AS SOCIOLOGY FAMILY

Functionalists believe in a consensus.They believe the traditional family structure is the nuclear family which consists of 2 married parents and 2 - 3 children.

DURKHEIM

ORGANIC ANALOGY - this is that society is like a body and if you take away one organ it would fail to function ie if you take away the institution of the family society would fail to function

MURDOCKS 4 UNIVERSAL FUNCTIONS AND CRITICISMS

ECONOMIC - A02 this can be fulfilled by the benefits system now

REPRODUCTIVE - A02 this can be fulfilled by IVF, surrogacy and adoption

SEXUAL - A02 this can be fulfilled by prostitutes and affairs

EDUCATIONAL - A02 this can be fulfilled by peers and school

PARSONS - two main theorys

Primary socialisation - the belief that the family moulds the child A02 ignores that the child can be moulded by peers, education and themselves

Stabalization of adult personalities. - the "warm bath theory" that the family soaks away all the stresses of every day life A02 - it ignores domestic violence

GENERAL CRITICISMS.

Functionalism ignores all negative aspects such as domestic violence

Functionalism is out of date as it was started many years ago

The marxists are based on conflict and the economy

KARL MARX - the family provides the next generation of workers. He says they make the child obidient for when they go out to work A02 functionalists say the family provides the next generation for society as a whole

THE RULING CLASS EXPLOITS WORKING BY LOW WAGES