family pt 1

Question 1

most common type of family

Answer 1

2 generational heterosexual nuclear family

Question 2

types of extended family include

Answer 2

vertical- 3 generations
horizontal-children with spouses
attenuated- close proximity, strong contact, moral support, duty obligation

Question 3

non family household example

Answer 3

single person
students sharing
commune kibbutz Israel

Question 4

describe the functionalist account of family

Answer 4

family exists family must have a purpose
nuclear family is universal, and important for stability and social order in society

Question 5

name relevant functionalists

Answer 5

murdock
tacott parsons

Question 6

name murdocks arugument

Answer 6

universality of family argument

Question 7

explain universality of family argument

Answer 7

nuclear family is universal and has 4 basic purposes
-reproductive
-sexual regulation
-economic - parents take responsibility of children
-educational - parents socialise children of norms

criticism- fails to take into account increasing diversity of family, assumes heterosexual orientation in central to family

Question 8

what does talcott parsons argue

Answer 8

socio economic change associated with industrialisation and modernisation shaped family structures and and relationships

Question 9

who argues pre industrial societies composed of extended families and why
list the functions

Answer 9

talcott parsons
functional for farming and hunting gathering
pre industrial families were multi functional units

functions-
- meeting basic needs of extended family
-education of children in whatever family specialised in
- responsibility of health, absence of universal healthcare system,
-responsibility of elderly disabled
-pursuing vendettas to seek revenge absence of criminal justice system

Question 10

what did parsons say about the decline of extended family and growth of nuclear family

Answer 10

5 fundamental changes
- geographically mobile workforce, because industrial jobs
-social mobility, improve materially oldest male was ascribed head, but not suitable here, most skilled is head, meritocratic
-individuals more independent less prone to social pressure, ascribed roles conflict with role required for competitive industry
-wage earners saw distinction in work life and home life, more institutions like hospitals, insurance came to take role of family
-industrialisation encouraged the development of the bureaucratic state which took responsibility in regulating relationships

argues extended families would hinder industrial growth

Question 11

the two irreducible functions of the nuclear family
and according to whom

Answer 11

primary socialisation of children and stabilisation of adult personalities
parsons

Question 12

explain primary socialisation of childrens as per parsons

Answer 12

children should be socialised into core cultural values of industrial capitalist societies like
-achievement
-competition
-equality of opportunity
-respect for private property

this encourages value consensus and social solidarity

Question 13

explain parsons stabilisation of adult personality

Answer 13

to cope with stressful modern life family acts as warm bath breadwinning man.
provides emotional security and therapeutic need to be able behave in a childish manner not accepted in formal workplace

Question 14

roles of males and females according to parsons

Answer 14

male - instrumental leader
head of household, wage earner, protection

female - expressive leader
mother wife socilaise children, provide emotional needs care for family

Question 15

2 appreciation of functionalist theory of family

Answer 15

first to point out universality of 2 generational nuclear family

many state policies initiatives aimed at regulating family life in industrial societies have functionalist origins

Question 16

9 criticism of functionalist theory of family

Answer 16

1. ronald fletcher- parsons wrong to suggest loss of functions, nuclear family despite losing production is unit of consumption that motivated workers to earn more. other roles like education, healthcare still are performed, the gov only supplements it
2. failed to recognise, migration and increasing diversity of families, nuclear family no longer as dominant
3. interactionists argue parsons neglected free will, children are not empty vessols, socialisation is a 2 way street. parsons is overdeterministic
4. industrialsation in different places was different for example in japan loyalty to company and value like extended family was emphasised,
   isolated nuclear family was nor prevalent
5. industrialisation took off due to nuclear family and not vice versa
6. industrialisation and global migration increased the need for extended family support
7. parsons was too positive, femenists agrgue families can often be dysfunctional, places of abuse

8.theory is ethnocentric, assumes American experience is universal. not relavent in multicultural societies. religion wealth or poverty aslo determined whether women worked or not, how big a family was

9, femenists argue that theory is patriarchal and justifies misogyny and sexism

Question 17

who argues against parsons loss of functions in nuclear family

Answer 17

ronald fletcher

Question 18

name marxists that theorised on family

Answer 18

eli zaretsky
freidrich engels

Question 19

explain friedrich engels theory

Answer 19

family, bourgeoisie and private property- he speculated that-
humanity can be divided into era of primitive communism and capitalism

in the era of primitive communism humans lived in promiscuous herds, no concept of private property

era of capitalism
nuclear family is based on monogamy, to ensure private property and wealth is passed on to legitimate offspring. advantageous to the bourgeoisies

Question 20

appreciation of engels

Answer 20

anthropologists suggest primitive societies like chimpanzees lived in promiscuous herds

Question 21

criticism of engels

Answer 21

feminist point that is simply speculation

strong evidence that nuclear family existed pre capitalism

Question 22

explain eli zaretsky

Answer 22

nuclear family part of superstructure as an ideological agency to reproduce and legitimise inequality and capitalism to benefit bourgeoisie

Question 23

4 key points of eli zaretsky

Answer 23

1.family as an agent of socialisation socialises children into passively accepting capitalism turning them into falsely conscious worker uncritically accepting inequality and conformity

2. critical of parsons stabilisation of adult personality theory. it is rather sinister, men take out frustration from alienation on wives and children, worker also unlikely do things threatening income
   ford in 1980 hired only married men
3. extended family deliberately discouraged to reduce mutual support and eliminate socialist ideas
4. family as an unit of consumerism supports capitalism, materialism distracts workers from unjust capitalism

Question 24

who said capitalism stripped workers of dignity

Answer 24

fran ansley

Question 25

who said profitability capitalism depends on families spending money on false needs

Answer 25

neo marxist herbert marcuse

Question 26

strengths of marxist theories

Answer 26

questioned notion that family is always good for society, unit of consumption necessary for capitalism

Question 27

criticism of marxists theories

Answer 27

interactionists argue marxists are overdeterministic do not account for free will. marxists do not consider that some working class parents may resist capitalism

fails to consider how individuals interpret families many find it very emotionally satisfying

feminists point out economic reductionism, see women experience solely based on class fail to consider patriarchy, ethnicity religion on women’s experience of family

feminists say marxism is an outdated theory not talking account women progress in education and industry