functionalism

• organic analogy

  all institutions work together like a human body
• how do they view family?

  beneficial & necessary for smooth running society
• Murdock (1949) 


  -examined 250 societies (hunter gathers to industrial)

  -found families is universal

  -4 essential functions

  -argues only nuclear families carry out essential functions
• Murdock's 4 functions

  -stable satisfaction of sex drive

  -reproduction of next generation

  -socialisation of young

  -satisfaction of members' economic needs

  pen knife analogy
• critique of Murdock overall

  -reductionist > oversimplifies family

  -other institutions / family types can perform functions

  -doesn't account for family diversity

  -'rose-tinted' view, doesn't consider conflict
• pre-industrial family - Parsons 


  -extended family

  -unit of production

  -ascribed status (born into status)
• post-industrial family - Parsons


  -isolated nuclear family

  -unit of consumption

  -geographically & socially mobile (need to move around for work)
• two essential roles of family - Parsons


  -primary socialisation of young

  -stabilisation of adult personalities
• stabilisation of adult personalities

  -family a place to relax & release tension

  -sexual division creates stability

  -warm-bath theory
• Parsons - functional fit theory

  -evolution of nuclear family

  -type of family fits society's structure & functions it performs change as society changes
• how does Parsons see pre-industrial family

  -have more responsibility

  -multi-functional : self sufficient

  provided own education & healthcare
• Parsons strengths

  -more valid than Murdock > social context taken into account

  > moulded to timeframe
• Parsons criticisms

  -Feminist : 'families can relax' > patriarchal, women can't

  -Marxist : Parsons says family is institution that creates more

  consumption, tool of oppression

  Marxists say this is bad
• the new right

  -containing traditional values

  -conservative viewpoint on family

  -biologically based division of labour

  -families should be self reliant > not rely on state welfare