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Sociology > Families & Households Theories > Flashcards

Families & Households Theories Flashcards

1
Q

Bourgeoisie

A

The rich and powerful ruling class that own the means of production and have control over the proletariat.

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2
Q

Class consciousness

A

The realisation that the proletariat can create change if they collectively rebel.

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3
Q

Culture of dependency

A

The idea that the welfare state is overgenerous and has resulted in an underclass of work-shy people who have no desire to work because they can survive easily on benefits.

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4
Q

Expressive role

A

The traditionally feminine role of the housewife, involving childcare, housework and emotional support.

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5
Q

False consciousness

A

When the proletariat are unaware of their exploitation.

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6
Q

Functional Fit Theory (Parsons)

A

The belief that the family can adapt to the demands of society.

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7
Q

Globalisation

A

The process by which societies are becoming increasingly interconnected.

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8
Q

Individualisation Thesis

A

Traditional structures have lost their influence, resulting in greater free will and choice surrounding how we live our lives (ie shopping around for partners and choosing family types that suit us rather than following traditional patterns)

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9
Q

Malestream

A

Research conducted by men, focusing on men, and assuming what is true for men is also true for women.

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10
Q

Means of production

A

Economic systems such as factories that are based on profit.

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11
Q

Organic Analogy

A

The idea that society is like a human body, in that if one organ (or institution) fails, the whole system will.

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12
Q

Patriarchy

A

A male dominated society.

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13
Q

Proletariat

A

The working class, controlled by the bourgeoisie.

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14
Q

Pure relationship/Confluent love

A

Romantic and sexual attraction have developed and relationships are no longer bound by norms - partners aim for mutual satisfaction and are free to leave, rather than staying in empty-shell marriages for convenience.

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15
Q

Ruling class ideology

A

A set of beliefs within society to justify the power of the bourgeoisie.

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16
Q

SOAP (Stabilisation Of Adult Personalities)

A

Allows adults to engage in child-like behaviour which provides emotional support.

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17
Q

Superstructure

A

All non-economic institutions in society, legitimising exploitation.

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18
Q

Value consensus

A

General agreement across a society on a set of norms and values

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19
Q

Warm Bath Theory (Parsons)

A

The family is like a warm bath, as it relieves stress by soothing the body and the mind, particularly for the breadwinner.

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20
Q

Murdock’s 4 functions of the family

A
  • Reproductive (producing the future workforce and keeping pension age lower)
  • Sexual (preventing sexual deviancy and strengthening the bond between couples)
  • Educational (primary socialisation into key cultural norms and values)
  • Economic (Men provide and women support them)
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21
Q

Parson’s 2 functions of the family

A
  • Primary Socialisation (teaching the future generation norms and values)
  • SOAP/Warm Bath Theory
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22
Q

3 Functionalist theories of the family

A
  • Murdock’s 4 functions
  • Parson’s Functional Fit Theory
  • Parson’s 2 functions
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23
Q

3 New Right theories of the family

A
  • Murray’s Culture of Dependency
  • Murray’s beliefs surrounding family diversity
  • Dennis and Erdos’ Families without Fathers study
24
Q

What were Murray’s beliefs surrounding the family?

A
  • Parents should be heterosexual because children need role models of each gender.
  • Mothers shouldn’t work as they cannot fulfil the expressive role of bringing up children to be good citizens.
  • Nothing compares to the nuclear family.
25
Q

What did Dennis and Erdos find in their ‘Families without Fathers’ study?

A

More children are being born outside of marriage and these children have poorer health and education.

26
Q

What 2 solutions did the New Right suggest to halt the ‘decline of the family’?

A
  • redirect benefits to 2 parent families, thus penalising those who fail to live up to those standards
  • schools should not promote homosexuality
27
Q

3 Marxist theories of the family

A
  • Engles (the nuclear family arose as capitalism developed)
  • Zaretsky’s 4 functions of the family
  • Zaretsky’s cushioning effect
28
Q

Why did capitalism result in the nuclear family, according to Engles?

A

Private property laws were characterised by inheritance, making monogamy essential to ensure their legitimate heirs inherited from them. Women went along with this for economic security and convenience.

29
Q

2 radical feminists and their theories on the family

A

Greer- family life oppresses women as the wife’s role is subservient and motherhood isn’t valued.
Millett- separatism is the only solution (political lesbianism)

30
Q

What do radical feminists think of the family and marriage?

A

It is patriarchal due to unpaid domestic labour, sexual services and the domination of women through violence.

31
Q

2 liberal feminists and their theories on the family

A

Sue Sharpe- priority shift
Wilkinson- genderquake

32
Q

What do liberal feminists think of the family?

A

If the position of women is improved within society, it will improve within the family.

33
Q

What do marxist feminists think of the family?

