Families and Households
full topic revision
,Sociological perspectives on
the family
,• Stabilise the sex drive- prevents Geographically mobile Socially mobile workforce- society is const
social disruption from ‘free-for- workforce- industries so workforces need to be technically skilled an
alls’. rise/decline in different areas someone’s status in the force depends on talen
• Reproduction of the next or overseas, so people move ascribed status based on family.
generation. a lot for work. Parsons says Parsons- nuclear family fulfils this function bet
• Socialising the young- into shared the nuclear family is easier to extended families have sons at home (father ha
norms and values. move around and therefore even though at work they are above him. This
fulfils this function better the nuclear family fixes as sons move out and f
• Meet members economic needs-
than the extended family. socially mobile family.
food/shelter.
Argues for 4 essential Industrial society’s functions:
functions that meet society’s
and member’s needs. Says Argues a f
Murdock (1949) Functionalism Parsons (1955)
theory wh
the nuclear family performs
them best. Pre-industrial families were multi- functions
Loss of functions: depend on
Criticisms: functional, units of production
(working together on a family farm) and society th
• Functions can be done by other units of consumption (feeding/clothing Nuclear fa
institutions or non-nuclear members). and depen
families
Even though this family type is more fits moder
• Rose-tinted and overly
self-sufficient, Parsons argues that a Here, the nuclear family specialises in society. Ex
harmonious- Feminists say the family changes from extended to 2 essential functions- Primary 3 generati
family benefits men and exploits nuclear when society industrialises, socialisation of children (skills, roof, fits p
women, Marxists say the family and ends up losing some of its society’s values, etc) and stabilising society.
meets capitalism’s needs, not functions and is just a unit of adult personalities (family to relax
members or society. consumption. Other institutions like and release tensions in order to go
schools and health service take over. back to work refreshed).
, The mode of production (who owns/control societal Marxists say the family How the family doe
forces like tools and materials) have evolved and are now transmits a set of ideas/beliefs • Socialising children so they b
owned by the capitalist class. The family evolved that justify inequality, and and inequality are inevitable
alongside this, leaving primitive communism (no private maintain capitalism by getting power over children gets th
property) and what Engels calls a promiscuous horde (no people to accept it as idea that someone’s always
family) behind. fair/natural/unchangeable. preparing them for working
Engels: capitalist employers.
• A class of men later gained • Zaretsky (1976)- family is a
control of the means of exploitative capitalist world
production, bringing about the themselves and have a priva
Inheritance of property: Ideological functions this is an illusion because fa
patriarchal monogamous
nuclear family. meet all members’ needs, a
the domestic service of wom
• Engels argues monogamy Marxism
became essential- men didn’t
have to worry about the
A unit of consumption: Criticisms of the Marxist perspective:
paternity of their sons and could
therefore let them inherit • Assumes nuclear family is dominan
private property- benefitting Families are a market for selling consumer society, ignores wide variety of fam
capitalism. goods, giving them a role in helping capitalism today.
profit: • Feminists argue Marxists put too m
• He says the nuclear family is the • Keeping up with the Joneses- encourage emphasis on class/capitalism, argu
‘world historical defeat of the families to consume latest products. power of gender inequalities in the
female sex’- it puts their • Media targets children, who use ‘pester means it serves men, not capitalism
sexuality under male control and power’ to make parents spend more. • Functionalists argue they ignore th
turns them into just an • Children without latest products are the family gives its members (Murd
instrument for reproduction. mocked/stigmatised by peers. functions).
full topic revision
,Sociological perspectives on
the family
,• Stabilise the sex drive- prevents Geographically mobile Socially mobile workforce- society is const
social disruption from ‘free-for- workforce- industries so workforces need to be technically skilled an
alls’. rise/decline in different areas someone’s status in the force depends on talen
• Reproduction of the next or overseas, so people move ascribed status based on family.
generation. a lot for work. Parsons says Parsons- nuclear family fulfils this function bet
• Socialising the young- into shared the nuclear family is easier to extended families have sons at home (father ha
norms and values. move around and therefore even though at work they are above him. This
fulfils this function better the nuclear family fixes as sons move out and f
• Meet members economic needs-
than the extended family. socially mobile family.
food/shelter.
Argues for 4 essential Industrial society’s functions:
functions that meet society’s
and member’s needs. Says Argues a f
Murdock (1949) Functionalism Parsons (1955)
theory wh
the nuclear family performs
them best. Pre-industrial families were multi- functions
Loss of functions: depend on
Criticisms: functional, units of production
(working together on a family farm) and society th
• Functions can be done by other units of consumption (feeding/clothing Nuclear fa
institutions or non-nuclear members). and depen
families
Even though this family type is more fits moder
• Rose-tinted and overly
self-sufficient, Parsons argues that a Here, the nuclear family specialises in society. Ex
harmonious- Feminists say the family changes from extended to 2 essential functions- Primary 3 generati
family benefits men and exploits nuclear when society industrialises, socialisation of children (skills, roof, fits p
women, Marxists say the family and ends up losing some of its society’s values, etc) and stabilising society.
meets capitalism’s needs, not functions and is just a unit of adult personalities (family to relax
members or society. consumption. Other institutions like and release tensions in order to go
schools and health service take over. back to work refreshed).
, The mode of production (who owns/control societal Marxists say the family How the family doe
forces like tools and materials) have evolved and are now transmits a set of ideas/beliefs • Socialising children so they b
owned by the capitalist class. The family evolved that justify inequality, and and inequality are inevitable
alongside this, leaving primitive communism (no private maintain capitalism by getting power over children gets th
property) and what Engels calls a promiscuous horde (no people to accept it as idea that someone’s always
family) behind. fair/natural/unchangeable. preparing them for working
Engels: capitalist employers.
• A class of men later gained • Zaretsky (1976)- family is a
control of the means of exploitative capitalist world
production, bringing about the themselves and have a priva
Inheritance of property: Ideological functions this is an illusion because fa
patriarchal monogamous
nuclear family. meet all members’ needs, a
the domestic service of wom
• Engels argues monogamy Marxism
became essential- men didn’t
have to worry about the
A unit of consumption: Criticisms of the Marxist perspective:
paternity of their sons and could
therefore let them inherit • Assumes nuclear family is dominan
private property- benefitting Families are a market for selling consumer society, ignores wide variety of fam
capitalism. goods, giving them a role in helping capitalism today.
profit: • Feminists argue Marxists put too m
• He says the nuclear family is the • Keeping up with the Joneses- encourage emphasis on class/capitalism, argu
‘world historical defeat of the families to consume latest products. power of gender inequalities in the
female sex’- it puts their • Media targets children, who use ‘pester means it serves men, not capitalism
sexuality under male control and power’ to make parents spend more. • Functionalists argue they ignore th
turns them into just an • Children without latest products are the family gives its members (Murd
instrument for reproduction. mocked/stigmatised by peers. functions).
