Topic 5: Functionalism and the Family

Question 1

Murdock
resee
murder on my mind9overall view od other family types)

Answer 1

1. Reproductive: Society requires new members to ensure its survival - procreation generally
   occurs within a marital and family context.
2. Sexual: Unregulated sexual behaviour
   has the potential to be socially disruptive. However, marital sex creates a powerful
3. Educational: Culture needs to be transmitted to the next generation, so children need to
   be effectively socialized into the dominant values, norms, customs, .
4. Economic: Adult family members show their commitment to the care, protection and
   maintenance of their dependents by becoming productive workers and bringing home an
   income.

Question 2

Evaluation of Murdock x2

Answer 2

-Ignoring diversity:fails to acknowledge that
families are the product of culture rather than biology, and that, consequently, family relationships and roles will take different forms even within the same society.
-Value judgements on diverse family forms:it implies
that certain types of parenting - single, foster, homosexual and surrogate – are not quite as beneficial as the classic two nuclear family model. In this sense, Murdock’s model is
political because it is clearly saying there are ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ ways to organize family life.

Question 3

Parsons
you are made a person by your family

Answer 3

1) Primary socialisation
teaching children the norms and values of society, ill help to reproduce the value consensus. saw mothers as playing the major role in the process of nurturing/ the ‘expressive leaders’ of the family who were biologically suited
2) Stabilisation of adult personalities
relieve the stresses of modern-day living for its adult members.
the adults can be themselves and even “let themselves go” in a childish and undignified way. This emotional support and security, and the opportunity to engage in play with children, acts as a safety valve

Question 4

Evaluation of Parsons
x2

Answer 4

-Sexist? He assumes that men and women will naturally perform separate roles and that these roles have equal status. Feminists argue that in reality, traditional nuclear families are based on male power and dominance;
-Assumes children are passive:
reality, socialisation can be seen as a two- way process
where children socialise their parents as much as they are socialised by them.

Question 5

functionalism: Six Other Functions

Answer 5

1) Gender Role Socialisation
learn the cultural patterns of behaviour expected of their gender, i.e. what is regarded as appropriate masculine or feminine behaviour
2) Social control
family is generally regarded as the moral centre of society. Setting the boundaries of deviant behaviour. The development of a moral conscience that trains children to know the difference between ’right’ and ‘wrong’. This is backed up through parental use of positive sanctions (e.g. rewards) and negative sanctions