Sociology of Family Life

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Question 1 –Theories of Families * Functionalism Some sociologists see families as essential for survival because they serve as an individual’s primary source of emotional and practical training in society. Structural functionalism emphasizes how a society is structured to maintain its stability, order and cohesion. It portrays society as a massive organism with various social institutions working together to keep it alive, maintain order and allow individuals to live together relatively harmoniously. Under this theory, family becomes not simply a place in which people live out their intimate lives but an important institution for the very survival of the larger society according to Parsons. There are three starting points of functionalism: 1. Family is functional to society. Without families, society will collapse. 2. Family is related to other social structures. Example: when they work, earn money and buy products, it becomes related to the economy. Also, related to religion and education. 3. Within the family, the individual members have their own functions. Example: the role of the mother is that of nurturing, caring for her children. The father’s role is instrumental. He is the bread winner. There are some functions which are carried out properly only by a family: 1. Primary Socialization – it is the process by which individuals learn the values, attitudes and behaviors appropriate for them in a given society. Families provide members with a sense of self identity, and beliefs and attitudes. Over the last century, families have surrendered much of the responsibility for socialization to educational institutions. 2. Regulation of Sexual Activity – functionalism believes that sexual activity is important to enlarge families. Nowadays, more children are being born outside marriages and this is strongly discouraged by functionalism.
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