Functionalism and the Family

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THE FAMILY AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE DEFINING THE FAMILY George Peter Murdock (1949) - “The family is a social group characterised by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults.” Studied 250 societies and claimed his definition of the family was present in all of them, he saw it as a universal institution. Definition only includes members of the nuclear family. The family is not present in all societies: The Nayar – In southern India wives do not live with the man they married (tali husband) but have several visiting husbands (sandbanham husband). Each man could have more than one wife. Matrifocal families – In the Caribbean, parts of central America and the USA many households do not contain an adult male. Gonzalez (1970) found they are well adapted to living in poverty and the mothers have a lot of support from female relatives. Gay and lesbian families do not conform to this definition and civil partnerships were legalised in 2005 suggesting they are “socially approved.” Ideology and the Family New Right thinkers support narrow definitions of the family. Increasing family diversity suggests that the nuclear family is no longer the norm. FUNCTIONALIST THEORIES ON THE FAMILY The Functionalist Perspective Society is a interrelated whole; every institution performs important functions. Family helps society run smoothly. George Peter Murdock (1949) Murdock identified four functions of the family: Sexual function - Family limits sexuality to monogamous relationships, preventing conflict that might arise from sexual desire. Reproductive function – Family ensures the next generation of society. Economic
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