“The family is beneficial for the individual and society.”
Explain and critically assess this view, illustrating your answers with reference to sociological theory, concepts and research.
The question asked requires an in-depth look at the research carried out by sociologists and how they see the family as being beneficial to individuals and society. Throughout history it has been portrayed that the normal structure of a family consists of two generations for example a heterosexual married couple and their children who live together in the same household, more commonly known as the ‘nuclear family’.
Since studies in 1945 the functionalist belief is that the nuclear family is essential for individuals and society because the four functions it provides are required to survive in contemporary society. According to George Peter Murdock (1949), the family structure serves four important functions which meet their needs economically, educating their family members to make them socially active, satisfaction of each adults sexual needs and so reproduction occurs …show more content…
The Functionalist and New Right point of view suggests the nuclear family is beneficial for individuals and society and that the family 's main function of raising and socializing children is of some benefit. Looking at the other side the Feminists and Marxists points of view states that the nuclear family is not important in contemporary Britain stressing that not everyone in society benefits from the family, especially females as they have a disadvantage behind males due to being oppressed in society and the only people who benefit from this structure are men. It would be valuable to look at the Post Modernism view on the family, as they are critical of all these previous theories and believe that they generalise about families experiences, whether they are beneficial or damaging making them out to be just ‘Big
Explain and critically assess this view, illustrating your answers with reference to sociological theory, concepts and research.
The question asked requires an in-depth look at the research carried out by sociologists and how they see the family as being beneficial to individuals and society. Throughout history it has been portrayed that the normal structure of a family consists of two generations for example a heterosexual married couple and their children who live together in the same household, more commonly known as the ‘nuclear family’.
Since studies in 1945 the functionalist belief is that the nuclear family is essential for individuals and society because the four functions it provides are required to survive in contemporary society. According to George Peter Murdock (1949), the family structure serves four important functions which meet their needs economically, educating their family members to make them socially active, satisfaction of each adults sexual needs and so reproduction occurs …show more content…
The Functionalist and New Right point of view suggests the nuclear family is beneficial for individuals and society and that the family 's main function of raising and socializing children is of some benefit. Looking at the other side the Feminists and Marxists points of view states that the nuclear family is not important in contemporary Britain stressing that not everyone in society benefits from the family, especially females as they have a disadvantage behind males due to being oppressed in society and the only people who benefit from this structure are men. It would be valuable to look at the Post Modernism view on the family, as they are critical of all these previous theories and believe that they generalise about families experiences, whether they are beneficial or damaging making them out to be just ‘Big