Topic 1b

Parsons argued the family has changed in structure over time. He argues in a pre-industrialised society, an extended family system made it easier to carry out the wide range of functions required since a larger pool of kin was avaliable. E.g. grandparents took care of small children, children cared for elederly or sick members. This functioned well in pre-industrialised world as the family was the core form of support for individuals.
Parsons argues that as societies moved from pre-industrialised to industrial societies, this extended system was no longer needed and it may be a positive disadvantage. Parsons suggests this was because:
1.) workforce in industrial societies needs to be geographically mobile. extended families cannot easily move from from place to place in the search for jobs and may be too tied down by obligations and dependence on kin to move, this isn't functional for the family or the society.
2.) in a society increasingly based on achieved status there may be conflict between generations in an extended family.
Parsons argued there was a change in structure from extended families to the isolated nuclear family which is now the typical family structure in…

Get Revising