Paper 2: Family & Households
Functionalist Perspective:
Key Concepts:
- Value Consensus: Functionalists believe society operates on a shared set of norms and values,
enabling cooperation and the achievement of common goals.
- System Analogy: Society is likened to a biological organism with interdependent parts (sub-systems)
such as the family, education system, and economy.
- Sub-systems: These components work together to ensure the stability and functionality of society.
Family as a Sub-system: Murdock
The family is considered a crucial sub-system in society, often compared to vital organs in a body.
Murdock, see the family as essential for 4 key functions:
1. Stable Sexual Satisfaction: Prevents societal disruption by ensuring sexual relationships are
confined within the family.
2. Reproduction: Ensures the continuation of society by producing the next generation.
3. Socialisation: Teaches children societal norms and values.
4. Economic Support: Provides for the basic needs of its members, such as food and shelter.
Criticisms of Functionalism:
- Alternative Structures: Critics argue other institutions or non-nuclear family structures could perform
these functions.
- Rose-tinted View: Marxists and feminists criticise the functionalist perspective for ignoring societal
conflicts and inequalities.
- Feminist:The family serves the needs of men and perpetuates women's oppression.
- Marxist: The family primarily benefits capitalism, not the family members or society as a whole.
Talcott Parsons' Functional Fit Theory
Parsons argues that the functions and structure of the family are shaped by the type of society in which it
exists. Family Structures:
- Nuclear Family: Consists of parents and their dependent children.
- Extended Family: Includes three generations living together.
Types of Societies and Family Structures:
- Pre-industrial Society: Characterised by the extended family structure.
- Industrial Society: Characterised by the nuclear family structure.
Adaptation to Society's Needs:
1. Geographically Mobile Workforce: Industrial societies require people to move for work. Nuclear
families are more suited to this mobility than extended families.
2. Socially Mobile Workforce: Industrial societies need a skilled workforce with opportunities for
social mobility. Nuclear families support social mobility better than extended families by reducing
status conflicts.
Loss of Functions: As societies industrialise, families shift from being units of production and
consumption to primarily units of consumption. Functions like production, health, and welfare are
transferred to institutions like factories, schools, and health services.
Specialised Functions of the Nuclear Family:
1. Primary Socialisation: Equips children with basic skills and values to integrate into society.
2. Stabilisation of Adult Personalities: Provides a space for adults to relax and release tensions,
contributing to economic efficiency.
Functionalist Perspective:
Key Concepts:
- Value Consensus: Functionalists believe society operates on a shared set of norms and values,
enabling cooperation and the achievement of common goals.
- System Analogy: Society is likened to a biological organism with interdependent parts (sub-systems)
such as the family, education system, and economy.
- Sub-systems: These components work together to ensure the stability and functionality of society.
Family as a Sub-system: Murdock
The family is considered a crucial sub-system in society, often compared to vital organs in a body.
Murdock, see the family as essential for 4 key functions:
1. Stable Sexual Satisfaction: Prevents societal disruption by ensuring sexual relationships are
confined within the family.
2. Reproduction: Ensures the continuation of society by producing the next generation.
3. Socialisation: Teaches children societal norms and values.
4. Economic Support: Provides for the basic needs of its members, such as food and shelter.
Criticisms of Functionalism:
- Alternative Structures: Critics argue other institutions or non-nuclear family structures could perform
these functions.
- Rose-tinted View: Marxists and feminists criticise the functionalist perspective for ignoring societal
conflicts and inequalities.
- Feminist:The family serves the needs of men and perpetuates women's oppression.
- Marxist: The family primarily benefits capitalism, not the family members or society as a whole.
Talcott Parsons' Functional Fit Theory
Parsons argues that the functions and structure of the family are shaped by the type of society in which it
exists. Family Structures:
- Nuclear Family: Consists of parents and their dependent children.
- Extended Family: Includes three generations living together.
Types of Societies and Family Structures:
- Pre-industrial Society: Characterised by the extended family structure.
- Industrial Society: Characterised by the nuclear family structure.
Adaptation to Society's Needs:
1. Geographically Mobile Workforce: Industrial societies require people to move for work. Nuclear
families are more suited to this mobility than extended families.
2. Socially Mobile Workforce: Industrial societies need a skilled workforce with opportunities for
social mobility. Nuclear families support social mobility better than extended families by reducing
status conflicts.
Loss of Functions: As societies industrialise, families shift from being units of production and
consumption to primarily units of consumption. Functions like production, health, and welfare are
transferred to institutions like factories, schools, and health services.
Specialised Functions of the Nuclear Family:
1. Primary Socialisation: Equips children with basic skills and values to integrate into society.
2. Stabilisation of Adult Personalities: Provides a space for adults to relax and release tensions,
contributing to economic efficiency.
