Functionalist
Value consensus= norms and values of society
Believe society is based on value consensus in which a society
Organic Analogy
The institution of society is depended on another one to function
This can be compared to the organs in the body → if you take the lungs out of the human
body then the body will not function
If you take out the family, then society will not function properly
Murdock
Nuclear family has 4 functions:
• R= reproduction of the next generation
• E= economic needs of the family by food and shelter
• S= stable satisfaction of sex drive
• S= Socialisation of the young people into society’s norms and values
AO3
• Murdock assumes the nuclear family is the best type of family and ignores other
types who can still perform these functions
- Reproduction = IVF, Economic= Child Benefit
• Critics argue his rose-tinted view →dark side of the family is not ‘stable’ as ¼ of
women face DA + neglects the conflict/exploitation in the family
• Feminist: the family oppresses women
• Marxist: The family meets the needs of the capitalism not the family members
Parson
A household is a group of people with common goal living together
The family can perform many functions → they change to fit the needs of society =
Functional Fit Theory
• Family adapt/changes to meet the needs of society
• Nuclear fam= parents and dependent children= fits modern industrial
- Geographic mobility: industries rise/decline in different areas so ppl moves
for work → nuclear family is easier to move around = fulfil this function better
than extended family
, - Social mobility: society is constantly evolving so workforce needs to be
technically skilled → bc someone status is based on talent/ability not status
based on family
• Loss of function →-pre-industrial families were multifunctional, units of
production and unit of consumption
-has lost many of its functions after the industrial revolution.
- AO2 Healthcare at home -> Hospitals
Parson – 2 main roles of the family
• Primary socialisation= skills and society’s values
• Stabilisation of adult personalities → the idea that families provide emotional
support/stability for adults helping them cope with the stresses of work and life
• Described in warm bath theory → man comes home from work from a hard
day at work and he could relax into his family like a warm bath to take away
the stress
• Instrumental: husband achieves success at work, support the family,
provides discipline
• Expressive: wife is nurturing, caring for children, cook/cleaning
AO3
• Outdated → Parson view of instrumental/expressive role of men + women.
1950s= held some truth Now= both partners can play both roles
• Downplays the conflict- Murdock/Parson pain a very rosy picture of gamily life→
seen as harmonious. However, they downplay the darker side of the family
(violence against women)
• Ignore the exploitation of women- ignore the way the women suffer from the
sexual division of labour in the family w/their responsibilities of
housework/childcare undermining their position in paid employment
IE restricted work hrs bc of the need to take care of the children
• Supporting evidence of functionalist= lone parent families are more likely to do
less well in school and experience more behavioural problems OR married
couples like nuclear families are more stable and they are less likely to
breakdown and functionalist believe the nuclear family is superior to other
family types + promotes stability in family life/society. OR Use NR
Value consensus= norms and values of society
Believe society is based on value consensus in which a society
Organic Analogy
The institution of society is depended on another one to function
This can be compared to the organs in the body → if you take the lungs out of the human
body then the body will not function
If you take out the family, then society will not function properly
Murdock
Nuclear family has 4 functions:
• R= reproduction of the next generation
• E= economic needs of the family by food and shelter
• S= stable satisfaction of sex drive
• S= Socialisation of the young people into society’s norms and values
AO3
• Murdock assumes the nuclear family is the best type of family and ignores other
types who can still perform these functions
- Reproduction = IVF, Economic= Child Benefit
• Critics argue his rose-tinted view →dark side of the family is not ‘stable’ as ¼ of
women face DA + neglects the conflict/exploitation in the family
• Feminist: the family oppresses women
• Marxist: The family meets the needs of the capitalism not the family members
Parson
A household is a group of people with common goal living together
The family can perform many functions → they change to fit the needs of society =
Functional Fit Theory
• Family adapt/changes to meet the needs of society
• Nuclear fam= parents and dependent children= fits modern industrial
- Geographic mobility: industries rise/decline in different areas so ppl moves
for work → nuclear family is easier to move around = fulfil this function better
than extended family
, - Social mobility: society is constantly evolving so workforce needs to be
technically skilled → bc someone status is based on talent/ability not status
based on family
• Loss of function →-pre-industrial families were multifunctional, units of
production and unit of consumption
-has lost many of its functions after the industrial revolution.
- AO2 Healthcare at home -> Hospitals
Parson – 2 main roles of the family
• Primary socialisation= skills and society’s values
• Stabilisation of adult personalities → the idea that families provide emotional
support/stability for adults helping them cope with the stresses of work and life
• Described in warm bath theory → man comes home from work from a hard
day at work and he could relax into his family like a warm bath to take away
the stress
• Instrumental: husband achieves success at work, support the family,
provides discipline
• Expressive: wife is nurturing, caring for children, cook/cleaning
AO3
• Outdated → Parson view of instrumental/expressive role of men + women.
1950s= held some truth Now= both partners can play both roles
• Downplays the conflict- Murdock/Parson pain a very rosy picture of gamily life→
seen as harmonious. However, they downplay the darker side of the family
(violence against women)
• Ignore the exploitation of women- ignore the way the women suffer from the
sexual division of labour in the family w/their responsibilities of
housework/childcare undermining their position in paid employment
IE restricted work hrs bc of the need to take care of the children
• Supporting evidence of functionalist= lone parent families are more likely to do
less well in school and experience more behavioural problems OR married
couples like nuclear families are more stable and they are less likely to
breakdown and functionalist believe the nuclear family is superior to other
family types + promotes stability in family life/society. OR Use NR
