents-parents-children, modified extended families relatives are nearby and close

• Singledom is one person alone

• Beanpole families extend from the grandparents and the children

What are lone parent families?, same sex families?, grandparenting?

• lone parent families include a single parent looking after their child independently

• Same sex families are same sex couples which are now more socially acceptable

• Grandparenting is where a grand parent looks after their child

What are families that live apart?, empty nest families? And boomerang families?

• living apart is where couples are together but living separately

• Empty nest families are when the children leave home

• Boomerang families are when children have previously left home and return back as adults

What did rappoport and rappoport identfiy with family diversity

• Organisational diversity

• Cultural diversity

• social class diversity

• Life stage diversity

• Generational diversity

What is organisational and cultural diversity?

• organisational diversity are that families are organised in different ways in terms of the roles within them. These roles include childcare, housework, paid work and emotion work

• Different cultures are more likely to live in different family types. Traveller cultures often live in extended families. Asian cultures can sometimes live in extended families or traditional nuclear families

What is social class diversity, life stage diversity and generational diversity?

• social class diversity is argued that middle class families are more child-centred, they focus on education and success. Working class families have community links and are closer to family

• Life stage diversity, this is the idea that people move through a range of family types. For example children may start in a traditional nuclear family then move to single parents before leaving home and starting their own relationships and having their own family

• This is the idea that families have different levels of values according to their age. E.g older parents have values tied to their age, being more traditional. Whereas younger people value choice and romantic love

Is family diversity a good thing?

Yes-postmodernism

• Giddens argued that society has changed an become more indivdualistic, there is a lot more focus on the self and indivdual happiness. People are searching for pure relationships. These are relationships based on love and mutual attraction. As a result of this, people practice serial monogamy where people will have one relationship at a time but several throughout their life

• Beck argues that these changes are not necessarily a good thing for all members of the family as roles have to be negotiated. Children have to work out new relationships with siblings and other adults. This can lead to the ‘zombie catagory’ where a family may look united on the outside but be more fragile in reality

• Personal life perspective, Smart argued that in theory people can choose their choose their family, we live in connectiveness thesis meaning people are limited by their relationships. Links to children, extended families and cultures mean people can’t just get up and leave

Is family diversity a good thing?

No - The new right

• Murray argued that family diversity is a bad thing, this is as the traditional nuclear family is the best. The increase in single parent female led families has led to many boys not having a male role model leading to other issues in society

• Phillips argued that the London riots were due to matrifocal families being encouraged by the labour party. This was a ‘social experiment’ by the ‘liberal intelligentsia’ meaning phillips blames policies like working tax credit enabling woman to become single parents

What is the idea of the gender division of labour? What was Wilmott and Young’s study?

This study from the 1970s argued that family relationships have changed. There are no longer traditional roles where men went to work and females stayed at home, roles are more shared. However, they didn’t argue that their roles were equal. There are men’s jobs and woman’s jobs but both will do shared work.

What is the idea of the gender division of labour? Dunscombe and Marsden and the triple shift

This study originated from the 1990s and argued that woman are still disadvantaged within the family. Woman have to commit to a triple shift carrying out paid work, housework, and emotion work. Woman have to be responsible for caring for children and members of family who get ill. Many face burdens.

What is the idea of the gender division of labour? Dex and Ward 2010

In over 90% of households Mothers are the primary point of contact for childcare, although men share this duty they are not seen within this primary role

What are two explanations about the division of labour?

• the cultural ideological explanation, labour will be determined by patriarchal norms and values that shape gender roles in our culture. This theory is backed up by the idea of the triple shift and Dex and Ward’s study as woman are still the primary caregivers

• Material and economic explanation, the face that woman generally earn less means it is more rational for woman to do housework when the husband is earning money

What are two statistics about part time work between gender that back up these studies?

36% of employed woman are in part time work whilst only 14% of men are in part time work. This indicates woman are expected to balance work with housekeeping and emotional support

Power and relationships, what are the two studies based on gender roles in decision making?

