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Family theorists Flashcards

(57 cards)

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1
Q

Murdock

A

Nuclear family is universal across societies and cultures.
4 Functions of the family: Reproduction,Economic, Primary socialisation, Sexual Regulation

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2
Q

Parsons - loss of functions

A

Family has two essential functions: Primary socialisation, SOAPs.
Lost functions to education, media, healthcare.
Institutions become specialised in the functions they perform - STRUCTURAL DIFFERENTATION

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3
Q

Parsons - sexual division of labour

A

The male is naturally the instrumental leader of the family unit. The breadwinner, disciplinarian, decision maker.
The female is naturally the expressive leader of the family, the supporter, loving caring and comforting

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4
Q

Parsons - Warm bath

A

The family is like a warm bath - The expressive leader (woman) provides a relaxing comforting experience (for the man) which counteracts stresses of world. Stabilising adult personalities

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5
Q

Fletcher

A

Family has gained functions.
Healthcare - In managing diet and exercise, diagnosis of illness
Educational - Attending parents evenings, helping with hwk, investment
Consumption - Unit of consumption rather than of production. Helps economy

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6
Q

R.D. Laing

A

Anti-psychiatry approach. Disagreed with use of ECT for SZ. Found that family was laden with tension, anxiety, power and control struggles. The family is schizophrenogenic

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7
Q

Leach

A

Family is too isolated from the outside world. “Huddled in misery” behind closed doors. Keep secrets and deal with secret concerns for years which are bad for mental health

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8
Q

Ann Oakley - genesis of inequality

A

Gender socialisation causes inequality. Differential treatment causes children to internalise patriarchal notions of how they “should” behave and treat members of the opposite sex.

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9
Q

Fran Ansley

A

Women are the “takers of shit” who act as a cushion to the economy by providing that warm bath Parsons describes. Women support the capitalist economy

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10
Q

Laura Purdy

A

Women are oppressed due to biology, considered natural caregivers due to pregnancy and childbirth and become dependent on men as a result. She advocates for a baby strike, stop having children so men notice their oppression and subordination

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11
Q

Shulamith Firestone

A

Pregnancy, childbirth, and childrearing maintain their oppression. Advocated use of science to create artificial reproduction to escape biological determinism

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12
Q

Engels

A

When means of production were communally owned, promiscuity and no limits to sexuality.
The monogamous nuclear family developed as a vehicle for capitalists to ensure inheritance (ergo social class reproduction)

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13
Q

Zaretsky

A

The family was a “safe haven” which stood in opposition to industry/commerce.
Does have some cushioning effects, but it is a ‘prop’ to the economy:
1) Based on domesticity of housewives, reproduce future gens, socialise them, provide a “warm bath” for husbands
2) Family is a unit of consumption

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14
Q

Lasch and Donzelot

A

The state polices family life, there exists an army of professional experts who intervene frequently. Previously existed as a safe space for freedom and self expression

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15
Q

Parsons - industrialisation

A

Nuclear family became most common as opposed to pre-industrial classic extended as it was a functional fit for society. Geographically and socially mobile and avoids conflict

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16
Q

Engels (supporting functional fit theory)

A

Monogamous nuclear family was a vehicle for inheritance

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17
Q

Laslett

A

Only 10% of families were non-nuclear in industrial times

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18
Q

Anderson

A

Industrialisation increased the scope of the extended family - harsh conditions meant an increased reliance on family support

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19
Q

Oakley - industrialisation

A

The pre-industrial family was self-sufficient.
Early-industrial family worked together
Child labour restrictions and men fearful of competition from women lead to women confined to home and m-h role

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20
Q

Bejin

A

Cohabitation is seen as an alternative to marriage without patriarchal and traditionalist expectations

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21
Q

Chester - cohabitation

A

Cohabitation is a trial marriage, people try out living together before “rushing into” marriage

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22
Q

Brannen

A

Beanpole families (more vertical than horizontal ties) are caused by increased life expectancy

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23
Q

Bott

Study These Flashcards
A

Believes joint conjugal roles are starting to become more prevalent than segregated conjugal roles

24
Q

Young and Wilmott

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A

Trend in E. London from traditional family roles to a symmetrical family, not identical!

