Family Sociologists

Murdock - Functionalist

4 Functions of Nuclear family unit

• Reproductive - essential for humanity’s survival

• Sexual - regulates sexual activity between couple

• Educational - primary socialisation to shared values

• Economic - supports the economy as parents support dependents with their wages

Parsons - Functionalist (Extended and Nuclear)

4 Functions of Extended Families (lost after industrialisation)

• Production - creation of clothing, housing etc for the group

• Education (Survival Skills) - basic skills and inherited knowledge is passed down

• Heathcare - maintain the health of members despite high mortality

• Welfare - family members are taken care of, elderly and babies

6 Functions of Nuclear Families

• Mobile for Urbanisation - movement into cities and towns

• Social Mobility - without extended family, members can become more adventurous in career

• Structural Differentiation - separation of home and work

• Primary Socialisation (Education) - shared values and personality factory

• Emotional Regulation - adults can relax within family

• Establishment of Gender Roles - instrumental vs expressive leader, equal in a qualitative way

Fletcher - Functionalist (evaluation of Parsons)

Agrees the production function is lost but the other 3 still exist within family

Young and Wilmott - Functionalist (evaluation of Parsons)

nuclearisation of families took longer than Parsons implies, influenced more by 1944 Education Act and 1975 Sex Discrimination Act

Symmetrical family is more dominant than Nuclear Family

• dual income essential

• infrequent contact with neighbours and extended kin

• child centered

• shared economic and family responsibilites

Harris et al. (Postmodern)

General decline in family and community obligation in 21st century

Children tend to cut ties once reaching adulthood until having children themselves, cooperating for personal benefit and service

Cheal

Relationships can easily turn dysfunctional

• most murders, abuse and assaults occur within the family unit

• 40% of female murders are domestic

• 1 domestic violence report a minute in UK (Stanko Survey)

Zaretsky - Marxist

3 functions of Nuclear Family

• Socialisation - capitalist society

• Emotional Management - stablise resentment against the system

• Consumerism - conditioned to see acquisition of rare and designer items as a pursuit of happiness

Engles - Marxist

Nuclear family became popular after industrial revolution (agrees w Parsons), as ruling class wanted to directly pass on wealth legitimately

(purely opinion and not based on historical evidence)

Oakley

Wilkinson

Firestone

Sommerville

Benston

Ansley

Gilligan - Feminist (Difference)