Theories of the family

Functionalist perspective

The organic analogy- Functionalists see society as being like a biological organism

-The body is made up of different parts that function to meet its needs and maintain it.

- Society is made up of different but interdepedent parts or sub-systems, such as institutions: education, the economy, religion and the state.

- The function of any part is to maintain the social system as a whole.

Murdock- four functions of the family

Stable satisfaction and the sex drive- with the same marital partner because it prevents social disruption

Reproduction and the next generation-which without society would cease to exist

Socialisation of the young- norms and values enable new members to intergrate into society.

Satisfaction of members' economic needs- providing food and shelter in pre-industrail societies but in modern socieities it is a unit of consumption