Sociology

Paper 2- Families and Households

Functionalist- What was Murdock’s theory of the family?

4 functions:

• stable satisfaction of human sex drive

• socialisation of the young (primary socialisation)

• reproduction of next generation

• meet basic economic needs e.g. providing food and shelter

Belief that the nuclear family is the most effective family

meeting the basic economic needs refers to the male breadwinner

AO3: What are the criticisms of Murdock’s Theory?

the different aspects of the 4 functions can be met outside of the traditional family- nuclear:

e.g. reproductive- IVF and the NHS, Economical- welfare state (child benefit), educational- early years convention.

rose-tinted- assumes the nuclear family is most effective, ignoring other types of family like extended, beanpole, single-parent families, same-sex couple families etc.

What was Parson’s theory about the family? (Functionalism)

irreducible functions:

• socialisation of the young

• stabilisation of adult personalities (warm bath theory)

functional fit theory- functions of the family adapt and change to fit the needs of society

expressive and instrumental roles- are ‘biologically’ determined

• instrumental husband- breadwinner, DIY, provides discipline

• expressive mother- nurturing, caring for children, housewife- cooking and cleaning.

AO3: criticisms for Parsons

physical punishment can have a negative impact on children’s wellbeing

Equal Pay Act (1970) + Sex Discrimination Act (1975)- increased encouragement of more women in workplace and male-dominated industry

More symmetrical- men equally capable of doing housework and looking after children and women equally capable of disciplining their children

Therefore is outdated

overall functionalist AO3- criticisms:

rose-tinted- only highlights and talks about the positive functions of the family- ignores the dark side of the family, domestic abuse, toxic childhood etc.

Feminists- would argue that it ignores patriarchy and domestic abuse

Marxists- ignores class inequality and the exploitation via capitalism

outdated- only refers to nuclear family without addressing newly emerging family types such as same-sex couple families, single-parent families, chosen families, beanpole families etc.

What is the marxist viewpoint of the family?

Engles- the inheritance of property ensures ruling class stays powerful and wealthy = wealth of capitalism passed down from fathers/male to their son(s)= primogeniture, marriage within a monogamous nuclear family ensures wealth is kept within the family and power and wealth is maintained.

Ideological functions: the family transmits a set of ideas/beliefs that justify inequality,and maintain capitalism by getting people to accept that it is fair/unchangeable/natural. Seen through primary socialisation to believe that hierarchy and inequality is inevitable- parental power gives them the teaching that there is always someone in charge, repairing them for working life under capitalist employers

Zaretsky - family is a ‘safe haven’ from the exploitative capitalist world,giving them temporary protection from harsh working conditions of capitalism- but is mostly an illusion created by capitalism as it is based on traditional domestic divisions of labour between men and women- women being the expressive role of emotional work.

Unit of consumption- the bourgeoisie is able to easily exploit working class for their cheap labour to produce a profit and also helps to support consumerism and Keeping up with the Joneses - children using pester power in which persuade their parents into giving into buying unnecessary /extra items e.g. Supermarkets are designed for consumerism where the essential items such as bread are at the back of the store, forcing you to walk past other items- sweets will be at the eye level of children at the checkout, enforcing pester power.

Overall AO3: what is wrong with Marxism viewpoint of the family?

Outdated- the nuclear family is not as dominant/ not the dominant family anymore- approximately 50% of family types

Feminism- there is too much emphasis and focus on class inequality, ignores gender inequality- the family’s primary function is to benefit and serve men not capitalism

Functionalism- ignores the very real benefits of the family to all of its members

AO1s: What is the personal life perspective (postmodernist) on the family

Sociologists such as interactionists and post modernists reject the structural view (marxists, functionalists and feminists):

• structural theories ignore that people have more of a choice to pick their family structure

• we need to focus on the meanings members give to their relationships and situations

• can't take for granted the structural functions of the family

Donor-conceived children (smart and nordqvist): focus on how social relationships are more significant than genetic ties in defining family life

what are the AO3s for the personal life perspective?

AO2: people have the free will to choose types of families to pick- we live in an increasingly pick n mix society. E.g. A mother can choose to be single through divorce- more beneficial and she is now empowered and able to escape a toxic relationship

AO3: could be criticised by the New Right because it's believed that all single mothers are ‘everything wrong with society’ and believing that those in a nuclear family can learn their full potential of happines

Division of labour consists of which sociologists and their views? (roles)

Bolt= conjugal roles- segregated conjugal roles= male and female with different roles and leisure time is separate + joint conjugal roles= shared domestic tasks and leisure time spent together.

Willmott and Young- carried out research to find out segregated roles, ‘the March of Progress’- long term trend away from segregated conjugal roles towards joint= symmetrical family- women in work, geographical mobility (more couples living away from where they grew up), new tech (contraception introduced so that women werent forced into expressive roles) and higher living standards.

what is the AO3 of willmott and young?

• Oakley’s study - the sociology of housework= only 15% of husbands with high levels of participation in housework in which left 70% of the women dissatisfied with the condition of the housework- some reports of housewives feeling lonely due to social isolation.

• supports the idea of feminism where instead of a symmetrical family it is more so a dual burden or triple shift (duncombe and marsden) - a women is expected to do more since men still have the reluctance and traditional mindset of being the only breadwinner.

• modern man is a myth

Marriage and Divorce:

• decreased number of marriages, increase in divorce

• the divorce reform act

• secularisation - less stigma around divorce

what are the reasons for the changing patterns of marriage?

• high expectations for marriage- take time to choose partner,spending longer to know partners, individualisation

• growing secularisation- less stigma around cohabitation

• growing divorce rate- fatalistic attitude (puts people off of marriage) 1 in 2 marriages end in divorce

• changing social attitudes and reduced social stigma= more cohabitation, births outside of marriage accepted and unmarried women not looked down upon.

• changing role of women- not financially dependent on men, not in favour of ‘housewife’, feminists view marriage as a patriarchal institution

theoretical perspectives of marriage and divorce;

new right- children brought up in a married nuclear family will lead to more rounded members of society via presence of both gender role models, provide better discipline and are better able tot financially support child.

functionalism- marriage best foundation for primary socialisation of the young- marriage relationship is a relief from the strain of everyday life, resullting in harmonious society