Functionalist theories of the family
- Created by: Lilly
- Created on: 10-01-13 12:26
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- Functionalist theories of the family
- Key thinkers:
- Talcott Parsons 1959, believes the family has 2 'baisc and irreducible functions'
- 1) Primary socialisation- the family was the only instituion in which primary socialisation can take place so that children would internalze he norms and values of their society
- 2) Stabilization of adult personalities (warm bath theory)
- Gerorge Murdock 1949, believed that the nuclear family was a universal institution vital to the well being of societies
- 3) Educational function- provides stable enviroment in which children can be socialzed into the culture of their society
- 2) Reproductive- ensures survival of society
- 4) Economic function
- 1) Sexual function- prevents disruption to society by limiting sexuality to on relationship
- Talcott Parsons 1959, believes the family has 2 'baisc and irreducible functions'
- Criticism of the view
- Families and society benefit from men being main breadwinners and women being main carers
- Feminists view this as patriarchal and sexist
- Dominant family type has shifted from extended to nuclear
- Ignores evidence of non-dominance of extended family in the pre-industrial era, and decline of nuclear family and incresing family diversity
- Family unit benefits all members
- Feminists argue men benefit more than women
- Nuclear family best adopted to modern society- mobile
- Postmodernists argue there are visibaible alternatives- single hoseholds, cohabitation
- Family is functional for all family members
- Ignores the 'dark side'- domestic violcence, sexual abuse
- family has unique functional role
- C: some socities don't have traditional families
- Families and society benefit from men being main breadwinners and women being main carers
- Perspective
- Assume that institutions help run society smoothly, like a well-oiled machine
- Look at the positives of the family
- Every institution in society performs one or more importnat functions or jobs
- They believes society interrelates as a whole
- Key thinkers:
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