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Sociology AQA
Families and Households
Functionalist veiw of the family
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Jack Dodd
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Cards (35)
What are the learning objectives regarding family theories?
Describe and
evaluate
family theories
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What are the main theories of the role of the family?
Functionalist
view
New Right view
Marxist
view
Feminist view
Personal life perspective view
Postmodern view
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What do Functionalists ask about the family?
They ask about the
functions
of the family
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How do Functionalists view the family?
As
extremely
functional and necessary
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Who proposed the four essential functions of the family?
George Murdock
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What are the four essential functions of the family according to Murdock?
Reproduction
Education
Economic
Sexual
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What is the reproductive function of the family?
It is the main unit for
reproducing
children
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Why are sexual rules important in society?
They help
stabilize
the social system
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What role does the family play in education?
It is responsible for
primary socialization
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How does the family contribute economically?
As a
unit of production and consumption
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What do Marxists and Feminists argue about Murdock's theory?
They argue he ignores
women's oppression
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What does Parsons suggest about family functions?
They depend on the kind of
society
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What are the two kinds of family structure according to Parsons?
Modern
industrial
and pre-industrial families
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How did industrialization affect family structure?
It replaced
extended families
with
nuclear families
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What are the two essential needs of industrial society according to Parsons?
Geographically mobile and socially
mobile workforce
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Why is a geographically mobile workforce important?
People need to move where
jobs
are
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What does socially mobile workforce mean?
Talented people can achieve
promotion
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How does Parsons describe the pre-industrial family?
As a
multi-functional
unit
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What roles do men and women have in the nuclear family according to Parsons?
Men
as
breadwinners
,
women
as
housewives
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What are the two roles defined by Parsons in the nuclear family?
Instrumental leader
and
expressive leader
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What does the term 'instrumental leader' refer to?
The person responsible for
economic
welfare
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What does the term 'expressive leader' refer to?
The person responsible for
socialization
and care
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What are the essential functions of the modern nuclear family according to Parsons?
Primary socialization
of children
Stabilization of
adult
personality
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What is primary socialization?
The first part of the
socialization process
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Why is internalization of norms and values important?
It creates
consensus
in society
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How do families stabilize adult personalities?
By providing
emotional support
and indulgence
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What does Parsons mean by the nuclear family being like a 'warm bath'?
It provides
emotional security
and comfort
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What criticisms exist regarding Parsons' view of the family?
It is debated whether the
extended family
was dominant
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What do Functionalists tend to ignore about family life?
The
'dark side'
of family life
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How is Parsons' view considered sexist?
It assigns
traditional
roles to men and women
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What does the term 'structurally isolated' refer to in Parsons' theory?
The
nuclear family
has lost many
functions
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What is evident about the privatised nuclear family?
It has emerged to meet
modern needs
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Who is the odd one out: Parsons, Weber, Murdock, Durkheim?
Weber
, as he focuses on
bureaucracy
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Who is the odd one out: Sexual, Economic, Instrumental, Reproduction?
Instrumental, as it refers to roles
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What is an example exam question related to family theories?
Write
an
introduction
for this essay
question
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