Theories of the family

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What does Murdock (1949) believe the four functions of a family are?
Stable satisfaction of the sex drive, Reproduction of the next generation, Socialisation of the young, Meeting its members economic needs
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What do Feminists and Marxists criticise about Murdock's approach?
Feminists see the family as serving the needs of men and oppressing women, Marxists argue that it meets the needs of capitalism, not those of family members or society as a whole
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What are the 2 kinds of family structure Parsons (1955) think there are?
The nuclear family, The extended family
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In Parson's view, what are the 2 essential needs of an industrial society?
A geographically mobile workforce and a socially mobile workforce
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In Parson's view, what are the 2 functions of a nuclear family?
The primary socialisation of children, The stabilisation of adult personalities
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Which 2 social classes do Marxist sociologists see capitalist society based on?
The capitalist class, The working class
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What are the 3 functions that Marxists see the family as fulfilling for capitalism?
Inheritance of property, Ideological Functions, A unit of consumption
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3 things capitalist society urge families to do/have
Consume all the latest products, Children use 'pester power' to persuade parents to spend more, Children who lack the latest clothes or products are mocked by their peers
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What do Liberal feminists believe about families?
Women's oppression is gradually being overcome, We are moving towards greater equality, Main causes of gender inequality are ignorance and socialisation
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What do Marxist feminists believe about the family?
Women reproduce the labour force, Women absorb anger, Women are a reserve army of cheap labour
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What do Radical Feminists think about families?
Men are the enemy - men are the source of women's oppression, Men benefit from women's unpaid domestic labour, 'Political lesbianism' because they don't want to be 'sleeping with the enemy'
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What do Difference feminists believe about the family?
We cannot generalise about women's experiences. They argue that lesbian and heterosexual, white and black women, middle-class and working-class women have very different experiences from one another
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What is the personal life perspective influenced by?
Interactionist ideas
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What are the 2 weaknesses that the personal life perspective pick up on from the other theories?
They tend to assume that the traditional nuclear family is the dominant family type, They are all structural theories
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What are the 5 types of relationships the personal life perspective thinks there are?
Relationships with friends, Close friends who are treated as relatives, Gay and lesbian 'chosen families', Relationships with dead relatives, Relationships with pets
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What are the criticisms of the personal life perspective?
It can be accused of taking too broad a view - by including a wide range of personal relationships, we ignore what is special about blood or marriage relationships
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What do Feminists and Marxists criticise about Murdock's approach?

Back

Feminists see the family as serving the needs of men and oppressing women, Marxists argue that it meets the needs of capitalism, not those of family members or society as a whole

Card 3

Front

What are the 2 kinds of family structure Parsons (1955) think there are?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

In Parson's view, what are the 2 essential needs of an industrial society?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

In Parson's view, what are the 2 functions of a nuclear family?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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