Theories Of The Family

Front 1

The Functionalist Perspective
Functionalists see society as based on value consensus- a shared set of norms and values (or culture). This shared culture enables members of society to co-operate harmoniously to meet society's needs and to achieve their common goals.

Back 1

The Organic Analogy
Functionalist see society as being like a biological organism( such as the human body)
* The body is made up of different parts (cell, organs etc..) that function together to meet its needs and maintain it.
* Society is a system made up of different but interdependent parts or sub-systems---> such as institutions like the education system, the economy, religion, the state etc.
* The function of any part is a contribution it makes to maintain the social system as a whole.

Front 2

The Function of the Family
For Functionalists:-
*the family plays a vital role in maintain the social system as a whole, as well as meeting the needs of the sub-systems such as the economy
*Functionalists take a positive view on the family- seeing it as performing beneficial functions both for wider society and for all its individual members.
*HOWEVER, they disagree to some extent what these functions are:
EVALUATION
FUNCTIONALISTS ASSUME THE FAMILY IS HARMONIOUS AND IGNORE CONFLICT AND EXPLOITATION, e.g.- child abuse and the oppression of women.

Back 2

Murdock: Four functions of the family
G.P Murdock (1949) argues that the family performs four essential functions for society and for it members:
~ Stable satisfaction of the sex drive with the same marital partner. This prevents the social disruption that would be caused by sexual 'free-for-all'.
~Reproduction of the next generation, without which society would cease to exist
~Socialisation of the young into society's norms and values enables new members to integrate into society.
~Satisfaction of members' economic needs- providing food and shelter. In pre-industrial societies, the family is a unit of production (working together), BUT in modern societies it has become a unit of consumption only.
*Practicality and universality:- by performing these functions, the nuclear family helps to maintain social stability.
*For Murdock, the 'sheer practicality' of the nuclear family as a way of meeting these needs explains why it is universal- found in all human societies.

Front 3

EVALUATION:-
FUNCTIONALISTS IGNORE FAMILY DIVERSITY AND ASSUME THAT THE NUCLEAR FAMILY IS THE UNIVERSAL NORM.

Parsons' 'functional fit' theory
Parsons (1955) argue that the kinds and range of functions that the family performs depend on the type of society in which it is found. This also determines what kind of structure the family will have. Parsons identifies two types of families:-
~The three generational extended family, found in pre-industrial society.
~ the two generational nuclear family, found in modern industrial society.
* The Extended Family was multi-functional- it was a unit both of production and of consumption, e.g. all members worked and land together, and it often performed welfare , military, religious or functions.
*The Nuclear Family fits the two key needs of modern industrial society:
~Geographical Mobility industries constantly spring up and decline in different places- it is easier for the compact two generational nuclear family to move to the jobs

Back 3

~Social Mobility because status in industrial society is achieved not ascribed, adult sons can now achieve a higher status than their fathers. Breaking away to set up their own nuclear family unit removes the status conflict that would result if they stayed.

Two Irreducible Functions- The nuclear family is now left with two 'irreducible' or essential functions:
~primary socialisation of the young, equipping
the next generation with basic skills and society's values.
~stabilisation of adult personalities, enabling adults to relax and release tensions so that they can return to the workplace and perform their roles efficiently.