Sociology - family

functional fit theory

talcott parsons 1951. the isolated nuclear family has evolved historically as a result of changes of the social structure and economy. Pre industrial society- extended family, self sufficient agricultural units that are functioned to produce their own housing, clothing and food. members of the same family feel a strong sense of duity abd obligation to each other and consequently have a group orientated outlook. produces its own clothing, food and shelter taking responsibility for education and health. adult males and females have similar roles

industrial society- demands a workforce that is geographically mobile. nuclear family is also more suited to the upward social mobility which is often the outcome of industrial society#wage earners. isolated from wider kin, more individualist outlook, specialist agencies grew and took over many aspects of the family e.g NHS state agency. males and females have similar but different roles

evaluation of functional fit

peter laslett’s study of british parish records suggests the most common family type was nuclear family, because people married at a late age but also died young

andersons study of a british industrial town (preston 1851) found the most common family type was extended rather than nuclear as parsons claims.

are couples more equal?

MARCH OF PROGRESS:

The ‘new man’ means couples have an equal share of housework and childcare.

DUAL BURDEN:

Women now do paid work and domestic work (Feri and Smith).

TRIPLE SHIFT:

Women not only carry the dual burden of paid and domestic work, but also have to do the emotional work (Duncombe and Marsden).

decision making

MATERIAL EXPLANATION:

Men have more power in decision making because they earn more.

CULTURAL EXPLANATION:

Gender role socialisation instils the view that men are the primary decision makers.

domestic abuse

DOBASH AND DOBASH::

Marriage and the nuclear family is the key institution of patriarchy, and the main source of women's oppression. Domestic violence is inevitable because it serves to preserve the power men have over women.

ANSLEY:

Domestic violence is the product of capitalism: males workers are exploited at work and take their frustration out on their wives.

WILKINSON:

Domestic violence is the result of stress on the family caused by social inequality.

which sociologists believe divorce is a result of patriarchy?

dobash and dobash

which sociologist believe that divorce is a result of stress from being poor

wilkenson

domestic divisions of labour sociologist parsons

Men and women have biologically suited roles that are functional for society:

Expressive role - Women = Homemaker (involves cooking, cleaning and looking after children)

Instrumental role - Men = Breadwinner (involves paid work, earning the income for the family)

domestic divisions of labour sociologist BOTT-

Segregated conjugal roles - Division of labour between men and women, couple spends leisure time separately

Joint conjugal roles - couples share domestic tasks and leisure time.  

domestic divisions of labour sociologist- WILLMOTT AND YOUNG:

There are now more symmetrical families as a result of increased joint conjugal roles

CHILDHOOD - changes to it over time sociologist aries

In the middle ages, the idea of childhood did not exist. Children had the same responsibilities, rights and skills as adults - in turn, they were considered economic assets. However, as the modern notion of childhood began to emerge, there became a profound distinction between children in adults in terms of clothing, rights and responsibilities.

CHILDHOOD - changes to it over time sociologist -POSTMAN

In modern society, childhood is ‘disappearing’.  Children and adults have some of the same rights, children's unsupervised traditional games are disappearing, children are committing ‘adult’ crimes. The printed word created a hierarchy between adults, who can read, and children, who cannot - this gave adults the power to keep ‘adult matters’ private. However, TV blurs the distinction and information hierarchy; TV does not require special skills to access it.

CHILDHOOD - changes to it over time sociologist - SHORTER

In the middle ages, the high death rate of children encouraged indifference and neglect. For example, parents referred to their child as “it” or gave the child a name of a recently dead sibling.

HAS CHILDHOOD IMPROVED? - march of progress view

Childhood has improved  significantly, due to how children are now perceived as vulnerable people who need taking care of. In addition, there has been an introduction of laws which improve the experience of childhood (Eg. laws banning child labour).

HAS CHILDHOOD IMPROVED?- PALMER

‘Toxic childhood’ - Rapid technological and cultural changes have damaged children’s physical, emotional and intellectual development. This is the result of intensive marketing to children, parents working long hours and testing in education.

HAS CHILDHOOD IMPROVED? - GITTINS:

 ‘Age patriarchy’ - There is an age patriarchy of adult domination and child dependency.  This may assert itself in the form of violence against children.

FUNCTIONALISTS

THE ORGANIC ANALOGY

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The human body is made up of different parts that function together to meet its needs and maintain it. Functionalists believe society does the same, in which it is made up of interdependent parts (eg. the education system, the government, religion etc) that work together to maintain the social system as a whole.

 

MURDOCK:

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The nuclear family performs four essential functions:

• Socialisation of the young

• Satisfaction of the member's economic needs

• Reproduction of the next generation

• Stable satisfaction of the sex drive

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PARSONS - THE FUNCTIONAL FIT

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The functions that the family perform depend on the type of society in which they are found:

• Pre-industrial society - extended family - had the function of production and consumption

• Modern society - nuclear family - have the function of social and geographical mobility

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The nuclear family has two irreducible functions:

• Primary socialisation of the young - equipping the next generation with basic skills and society’s values.

• Stabilisation of adult personalities - enabling adults to relax so they can return to the workplace and perform their roles effectively.

marxists

marxists

ENGELS:

 

The family exists so men can pass their private property onto their biological offspring, notably a son.

 

ZARETZKY:

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There is an ideological function of the family called the ‘cult of private life’ - this is the belief that we can only gain fulfilment from family life, which distracts attention from exploitation.

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POULANTZAS:​

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Nuclear families are brainwashed into thinking capitalism is fair, which teaches lower generations how to conform and co-operate with the capitalist system

LIBERAL FEMINISTS

Liberal feminists take a march of progress view in suggesting gender inequality is gradually being overcome through reform and policy change, which changes people’s attitudes towards socialisation and challenges stereotypes. For example, the new man is becoming more widespread.

MARXIST FEMINISTS

Capitalism is the main form of women's oppression in the family and this performs several functions for capitalism:

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• Reproducing the labour force - women socialise the next generation of workers.

• Absorbing men's anger - wives soak up their husband's frustration from being exploited at work.

• A reserve army of cheap labour - when not needed, women workers can return to their domestic role.

RADICAL FEMINISTS​

The family and marriage are the key institutions in a patriarchal society, meaning that men benefit from the women’s unpaid domestic labour and sexual services, as well as dominate them through violence or the threat of it.

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Radical feminists also believe the patriarchal system needs to be overturned, and the only way to achieve this is through separatism, meaning women need to organise themselves to livng independently to men.

DIFFERENCE FEMINISTS​

Not all women share the same experience of oppression; women of different ethnicities, class, age etc may have different experiences of the family

new right

A biologically-based division of labour - the division of labour between a male breadwinner and a female homemaker is natural and biologically determined.

​Families should be self-reliant - reliance on state welfare leads to a dependency culture and undermines traditional gender roles. It produces a family breakdown and an increase of lone-parent families, which results in social problems due to poor socialisation

PERSONAL LIFE PERSPECTIVE

SMART

Looks at relationships that individuals see as significant and gives a sense of identity, belonging and relatedness (pets, friends etc.). Interactionists believe that structural approaches assume that the traditional nuclear family is the dominant type of family. This ignores the increased diversity of families today.