family diversity

What are functionalists views

The nuclear family is the best type of family as it uniquely fits the rest of society while performing essential functions

Other family types are considered dysfunctional & abnormal since they are less suitable to perform the required functions for society

Functionalist theories that link to their views

Functional fit - Parsons

4 functions - Murdock

What are the new rights overall views

Charles Murray

The nuclear family is the only correct one due to respecting the natural, biological differences between men & women

The growth of cohabitation, same-sex, & lone parent families are the root cause of social problems

Conservative & anti-feminist

What are the new rights views on lone parent families

Lone mothers cannot discipline their children properly

Boys raised without a male role model result in educational failure, delinquency, & crime

Likely to be poorer & a burden on the welfare state & taxpayers

Criticisms of the new rights views & sociologist

Wrongly assume that husbands & wives roles are fixed by biology

No evidence that children in lone parent families are more likely to be delinquent, unsocialised, or unhappy

What is Benson’s study

Analysed data on the parents of over 15000 babies, over the first 3 years of the babies life the rate of family breakdown was much higher among cohabiting couples (20% compared to 6% of married couples)

Marriage is more stable as it requires deliberate commitment, cohabitating couples avoid their responsibilities

Criticism of Benson’s study

The rate of cohabitation is higher among poorer social groups, therefore it may be poverty that causes the breakdown rather than the decision not to marry

What are Chester’s views

Statistical evidence shows diverse family types increasing is wrong because it only takes a snapshot of someones life at one life stage, most people will spend most of their lives in nuclear/neo-conventional family

2 key postmodern concepts

Fragmentation - greater diversity of lifestyles & cultures - more subcultures than one single shared culture

Rapid social change - new technology have dissolved barriers of time & space, transformed our patterns of work & leisure, and accelerated the pace of change making life less predictable

What is the divorce extended family & sociologist

Stacey

Family members connected by divorce rather than marriage

Why is the ‘divorce extended’ family increasing

Greater freedoms & choice benefited women as they can free themselves from patriarchal oppression to shape their family arrangements to suit their needs

Interviews - many women reject the housewife role & worked, returned to education as adults, divorced, & remarried

What is the individualisation thesis & sociologists

Beck & Giddens

Traditional social structures (class, gender, family) have lost much of their influence over us, in the past peoples lives were defined by fixed roles & stages that prevented them from choosing their own life course

What is the negotiated family & sociologist

Beck

Do not conform to the traditional family norm, they negotiate whats best for them, entering the relationship on an equal basis

What societal changes lead to the negotiated family

Greater gender equality - challenged male domination, women now expect equality both at work & in marriage

Greater individualism - peoples actions are influenced more by their own self-interest rather than by a sense of obligation to others

Criticisms of the postmodern perspective

Functionalism - postmodern family types are less stable & can cause harm to society

Exaggerates how much choice people have about family relationships

Ignores that many of us are still influenced by social class inequalities, patriarchal gender norms. Not everyone has the privilege to exercise this amount of choice

What is the connectedness thesis & sociologist

Smart

We are fundamentally social beings whose choices are always made within a web of connectedness

E.g. parents who separate remain linked by their children, often against their wishes

What else does smart say limits our choice

Gender norms - dictate that women should have custody of children which may limit their opportunity to form a new relationship, men are freer to do this

Pay gap - men are payed higher which gives them more financial freedom & choice