Sociological Perspectives

Question 1

(Func.) Parsons’ functional fit theory

Answer 1

1. functional fit theory = family functions and structure depend on the society that they’re in
2. nuclear family fits easily into modern society, whereas an extended family under one roof is best suited to pre-industrial

Question 2

(Func.) Industrial society’s functions

Answer 2

1. socially mobile workforce - the nuclear family suits this best because extended families contain a father (high family status) and a son (higher work status) which causes too much tension
2. geographically mobile workforce - industries rise/decline in different areas and the nuclear family is easiest to move around to suit this

Question 3

(Func.) Loss of functions

Answer 3

1. pre-industrial families were multi-functional (units of production and units of consumption)
2. schools and health services are units of production over families
3. the nuclear family specialises in 2 essential functions - primary socialisation of children and stabilising adult personalities

Question 4

(Func.) Murdock

Answer 4

1. stabilise sex drive
2. reproduction
3. socialising the young
4. meeting economic needs

nuclear family performs them best

Question 5

Criticisms of Murdock

Answer 5

1. functions can be performed by other institutions / non-nuclear families
2. rose-tinted and overly harmonious - feminists say it benefits men, whereas marxists claim it meets the needs of capitalism

Question 6

(Marx.) 3 functions of family

Answer 6

1. inheritance of property
2. ideological functions
3. a unit of consumption

Question 7

(Marx.) Unit of consumption

Answer 7

families = a market for selling consumer goods

1. media targets children who use ‘pester power’ to buy more
2. children without latest products are mocked by peers

Question 8

(Marx.) Engels - Inheritance of property

Answer 8

• the mode of production is owned by the capitalist class
• the family evolved alongside this, leaving no private property and no family behind
• a class of men gained control of the means of production = patriarchal monogamous nuclear family
• monogamy = essential (knowing paternity of sons made inheriting private property easiest)
• nuclear family = ‘world historical defeat of the female sex’ (women are a sexual instrument for reproduction)

Question 9

(Marx.) Ideological functions

Answer 9

families transmit sets of capitalist ideals that justify inequality and capitalism as fair and natural

Question 10

(Marx.) Zaretsky

Answer 10

family is a ‘haven’ from the exploitative capitalist world - workers can be themselves

this is an illusion because families can’t meet all members’ needs as it is based on the domestic service of women

Question 11

AO3 of Marxism

Answer 11

• assumes nuclear family is dominant and ignores other family types
• Feminists - Marxists place too much emphasis on capitalism and ignore the patriarchy
• Functionalists - ignores the benefits of the family

Question 12

(Fem.) Difference Feminists

Answer 12

not all women live in conventional families

Question 13

AO3 of difference feminists

Answer 13

ignores the shared experiences that women do have, such as domestic violence and sexual assault

Question 14

(Fem.) Marxist feminists

Answer 14

• links the patriarchy to capitalism
• women reproduce the labour force
• women absorb anger
• women are reserve army of cheap labour

Question 15

(Fem.) Ansley

Answer 15

“wives are the takers of shit”

Question 16

(Fem.) Liberal feminists

Answer 16

• campaigns against sex discrimination and for equal rights
• women’s oppression is being gradually overcome through laws and policies
• march of progress view

Question 17

(Fem.) AO3 of Liberal feminists

Answer 17

• don’t challenge underlying causes of oppression
• deep-rooted structures need big changes, not gradual progress

Question 18

(Fem.) Radical feminists

Answer 18

• all societies are founded on patriarchy
• Firestone - men are the enemy
• family/marriage are key institutions in which men benefit and dominate women
• separatism will overturn the patriarchy
• political lesbianism will prevent ‘sleeping with the enemy’

Question 19

AO3 of Radical feminism

Answer 19

Sommerville - the position of women has improves greatly + heterosexual attraction means that political lesbianism won’t work

Question 19

(Fem.) Greer

Answer 19

women should create all female households as an alternative to heterosexuality

Question 20

(PLP) what’s the personal life perspective

Answer 20

• bottom-up approach
• emphasising meanings individual family members hold

Question 21

(PLP) what two weaknesses do other perspectives hold

Answer 21

1. assumes traditional nuclear families are the dominant family type
2. all structural theories see the family as passive puppets

Question 22

(PLP) going beyond blood and marriage ties…

Answer 22

there are other intimate/personal relationships people find important

1. friends who are like family
2. fictive kin (close friends treated and titled like relatives)
3. gay/lesbian chose families (support network who aren’t related by blood)
4. dead relatives
5. pets

Question 23

(PLP) Tipper

Answer 23

study of children = most children consider pets a part of their family

Question 24

(PLP) Nordqvist and Smart

Answer 24

donor-conceived children create debate over what counts as family - parents wonder if parenthood is based on DNA or the effort put into raising a child - children having different appearances can make parents and children wonder about the donor's identity and if other children of the donor count as siblings to the child - families who know the donor question the extent to which the donor and their family should be in their lives

Question 25

AO3 of PLP

Answer 25

1. shows the value of how people question and construct their familial relationships and views 2. criticised for being too broad and ignoring what is specifically special about blood and marriage ties 3. rejects functionalism but agrees that the family provides positive functions