Functionalist views on the family Flashcards
(11 cards)
What are children socialised into
Shared norms and values (a value consensus) leading to socia harmony and stability
What are Parsons 2 roles and why are these assigned
Male - breadwinner
Female expressive
Biological differences
What are Parsons’ 2 roles of the family
Stabilization of adult personalities - warm bath theory
Primary socialisation
What does Parsons believe has been a problem for the family
Decline of the nuclear family leading to structural differentiation which is the roles of family being fulfilled in state institutions
Who talks about the 4 roles of the family
George Murdock
Sex - prevents promiscous behaviour and stabilizes adult personalities, creating family stability
Reproductive
Economic - providing economic needs for it’s members
Education - basic primary socialisation
What are arguments supporting the functionalist perspective
Smaller families providing a more geographically mobile workforce
Allows more social mobility therough meritocracy, meaning extended kin have less to offer
Rising living standards and structural dependence means the family offer even less - (private nursing, nursery)
New right view
Agree on gender roles and adults having automatic oppression
Opposes changes to law making divorce easier
Believe welfare state undermines nuclear family and creates a dependency culture ( Charles Murray)
Anderson’s criticism on functionalists
People prefer living with family, expensive
Femenist critics of functionalists
Gender roles are assigned patriachally creating gender inbalances
Stigmafying divorce traps women in abusive relationships
Duncombe and Marsden - triple shift
Fran Ansley - women are takers of shit
Ignore dark side of family -
Marxist view on family
ignores different social groups
reproduction is just new workers for bourgeoise to exploit
emotional support helps prevent revolution
family is a target audience for big firms
Stats argumenting against this
Cheal - although family is loving place, lost of abuse happens within
40% of femals murders are domestic issues