• Edgell argued in the 1980s that whilst most decisions in the family are a joint act, bigger decisions are decided upon by the man.

• Gershung, argued that decision making was often linked to earning potential and social class. Wealthy working class woman were far more likely to make financial decisions whilst working class unemployed woman were less likely

Power and relationships, how can domestic violence play a role in gender roles and what is an example?

• Dobash and Dobash’s study interviewed woman who were victims of domestic violence they said they add abused when they fail in their roles like housekeeping, childcare, or being ‘attractive’

What is the explanation about power and relationships from radical feminists and a materialistic perspective?

• Radical feminists would argue that the key division in society is caused by the patriarchy, domestic violence preserves power. Male dominance or hegemonic masculinity of state institutions like the police don’t deal effectively with domestic violence

• the materialistic explanation would put forward that the stress of poverty causes tension and conflict leading to domestic violence. Economic and cultural factors leads to groups from lower social classes from deprived areas being more vulnerable

What is the social construct of childhood?

sociologists debate many elements of childhood like when does childhood end? how has it adapted in different societies at different points in time? Overall most sociologists would argue that childhood is a social construct

What was Philippe Aries study of ‘a century of childhood’ from 1962?

• Aries studied historic artwork in order to understand the role and nature of childhood in medival europe. He concluded that childhood had become a concept around 300 years and that before this children would be given roles and responsibilities of an adult.

• He found medival children would wear the same clothing as their parents and worked alongside them

• He concluded that the child ‘cult’ was a middle class phenomenon which spread to other classes during the industrial revolution

How can we critique Aries and his theory?

• Medival family portraits only shared the minority of the population (wealthy) so we can’t understand family from all of society

• Linda Pollock in 1983 argued that aries study was flawed because although children appeared with formal clothes and worked alongside their family doesn’t mean there is no concept of childhood

What was Neil Postman’s study arguing that childhood is disappearing?

• In 1994, Postman argued that children today grey up too quickly. At the time he found that television would expose children to adult themes. From this children would become vunerable and sexualised

• He believed the media potrayed children having the same concerns as adults like relationships

• He also pointed out the ‘childification’ of adults. Many adults listen to the same music, watch similar tv, and wear similar clothes. This in turn blurs the distinction between childhood and adulthood

What are the criticisms of postman’s study?

some argue that childhood is actually expanding, young adults may have to move home due to housing/unemployment issues so it is argued childhood is expanded into early adulthood

Social class and its relation to childhood experience

Experience of childhood is argued to differ between social classes.

• Working class pupils may have a lower quality of childhood due to material deprivation. a poor diet, housing situation, and issues like overcrowding may cause a lower quality. Also, this may open up neglect and abuse issues

• However, children from upper classes may be more disconnected with their families if they are sent to boarding schools or if they are raised with nannys

Ethnicity and its relation to childhood experience

• Black or mixed race children are far more likely to end up in care than white/asian children.

• Brannen found in 1994 that asian parents however are often more strict with their children

Gender and it’s relation to childhood experience

• Parents are often stricter with daughters than they are with sons, Hillman et al found in 1990 that boys were less restricted as they could stay out after dark, travel alone etc. McRobbie also identified ‘bedroom culture’ girls will often socialise at home

Has childhood improved? Yes

• ‘march of progress’ view, aries and shorter found that today children are more valued and that we live in a more child-centred society

• Mortality rate has improved, 154 per 1000 in 1900 and now its 4 in 1000. There is more investment in neonatal, cures for childhood illness

Has childhood improved? No

• Postman and his arguement about the disappearance of childhood. Children are too exposed to the real world at a young age

• Palmer 07 argued about toxic childhood. Technological and cultural changes. Junk food, computer games and working parents can be linked to health and obesity

• Children are becoming more restricted, in 2010 it was found only 25% of children could walk home alone

Has childhood improved? some sociologists say it depends on the child

• marxists and feminists argue that there are inequalities amongst children

• Boys often can have more independance - Hillman 03

• Working class children may experience health problems