family diversity

Question 1

what sociological theory does Parsons link to?

Answer 1

functionalist

Question 2

what family type does Parsons think is the best and why?

Answer 2

nuclear family because it provides the best ‘functional fit’
believes the division of labour between men and women meets societies needs

Question 3

what are the roles between the division of labour and explain

Answer 3

expressive - wife, takes care of domestic work, emotions and raises the children

instrumental - husband, is the breadwinner, provides economic capital and provides for the family

Question 4

what are the 2 essential roles of the family according to functionalists

Answer 4

primary socialisation of children

stabilisation of adult personalities

(done more effectively if there are clear differences in the rules of parents)

Question 5

what family type do new right favour and why?

Answer 5

nuclear family as it is ‘natural’ and believe there are fundamentally biological differences between men and women

Question 6

what type of family type specifically do new right think is most harmful to children?

Answer 6

lone parent families

Question 7

give examples as to why new right believe lone parent families are the most harmful to children

Answer 7

can’t properly discipline their children

leave boys without male role model
(leads to educational failure, delinquency and social instability)

they are welfare dependent so puts a burden on taxpayer and welfare state

Question 8

what do new right believe the main cause of lone parent families is?

Answer 8

collapse of relationships in cohabiting couples

Question 9

Benson-stats about cohab vs marriage

Answer 9

found a higher rate of breakdown during a babies first 3 years in cohab couples

20% in cobab
6% in married

Question 10

what does Bensons statistics show?

Answer 10

marriage offers further stability as it involves commitment, further stability and involves a commitment
lower rates of divorce in married couples than breakups in cohab couples

Question 11

reasons why new right believe we should return to traditional views

Answer 11

family and society at large is ‘broken’

see laws such as same sex marriage, divorce and welfare benefits as undermining the conventional family

Question 12

AO3- Oakley - criticism of New Right

Answer 12

challenges idea roles are biological

looks at cross cultural studies showing a variation of roles men and women play

Question 13

A03 - other criticisms of New Right

Answer 13

believe nuclear family causes patriarchal oppression

view marriage and cohab as equal commitment

no evidence to show one parent families produce more delinquent children

poverty may be the cause of breakdown of relationships rather than not being married

Question 14

what is a neo-conventional family?

Answer 14

major difference between traditional/conventional nuclear is it is a dual earner family

Question 15

what does Chester argue about family diversity?

Answer 15

it has been exaggerated

most don’t choose to live alternatives to nuclear family long term
largely down to life cycle so stats only tell us the particular movements at that time

Question 16

examples of patterns that supports Chester’s ideas that family diversity has been exaggerated:

Answer 16

most people live in a family headed by a married couple

most adults marry and have children

most marriages continue until death

cohab increased but is temporary before marriage for a lot of people

more births outside marriage but jointly registered which means both parents committed to bring up children together

Question 17

what do the Rapoports believe?

Answer 17

there is family diversity in society today

moved from traditional nuclear family to range of family types

regard this diversity as positive

Question 18

what 5 types of family do the Rapoports identify?

Answer 18

organisational diversity
cultural diversity
social class diversity
life stage diversity
generational diversity

Question 19

explain organisational diversity:

Answer 19

differences in the way families are organised
e.g some are joint conjugal with dual earner, others are segregated conjugal with one earner

Question 20

explain cultural diversity:

Answer 20

different cultural, religious and ethnic groups have different family structures

e.g extended family in Asian households

Question 21

explain social class diversity:

Answer 21

differences in family structure are partly the result of income differences between households and different social classes

Question 22

explain life stage diversity:

Answer 22

family differs dependent on the life cycle
e.g young newlyweds, couples with children, retired couples and widows

Question 23

explain generational diversity:

Answer 23

older and younger generations have different attitudes and experiences that reflect historical periods in which they have lived
e.g different views about morality of divorce

Question 24

what do postmodernists believe?

Answer 24

there is far more diversity than what the rapoports believe

believe we now live in a chaotic and fragmented society

means now we have more fragmented family types and individuals have more choice and freedom

Question 25

positive and negative of a postmodern society

Answer 25

greater individual choice and freedom to plot their own life course means greater risk of instability and relationships more likely to break up

Question 26

what does Stacey believe about postmodern families?

Answer 26

benefitted women most and major agents in shaping the family to meet their needs of breaking out of patriarchal oppression divorce-extended family type where they are linked by divorce, not marriage

Question 27

what is life course analysis?

Answer 27

method of eesearch using in depth unstructured interviews to understand and explore the meaning individual family members give to their relationships and choices they make at various times in their life e.g having a baby, coming out as gay

Question 28

what is the individualisation thesis?

Answer 28

argues traditional social structures such as class, gender and family have lost influence over us in the past roles were fixed but now we are free to choose our own life course

Question 29

what 2 reasons does Giddens say has caused greater choice and equality?

Answer 29

contraception has allowed sex and intimacy rather than reproduction women have gained independence as a result of feminism and greater opportunities in education and work

Question 30

what does Giddens say about what holds relationships together both in the past and now?

Answer 30

in the past relationships were held together by external forces such as laws and norms now it is based on individual choice and equality

Question 31

what characteristics does a ‘pure relationship’ have?

Answer 31

exist purely to satisfy each partners needs only survives if it serves both partners interests (therefore unstable) stay together because of love and happiness, not out of a sense of duty

Question 32

what does Giddens say about same sex couples?

Answer 32

they are leading the way towards more equal relationships because they have not been influenced by traditional in the same way as heterosexual couples

Question 33

what version of the individualisation thesis does Beck put forward?

Answer 33

argues we now live in a ‘risk society’ where tradition has less influence so makes people aware of risks as making choices involve calculating risk and reward

Question 34

what 2 main changes did Beck find that undermined the traditional family?

Answer 34

greater gender equality greater individualism

Question 35

what family type has been formed according to Beck as a result of greater equality and individualism?

Answer 35

‘negotiated family’

Question 36

explain the ‘negotiated family’

Answer 36

don’t conform to traditional norms but vary dependent on the wishes and expectations of their members

Question 37

what is a ‘zombie category’ according to Beck?

Answer 37

although in this society people turn to family for security in reality the family is subject to even greater risk it appears to be alive but in reality is dead people want security but it can’t be provided due to instability in the family

Question 38

AO3- criticisms of the individualisation thesis

Answer 38

exaggerates how much choice people have ignores structural factors such as class inequality, patriarchal gender norms etc ignores choices and decisions are made in a social context ignore not everyone has the same ability to make and exercise choices about relationships

Question 39

what is the connectedness thesis?

Answer 39

argues that we are social beings whose choices are made due to the fact we live in networks of existing relationships that strongly influence our decisions and range of options means we can’t always walk away at will e.g parents who separate may be linked by children so this link is impossible to end

Question 40

what does the connectedness thesis say can limit our choices?

Answer 40

class and gender

Question 41

how can class and gender limit our choices according to the connectedness thesis

Answer 41

after divorce children are more likely to stay with the mother making it harder for her to have a new relationship but easier for the father men generally better paid so more freedom and choice in relationships women lack freedom to choose so may be trapped e.g in abusive relationships

Question 42

what do Beck and Giddens say about power structures?

Answer 42

argues structures which once dictated our behaviour have now disappeared

Question 43

what does May say about power structures?

Answer 43

argues structures are not disappearing but are being reshaped for example women now have greater rights e.g work, education, votes, divorce but this doesn’t mean they ‘have it all’