A

Women are double victims of the patriarchy and capitalism and are the ‘slaves of wage slaves’.

34
Q

2 Marxist feminists and their theories on the family

A

Benston - women produce and socialise the future workforce at no cost and provide emotional support to their husbands.
Ansley- women play the role of ‘shit taker’ as they absorb their husbands frustration to ensure the capitalist system isn’t threatened

35
Q

3 postmodernist theories on the family

A

Individualisation thesis
Giddens- confluent love and the pure relationship
Smart - personal life

36
Q

Why did Smart suggest we use the term ‘personal life’ instead of ‘family’?

A

It is more neutral and goes beyond biological kin, accepting diversity and recognising the darker side of the family.

37
Q

How can Murdock’s study of the family be evaluated?

A
  • one of the first sociologists to explore the role of the family and his studies were relevant at the time, but it’s outdated now.
  • family diversity has increased due to secularisation and the nuclear family is no longer the most common family type.
38
Q

How can Parson’s Functional Fit Theory be evaluated?

A
  • useful when comparing features of the family pre and post Industrial Revolution.
  • Willmott and Young - the classic extended family survived past the revolution, particularly in working class areas, suggesting that Parson’s claims were exaggerated.
39
Q

Hlw can Parson’s two functions of the family be evaluated?

A
  • useful for highlighting the positive functions.
  • ignores the darker side of some families (marxist feminist Ansley states that women absorb their husbands’ frustration to protect the capitalist system).
40
Q

Evaluate Murray’s theory on the culture of dependency

A
  • useful for understanding that some people abuse the system.
  • victim blaming (no recognition that the poverty cycle is hard to escape and some people genuinely need benefits).
41
Q

Evaluate Murray’s views on family diversity

A
  • views on the nuclear family are supported by functionalists.
  • Dermott and Pomati - no evidence to prove that certain family types socialise children significantly better than others.
42
Q

Evaluate Dennis and Edrdos’ theory on the family

A
  • Parson’s expressive and instrumental role.
  • criticised by feminists for being derogatory and male-positive, undoing equality progress.
43
Q

Evaluate the radical feminist theories of the family

A
  • Murray - families should be heterosexual as children need role models of both genders.
  • This being said, there is no evidence that opposite sex couples are better at raising children than same sex couples.
44
Q

Evaluate the marxist feminist theories of the family

A
  • supported by Zaretsky’s cushioning effect
  • Murdock states these are positive functions so it depends on your personal views
45
Q

Evaluate the liberal feminist theories of the family

A
  • supported by post-modernists as the death of the meta narrative has resulted in free will and individualism.
  • Murray - increase in working women is unhelpful due to not being able to fulfil the expressive role.
46
Q

Evaluate the Individualisation thesis

A
  • recognises that people have increased choice.
  • organic analogy - structures losing influence results in instability.
47
Q

Evaluate Giddens’ theory on the pure relationship

A
  • modern theory that identifies social change and family diversity.
  • ignores the fact that not everyone has the same ability to exercise choice (ie arranged marriages).
48
Q

Evaluate Smarts theory on the term ‘personal life’

A
  • helps us understand how people define family and does so in a non-judgmental way.
  • Functionalists state that family must be able to reproduce and socialise the future workforce.
49
Q

What do functionalists think of the family?

A

It is a key social structure that holds society together as it serves functions for the family members and society.

50
Q

How can we evaluate the functionalist view on the family as a whole?

A
  • acknowledges the positive aspects of the family but criticised for taking a rose-tinted view.
  • highly focused on the nuclear family and this is no longer relevant.
51
Q

What do New Right theorists think of the family?

A

They believe the nuclear family should remain the dominant family and see other family types as inadequate and inferior. They promote traditional family values such as a gendered division of labour, making them similar to functionalists.

52
Q

How can we evaluate New Right views on the family?

A
  • influenced politics in the 80s and 90s and supported by functionalists.
  • failed to achieve desired changes.
  • criticised by conflict theories as it’s derogatory and blames victims.
53
Q

What do Marxists think of the family?

A

The functions of the family benefit capitalism as it is an agent of social control that serves the needs of the bourgeoisie.

54
Q

What do Feminists think of the family?

A

Rather than focusing on the structure of the family, they focused on the relationships between family members to identify and explore different areas of inequality.

55
Q

How can we evaluate the feminist view on the family?

A
  • introduced areas of study such as housework and domestic violence, recognising the darker side of the family and offering a range of solutions.
  • criticised by functionalists and the new right who value traditional gender roles.
56
Q

What do postmodernists think of the family?

A

The nuclear family is dated and the family has undergone a radical shift- we are in the age of a post-modern family.

57
Q

How can we evaluate postmodernist views on the family?

A
  • modern and relevant in comparison with other theories.
  • undermines the influence of society and norms.

Sociology (5 decks)

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