Assess the functionalist view of the family Functionalism is when everything in society has a role to play in day-to-day life. A prime example of functionalism in society is the family. The family is seen as a social group characterized by common residence, economic co-operation and reproduction. It will involve at least two people who have a socially approved sexual relationship and one or more children (their own or adopted) of the sexually cohabiting adults. There are different views on the functionalism of the family and these views can change over time, between societies and between people in the same society.
Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the contribution of feminist sociologists to an understanding of family roles and relationships (24 marks) Feminists have helped change the tradition view of the family. There are two types of feminists; liberal and radical. As shown in the item they take a ‘critical view’ of the family arguing that it is patriarchal and focus on the ‘gender inequalities’ in housework and violence against women. They believe gender inequality is created by society and is not natural. Functionalist Murdock suggested as children we are socialised into societies shared norms and values and he believed that males provide the economic roles and females provided the expressive role.
The approach presents the family as a family isolated from wider kinships because of the mobility required by labour markets in industrial societies. The image that functionalists create of the family involves the support for the nuclear family from the wider welfare state. It also suggests that any childcare for the family would be provided by non-family agencies, for example; playgroups. The usefulness of this ‘privatised nuclear family’ is that it gives closure within the family, allowing stability and support. It’s beneficial as there are male and female role models available for the children, and it gives the parents more control of how their children are brought up.
Sabrina sharkey per.1 9/9/13 In the quote from ''The Clean Slate'' the author Allan Bloom talks about family. This quote may have many possible meanings but my overall thought of this was , to actually make yourself part of the family you must love and commit. You must do certain things but also be part of the family . There are many reasons that led me to believe this. One is the line, ''It's base is merely bodily reproduction, but its purpose is the formation of civilized human beings. ''
Functionalism vs. Marxism The Functionalist theory believes in a family that is perfect for the industrial society in which we live. The family type more often described by modern functionalists is that of a nuclear variety, idealised as white, middle class, male & female, having children and holding typical western values. Functionalists believe that the family has vital functions to carry out; one of the main functions is passing on of traditional values, another main function would be the socialisation of children and, carrying on, the stabilisation of the adult personality. The Functionalist theory relies heavily on the nuclear family, It is of common belief amongst functionalists that the nuclear family with two parents and dependent children living together in a home is a necessity for the industrial society to thrive. Murdock, a functionalist, states that the family has four functions: sexual, economic, reproductive and educational, He argued that the family needs these four factors and he argues that they are the family's purposes.
(2013) Feminism Feministic views of the family are split into 3 groups, similar to that of the key perspectives. Liberal feminists believe that both the male and the females have equal roles within the family when it comes to the household chores and childcare. Marxist feminists view the women as the producer of future workers and women’s oppression stems from capitalism and not the family. Radical feminist’s view of the family structure is one of patriarchal and that men are seen as the enemy. This type of family within society is also seen by feminists as the key institution in its contribution to maintaining social control.
One view of the family could be taken from Functionalism. Functionalists believe that the Nuclear family is the perfect family structure. They believe the family is similar to the human body - The Organic Analogy. This means the family works in harmony with all the other agents of socialisation just as the organs work together harmoniously within the human body body. If on organ ceases to function correctly the body would shut down, similarly if one agent of socialisation was to stop functioning society would break down in terms of socialisation.
Another sociologist, Michael Anderson found evidence that extended families developed more during industrialisation because while parents were away at work, grandparents or uncles and aunts were there to look after the children so in return the extended kin get looked after too. Peter Laslett, an English historian disagreed and found that after industrialisation, nuclear families was more dominated than the extended family and single parent families became popular
Examine the different functions performed by the family for individuals and for society. There are many functions performed by a family, however these have declined since industrialisation. In the essay I will be delving into different views of the family and what its role is in society. There are three main views on the family these are; Functionalist, Marxist and feminist, each has its own unique outlook on how a family should be run. The functionalist outlook is that there are shared norms which everyone in the society must follow to work together to achieve the society’s needs.
The Socialization of the Family Unit Jennifer Jenkins South University Online Introduction to Sociology SOC1001 SO3 The Socialization of the Family Unit A family is perhaps one of the most complex units found in any cultural society. “Most human actions are social, there is hardly a single behavior that is not influenced socially” including the members that form a family unit (Kendall, 2013, p. 94). These behaviors have a wide variety of impact on families and marriages through aspects such as; race, class, gender, and personal choice. This lead to a sociological revelation that “every human being is a product of biology, society, and personal experiences – that is, of heredity, and environment or, in even more basic terms, “nature” and “nurture” (Kendall, 2013, p. 94). Family a Socialization Agent Families are considered the most important aspect of a person’s socialization development.