Theory Functionalists Flashcards
US census bureau
-two or more people who are related by blood or marriage or adoption who live together
-seen as a family
number of people living in a household together but not as family
-1960 15%
-now 30%
types of family
-kindship
-extended
-single parent
-same sex
-singular
4 universal functions of family
-stable sex drive
-reproduction of next generation
-socialisation of young
-meeting economic needs
Evaluation of the 4 universal functions
-nursery and primary school offer socialisation
-women can use sperm donors
-assumes family can fulfil these functions
-rose-tined view
-now there are ranges of family
-black and west indies are matrifocal, female led
Murdock
-family is a universal social institution
-study of 250 families
-same form of family existed in each one
Defined as a social group
-reproduction
-economic cooperation
-adult of both sex
-one or more child
Structural differentiation
-key institutions, business, health, education within society has evolved
-they specialised into specific functions
Parsons
Functional Fit Theory
-family meets political, welfare and religious functions
-believe family has played a different function throughout history of society
2 types of family
-isolated nuclear family
-extended family
Modern industrial society
-evolving science and technology required skilled workforce
-status now achieved
-people now move to were there jobs are
-nuclear is needed
Traditional Pre- industrial society
-born into family trade
-ascribed status
-self sufficient
-people lived in village whole life
-land and resources owned and rented
-extended family needed
modern industrial society needed
-more socially mobile work force
-achieve one status
-more geographical work force
-nuclear family is much more easier to move
specialists organisations
-they took over many functions of the family as it became less important
pre industrial functions
-unit of production and form
-unit of consumption/food
-self sufficient unit
