Download functions-of-the-family

The
Family
LO: To look at the theories explaining
the functions of the family.
Recap!
Hot – potato!
We will recap Functionalism, Marxism and
Feminism by playing hot-potato.
If you receive the potato you must say a word,
name or study associated to that theory.
Functionalism
To help . . .
• Write down as many words / phrases / studies / theories /
sociologists as you can for the following;
Marxism
Functionalism
Feminism
You can work together but you’ll be on your own during the
game . . . So don’t share all your knowledge.
Marxism
Feminism
Functionalism
• FUNCTIONS!
• Society = A biological organism.
• Society is based upon a value
consensus.
What are the functions of the family?
• Primary Socialisation
• Economic Needs
• Reproduction
• Sex
Murdock (1949)
Could other institutions
not
perform
But
.
.
these functions?
• Can only parents/siblings teach children the
norms and values of society?
• Communes and other institutions can provide
economic security.
• Women can use sperm donors for reproduction.
• Prostitutes can be used for sex.
• Murdock see’s the family through ‘rose-tinted’
glasses.
Functionalists ignore issues such as domestic
violence and neglect.
(The Darkside of the family)
Parsons
• Functional Fit Theory
Families play different functions depending on
the society in which they are in.
Think of the different family types we looked
at, especially in different cultures.
Pre-Industrial Society
• Parsons believed that in pre-industrial Britain,
the most common family was the extended
family.
• This is because the needs to the pre-industrial
society required the extended family.
Industrial Society
• After Britain went through the industrial
revolution, the needs of society changed. This
caused the increase in the ‘nuclear family’.
Reasons for the change:
• Industrial society requires;
1. A geographical mobile workforce.
2. A socially mobile workforce.
Parsons
• Parson argues that families lost their
‘functions’ outlined by Murdock after the
industrial revolution.
• Now families have just two functions:
Primary Socialisation & Stabilising Adult
Personalities.
Criticisms!
1. The extended family was not dominant
before the industrial revolution.
Young and Willmott (1973) – it was nuclear!
Laslett (1972) – Short life expectancy resulted in
few extended family.
2. Not all families became nuclear after the
industrial revolution.
Anderson (1980) found that working class
families turned to the extended family due to
illness, cost and childcare.
Hareven (1999) found that the extended family
was best equipped for the post-industrial
society.
3. According to Young and Willmott (1973) the
rise of the nuclear family was due to better
living standards, geographical mobility, better
housing, women working and the welfare
state.
But the extended family is becoming
increasingly popular in modern British society.
Why do you think this is?
• Split your A3 sheet into 3 sections.
• At the top of the page write the title Theories
of the Family.
• As a sub-header in each section put the titles
Functionalism, Marxism and Feminism.