the universal functions of the family- Murdock

Murdock studied 250 societies- and said family was the most important institution- with the nuclear family being the most prominent/universal- some form of it existed in every society

family fulfilled 4 vital functions: sexual, reproduction, economic, educational

• sexual function is vital to society as there is less sexual crimes because the sexual needs are getting fulfilled at home

• reproductive function is vital to society as more children creates the existence of society and increases the population

• economic function is vital to society as it improves the economy and helps build society function economically

• educational function is vital to society as it improves value consensus and social cohesion

evaluation:

• Marxist Althusser- criticises Murdock’s idea of the educational function and would say that the education system is set up too benefit capitalism only as children are socialised into the idea that hierarchy and inequality as being inevitable.

• Murdock’s definition of the family is criticised for being too narrow. Postmodernists would suggest that Murdock does not take into account the variety of families that exist today, he excludes single – parent families and gay families, for example, failing to recogniser family diversity and change.