Key Families Points - Learn These!!! Flashcards
What is Murdock’s view of the family?
Argues nuclear family performs four essential functions: sexual, reproductive, economic and educational.
What did Parsons say about the family?
- Saw the nuclear family suited to modern society performing two irreducible functions: primary socialisation and the stabilisation of adult personalities (warm bath theory).
What is the Marxist view of the family?
Family serves capitalism reproducing labour, passing down private property and acting as a unit of consumption.
Who is Engles and what did he argue about family?
The monogamous nuclear family developed to solve the problem of inheritance, ensuring property is passed down through legitimate heirs.
What is Zaretskys view of the family?
Argues family offers and illusion of a haven from capitalism but in reality it supports the capitalist system.
What do feminists argue about family?
See the family as a key site of patriarchy where women perform unpaid domestic labour, suffer domestic violence and are socially controlled.
What does Delphy and Leonard argue about family?
They claim families are patriarchal institutions which men benefit from women’s unpaid labour and emotional support.
What is Somerville’s view on family?
Recognises progress for women e.g. increased work opportunities but argues the structure still limits them.
What is the personal life perspective?
Smart - we should focus on meanings and how individual define family e.g. chosen families, pets and friends.
What are the reasons for the increase in divorce?
Changes in law enforcement.g. 1996 Divorce Reform Act, secularisation, rising expectations and women’s independence.
What did Allan and Crow say about family diversity?
That it has increased due to the decline of trad social norms and greater choice.
What is Chesters view on family diversity?
Accepts some diversity but argues people still aspire to the nuclear family.
What did Beck say about family?
Suggests we live in a ‘risk society’ where individualisation leads to negotiated families over trad roles.
What is Staceys view on family?
Women are the drivers of family change creating diverse family structures like single hood or co-parenting.
What are the reasons for decline in birth rate?
Contraception, women’s careers, cost of children and child-centredness.
What are the reasons for the ageing population?
Increased life expectancy, declining birth rate and improved healthcare.
What is Hirsch’s argument about the ageing population?
Suggests society will need to adapt by changing policies (housing, retirement age) due to an ageing population.
What is the symmetrical family?
Young and Willmott found family becoming more equal, with joint conjugal roles emerging due to social changes like women’s employment.
What is Oakley’s view on housework?
Criticises Y&W showing women still do most housework and childcare - evidence of persistent patriarchy.
What do Dunne’s studies show?
Lesbian couples have more equal relationships supporting the feminist view that inequality in heterosexual families is due to gender scripts.
What did Gershunny find about housework?
A gradual move towards equality as women in paid work do less housework.
What did Pahl and Vogler say about money management?
Found men often control family income reinforcing patriarchal control.
What is the march of progress view of childhood?
Aries and Shorter argue childhood has improved over time - more valued, protected and educated.
What did Aries find about childhood in the past?
Childhood as a separate stage didnt exist in medieval times.
