Sociologists

• Murdock : 4 functions of the family (best performed by nuclear family) :

  1. stabilise the sex drive
  2. reproduction
  3. socialisation
  4. meet economic needs
• Parsons : 2 types of family structure :

  1. the nuclear family
  2. the extended family (3 gen living together)

  nuclear = industrial

  extended = pre industrial
• Parsons : the nuclear family is better for a modern industry as it has a geographically mobile workforce
• Wilson : the church belief that individuals should stay together is becoming irrelevant
• Chester : people now free co habit as a part of getting married
• Wilson : the change in social morality --> alternative lifestyles are becoming more welcomed e.g. homosexual marriages
• Mitchell & Goody : theres been a rapid decline in divorce stigma since the 1960's --> couples more likely to divorce
• Fletcher : high expectations people have about marriage --> when expectations are not reached = divorce
• Morgan : we cant generalise what divorce means to individuals
• Beck & Giddens : traditional norms (marriage/having 1 partner) have less influence over people in modern society
• Hochschild : home is unfavourable when compared to work. Women feel more valued at work but men refusal for housework = makes marriage unstable
• Bernard : divorce rate is higher as women are aware of patriarchal oppression in marriages & more confident in rejecting them
• Coast : 75% of cohabitors intend to marry
• Duncan & Phillips : 1/10 adults are living apart (not married or cohabiting)
• Weeks : increased social acceptance explains trends towards cohabiting same sex couples
• Ferri & Smith : stepfamilies are similar to first families, stepparent involvement in childcare is positive. However, stepfamily = higher risk of poverty
• Allan & Crow : stepfamilies can have problems of divided loyalties e.g. contact
• Ribbens McCarthy et al : theres diversity in stepfamilies, some have tension and some more family
• Murray : lone parent families have increased due to state being overgenerous with the welfare state --> creates perverse incentive (reward irresponsible behaviour e.g. having a child with no support) = creates a dependency culture