25
Pahl and Vogler
Pooling system (joint accounts) on the increase compared to an allowance system, less patriarchal and more equal
26
Sullivan
Women have trended towards doing less domestic labour from 1975-97
27
Oakley - DDoL
Symmetry is a myth. Men took on nicer childcare jobs. Y&W only asked if many helped out once a week. Women face a "dual burden", paid work and domestic labour
28
Edgell (later Hardill)
Inequality in decision making and power. Men made "important" decisions, women made "everyday" decisions
29
Duncombe and Marsden
Women face a triple shift, emotional work, domestic work and paid work. Men are emotionally constipated
30
Dunne
Same sex couples have a more equal power dynamic
31
Dobash and Dobash
Marxist/Materialist explanation of DV. Low incomes leads to stress which cause violence. Women cannot leave due to financial dependence
32
Coleman et al
Women significantly more likely to face intimate violence
33
Coleman and Osborne
2 women killed per week by DV. Accounts for ⅓ of all femicide.
34
Walby and Allen, support with Dar
W&A: Women are more likely to face repeated incidences of DV D: It may be hard to separate these instances so a full picture is hard to gather
35
Ansara and Hindin
Women face more severe control than men
36
37
Cheal
CJS may be unwilling to investigate as the family is a private sphere, and a woman is free to leave
38
Tipper
Children are likely to view pets as part of their family
39
Nordqvist and Smart
Parents of sperm-donor conceived babies emphasise their social relationship, attachment, rather than biological bond
40
Rapoport & Rapoport - Familial Structure
5 Types of family diversity Cultural - Due to ethnic group Life-stage - Due to the stage of each person within the life-cycle Organisational - Differences in division of domestic and paid work Generational - Due to different values of older and younger generations Social class - Due to income&values
41
Rapoports: Cite acronym and give examples
CLOGS C: Matrifocal black families, Extended Asian families L: Elderly people more likely to live alone or in a retirement home O: Woman and man may distribute chores equally (or not) G: Beanpole fams in younger generation, more horizontal in older generations S: Extended families more common in working class
42
Beck - Risk
We live in a "risk society" wherein tradition has less influence and so we are risk conscious, as having choice means more time calculating risks and rewards of different courses of action
43
Beck - New family type
The negotiated family has replaced the nuclear family. People decide what roles are best for them through negotiation. More equal but more risky (people can leave)
44
Anthony Giddens
The "pure relationship", based on love and fulfillment, not external expectations or influences has emerged due to the WERM and postmodernism.
45
Smart - Connectedness thesis. Who is she critiquing?
We are not "free floating" or "disembedded", so we do not have complete freedom of choice. We make choices in a web of connectedness with existing relationships and histories. Critiques Giddens and Beck
46
May
Individualisation thesis is too middle class and idealistic. Traditional expectations still exist, and especially so for the working class. Choice is limited
47
Murray - family diversity
Disintegration of the nuclear family creates an underclass of the children of teen parents and single parents. Strong opposition
48
Chester
The nuclear family is still the norm. 49% of people currently lived in one in 1998, and the vast majority has at some point and aspire to. Neo conventional family type- dual earners, is the main change
49
Wagg
Childhood as a stage of life is socially constructed. It is not a universal experience
50
Aries
Children treated as mini-adults. As soon as able expected to participate/work. Seen as economic assets with little emo investment given due to high IMR. Started to emerge from 13thC but 20thC saw rapid devt of childhood
51
Kruppa
Children were beaten, abused and killed. Common attitude of "spare the rod spoil the child". Aries romanticises medieval childhood
52
53
Cunningham - Childcentredness
Three characteristics of a child centred society: 1. Childhood is regarded as the opposite of adulthood. Children needing protection, adults as their protectors. 2. Segregation of adult and child social spaces 3. Childhood associated with legal protections/rights
54
Palmer
"Toxic childhood" caused by cultural and technological changes. Such as less outdoor play, screen saturation and exam anxiety.
55
Furedi
"Paranoid parenting" where parents project their fears and don't allow them to take necessary risks. Caused by sensational news stories and expert culture and leads to dependent and anxious adults
56
Postman
The boundaries have blurred between adulthood and childhood. Children are exposed to adult knowledge through media and there no longer exists an information hierarchy (expln this)
57
Drew
Familistic Gender regimes: Discourage gender equality through promoting nuclear family Individualistic gender regimes: Encourage gender equality through state support for working women and shared childcare roles (&family diversity)

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