Perspectives on the Family

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  • Perspectives On the Family
    • Functionalist
      • Murdock: Carried out reasurch in 250 countries, with empirical evidence and found that the family had 4 basic functions
        • Sexual- The family performs and satisfies the sex drive
          • Strengths- Hes has empirical evidence, reliable evidence that was supported by Parsons
          • Weakness- Based on a western perspective, research is outdated and he doesn't take in to account different family structures such as gay families
        • Education - the family teaches children norms and values, passing culture on (this is PRIMARY SOCIALIZATION)
        • Economic - The family provides Food and Shelter
        • Reproductive - the family reproduces the next generation
      • PARSONS: He researched white middle class American and found the nuclear family carried out two main functions
        • Primary Socialization- Parents teach there child NORMS AND VALUES
        • Stabilization of Adult Personalities- The ides that the family is a place where we can all act naturally
          • Primary Socialization- Parents teach there child NORMS AND VALUES
        • Strengths- He carries out his own research, validity he has tested the family, supports Murdoch's concept on Primary socialization
          • Weaknesses- Only carries it out on white middle class families, not all family's are safe havens for example Domestic Violence,, ideas are out dated because the Nuclear Family is in decline
    • Marxist
      • Engels: Men are the Breadwinners,and they oppress women. He believed that "Women are glorified prostitutes in the home". And that the family is a key tool to reproduce the next workforce and the family provides a place of retreat from the workforce
        • Strengths - Agrees with Parsons that the family provides a place of retreat from the workplcee
        • Weakness- He doesn't acknowledge how the family can bring people together
    • Feminist
      • Veronica Beechey- Believes that housewives carries 2 functions, one is to provide care for current and future workers and the other is a cheep army reserve for labor
        • Strengths - acknowledges that the family is patriarchal and that the female role is an expressive role
        • Weakness- doesn't look at modern day life where the women can be the breadwinner in the same house holds
      • Fran Ainsley -Believes that women are the expressive leaders, providing emotional support and the women are takers of ****" because they deal with their husbands anger and frustrations from work. She believes that women are oppressed
        • Strengths- women's role stereo-typically is seen in the home with the them having dual or triple burden
        • Weakness- Nowadays women are working as well as having children her research does not acknowledge this

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