The Family

AS Level Sociology - The Family

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  • Created by: Lorna
  • Created on: 24-02-10 11:18

What is the family?

“The family are a close group of people, usually related not always. Who support each other and at some point in their lives tend to live in the same household.”

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Parsons

We internalize norms & values of society, the family moulds their childrens personalities to fit in with the needs of society. = PRIMARY SOCILISATION.

Adults need releif from the stress of daily life, which they get from being able to indulge in childish behaviour when playing with their children, this is called the "Warm Bath Theory".

Parsons was a functionalist.

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Other functions of the family.

Social Control - The family defines what is socially acceptable behaviour.

Economic Functions - The family provides children with economic support and provides the economy with workers and are a central unit of economic comsumption.

Marriage is also important, as it replaces members of society who have died.

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Cristisims of Functionalists.

Functionalist’s theories tend to focus on the positive functions of the family and give little consideration to its disadvantages.

Many functionalists, particularly Parsons, do not consider the diversity of family types.

Functionalists assume that the family is of equal benefit to everyone.

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Marrige and Divorce

There is a decline in first marriages

There has been an increase in remarriages

The average age at which people get married is increasing.

There has been an increase in divorce rates

Since 1971 the divorces have more than doubled

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