Flashcards in Theories of the Family Deck (45)
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1
What do functionalists think generally?
Society is based on a shared set of norms and values
The nuclear family is best at meeting the needs of industrialised society
2
Which functionalists commented?
Murdock
Parsons
3
What 4 essential functions does the family provide according to Murdock?
Stable satisfaction of the sex drive
Reproduction
Primary socilisation
Meeting the economic needs
4
How does the family provide stable satisfaction of the sex drive according to Murdock?
Adults have the same partner which prevents social disruption
5
How does the family provide primary socilisation according to Murdock?
Teaching the children the same norms and values as the rest of society
6
Which groups of sociologists criticize Murdock?
Feminists and Marxists as he avoids the darker side of conflict and exploitation
7
How do feminists criticize Murdock?
The family serves the needs of men and opresses women.
He ignores domestic abuse
8
How do Marxists criticize Murdock?
The nuclear family serves the needs of capitalism and keeps workers in line so they can be exploited
9
What two theories does Parsons put forward?
Family has 2 functions
Theory of fit
10
What two functions does Parsons outline?
Primary socilisation
The stabilisation of adult personalities
11
How does the family fufill the stabilisation of adult personalities according to Parsons?
They can escape the stress of the outside world as the family is a safe space
12
How is Parson's function of stabilisation of adult personalities criticised?
Zaretsky: Family only gives emotional support so it's members will continue working under capitalism
13
What is Parson's theory of fit?
The dominant family type is the one that best suits the needs of society at the time. In industrial society this was the nuclear family
14
Who criticizes Parson's theory of fit?
Willmott and Young
Harevan
15
How do Willmott and Young criticize Parson's theory of fit?
Pre-industrial families were mainly nuclear, not extended as Parsons claimed. Extended families became more common in the industrial revolution
16
How does Harevan criticize Parson's theory of fit?
The extended family was best suited to meeting the needs of industrial society
Evidence from migrant families in the US 19th centry
17
Which New Right sociologist commented?
Murray
18
What do the New Right generally believe?
Nuclear family is best with a biologically based division of labour (traditional)
Families that rely on the state lead to lone parent families linked with delinquancy
19
What did Murray think?
There is an underclass in the West with many lone parent families leading to underacheivement, high crime and drug abuse.
Can be stopped if the state reduce benifits
20
How did Murray think we can stop the underclass?
Reduce state benifits to get people to take responsability for their own lives
21
Which groups of sociologists criticize Murray?
Marxists
Feminists
22
How do feminists critisize Murray?
The division of labour is not biologically fixed
Nuclear family is patriarchial
No evidence lone parent families cause delinquency
23
How do Marxists critisize Murray?
Problems faced by families are due to low benifits and lack of free childcare
These factors are beyond the control of single parents
24
What do Marxists think?
There is a constant struggle between the poor and the ruling class, the family helps keep control by socilising children into capitalist ideas
25
Which Marxists commented?
Engels
Zaretsky
Althusser and Poulantzas
26
How does the family help capitalism according to Engels?
It serves the needs of the econemy as the family arose due to the need to pass on private property
27
How does the family help capitalism according to Zaretsky?
Provides emotional support to members to keep them working under capitalism
28
Why do people critisize Engels?
His interpretation is historically inaccurate as the nuclear family was found in hunter-gatherer groups before private property was important
29
Why do people critisize Zaretsky?
He exaggerates the importance of the family and ignores domestic abuse
30
