Functions Of The Family

Question 1

What were the four vital functions of the families

Answer 1

Sexual
Reproductive
Educational
Economic

Question 2

What does the sexual function mean ?

Answer 2

Marital sex creates emotional bonds, encourages fidelity and commitment to family life. Stable relationships lead to stability in society.

Question 3

What does the reproductive function mean?

Answer 3

Society needs new members to carry on- families have children to fulfil this need

Question 4

What does the educational function mean ?

Answer 4

Culture need to be passed on so that children can be socialised into the dominant norms and values of a society. This begins with primary socialisation delivered within the family

Question 5

What does the economic function mean

Answer 5

Adult family members provide shelter, food and money for their children and help maintain the economy

Question 6

What does stabilisation of adult personality

Answer 6

To relieve the stresses of modern day living. This warm bath theory claims that a warm and loving home reduces stress from day to day living, strengthening social stability

Question 7

Challenging views to the functions of family view

Answer 7

Functionalists ignore the dark side 
Can easily become dysfunctional 
Functionalists based it on middle class 
What was true in the 1950s may not be now

Question 8

Marxists perspectives on families

Answer 8

Marxists argue nuclear family provides several important functions for capitalism

Question 9

What are the several things the nuclear family provide

Answer 9

1) important for market
2) primary socialisation , maintains social class inequalities
3) unpaid labour by reproducing

Question 10

Feminism view

Answer 10

Family as patriarchal
Women suffer dual burden
Double standard of morality
Families benefit men