Sociologists

Question 1

Parsons (couples):

Answer 1

Men perform instrumental role - breadwinner and economic and decision-making functions.
Women perform domestic role - housework, emotion work and care for children and husbands.

Question 2

Young and Willmott (couples):

Answer 2

Development of the symmetrical family.

Question 3

Bott (couples):

Answer 3

There are two types of marriages:
- segregated conjugal roles
- joint conjugal roles

Question 4

Sullivan (couples):

Answer 4

Women do a bit more housework than men today but things are much more doing more than ever before - more equal roles.

Question 5

Dobash and Dobash (couples):

Answer 5

Found that domestic violence was a reaction to husbands having their authority challenged - evidence of patriarchy in society. Marriage legitimated violence (radical view).

Question 6

Postman (childhood):

Answer 6

Childhood is disappearing - worry over sexualisation of children.

Question 7

Palmer (childhood):

Answer 7

Childhood is now toxic - concerns over negative influences in technology, obesity, abuse etc.

Question 8

Aries (childhood):

Answer 8

In the past, children were mini adults, but now we are in a cult of childhood. Childhood is a separate stage.

Question 9

Jenks (childhood):

Answer 9

Childhood is a social construct, not a biologically defined stage.

Question 10

Gittens (childhood):

Answer 10

Age patriarchy.

Question 11

Smart (childhood):

Answer 11

New sociological approach focuses on the view of the child and their experience e.g. children’s role in divorce.

Question 12

Greer (theories):

Answer 12

Radical feminist - argues for a matrilocal household - having heterosexual relationships is ‘sleeping with the enemy’.

Question 13

Ansley (theories):

Answer 13

Women are the ‘takers of shit’ in the family.

Question 14

Murdock (theories):

Answer 14

Four functions of the family:
- stabilisation of sex drive
- reproduction
- socialisation
- economic

Question 15

Parsons (theories):

Answer 15

Extended family moved to nuclear family as there was need to a geographically mobile workforce.

Question 16

Zaretsky (theories):

Answer 16

Family provides an ideological function - a safe haven outside of the exploitation of capitalism.

Question 17

Althusser (theories):

Answer 17

Family is part of the ideological state apparatus.

Question 18

Engles (theories):

Answer 18

Family reproduces inequality by ensuring property and wealth stays in the hands of the rich via inheritance.

Question 19

Smart (theories):

Answer 19

Personal life persepctive - family is more than just blood ties - includes pets, fictive kin, friends, dead relatives, donor families.

Question 20

Brass and Kabir (demography):

Answer 20

The trend in smaller families began in urban areas, even though infant mortality was higher in these areas - contradicts many sociologists ideas.

Question 21

McKeown (demography):

Answer 21

Improved nutrition played a significant part in reduction of the death rate.

Question 22

Tranter (demography):

Answer 22

Fall of deaths is mainly due to fall in number of infectious diseases.

Question 23

Hirsch (demography):

Answer 23

The traditional age pyramid is disappearing. Now more equal sized block - increasing the dependency ratio due to ageing population.

Question 24

Weeks (family patterns):

Answer 24

Chosen families - the same sex relationships roles are created around kinship and friendship - they are as stable as traditional families.

Question 25

Giddens (family patterns):

Answer 25

The pure relationship - relationships are based on love and last only as long as couples are happy.

Question 26

Beck (family patterns):

Answer 26

Individualisation - people now pursue their own self-interest - relationships now are more fragile as people focus on themselves.
Negotiated families - we created roles based on our needs.

Question 27

Chester (diversity):

Answer 27

Some family diversity but most people still live in the nuclear family or aspire to live the way. Therefore, people live in the neo-conventional family.

Question 28

Stacey (diversity):

Answer 28

The greater diversity in family has benefitted women. They can escape patriarchal oppression and shape their families around their needs.

Question 29

Rappaports (diversity):

Answer 29

Five types of family diversity:
- organisational
- cultural
- social class
- life stage
- generational

Question 30

Murray (policy):

Answer 30

Critical of welfare policy - creates a dependency culture of reliance on housing and welfare benefit and encourages non-traditional family structures.

Question 31

Donzelot (policy):

Answer 31

Increase in policy on the family is a form of power and control over families. Certain classes are targeted more than others (uses Foucault’s ideas about control and surveillance).