families and households

• Nuclear family


  a family consisting of a heterosexual couple with there dependent children.
• extended family


  when there are 3 or more generations living together in one household
• benefits of the family

  • the family benefit the individual and society
  • the nuclear family exists in all society because its biologically neutral
• George Murdock


  George Murdock is a functionalist who argued that the basic family unit across the world is the nuclear family (mum, dad and child)
• The 4 functions of a nuclear family

  • sexual
  • reproductive
  • education
  • economic
• sexual


  marriage provides a stable, socially acceptable space for adult members relationships
• reproductive


  the nuclear family allows for couples to reproduce the next generation of society in an acceptable way
• educational


  the nuclear family is the ideal place where children are taught the norms and values of society (primary socialization)
• economic

  the instrumental role of the father being the bread winner in the nuclear family and the mother being the homemaker
• The functionalist perspective

  • Functionalist see the family as beneficial to society and they contribute to social stability
  • the family provides security
  • the men provide the money
  • the mum provides emotional support and name to the family
• Talcott parsons


  argues that the family in (modern) society had lost many of it's functions and now beliefs there are mainly 2 functions
• parsons 2 main functions

  1. primary socialization
  2. stabilization of human personalities
• cons of Murdock and Parsons belief of functions of the family

  • outdated
  • women are more worthy then just being housewives
• Marxists perspective of the family

  • the functions of the family are performed for the benefit of the capitalism system not society
  • argue that the nuclear family obey to the ruling classes