sociology paper 1 families/inequalities

• George Murdock

  • researched 250 societies and found that the nuclear family was universal
• Household


  A group of people living under one roof who aren't typically related. e.g. University accommodations
• Nuclear family 


  two parental figures who are married with children living under one roof. seen to be the stereotypical family within society
• Extended families 


  groups of generations/ generational families living under one roof. e.g. within south Asian families
• lone parent families (beanpole families)

  children living and being taken care of by one parental figure
• reconstituted families 


  two adults from previous marriages marrying once again, bringing previous children from those marriages to the current one. e.g. step families
• Cohabitation 


  two adults who are in a relationship living under one roof without being married
• singlehood/ individualization


  people who choose to be by themselves and not within a committed relationship. (this can be seen in the uprising of woman who are choosing to be single focusing on their work and careers)
• symmetrical family 


  a family having equal responsibilities as one another (sharing domestic work and also both working outside of the family)
• chanages in social attitudes

  people within society are seeing divorce as a positive outcome.
• changes in social attitudes:

  religious values have become weak within society
• the role of women changing:

  divorce is now being initiated by women first.
• the role of women changing

  women are becoming more work orientated and driven impacting marriage rates as women are opting to work more rather than get married
• Trends within marriages:


  The number of marriages increased during the 1940s due to World War 2.
• Trends within marriages:


  Marriages have decreased within 2012 impacting divorce rates to also decrease due to the lack in marriage.
• Sexual function- Nuclear family provides an environment for sexually intimate relationships between partners
• Reproduction function - Nuclear family provides a stable environment for raising children
• Economic function - The nuclear family provides economic security through pooling resources
• Reproduction function - The nuclear family allows couples to reproduce and raise children together
• Educational function - Nuclear family is responsible for educating their children about social norms and values
• The functionalist view is supported by evidence from the British Social Attitudes Survey which found that 70% of people believe it is better for children if their parents are married
• The functionalist view is also supported by research conducted by Giddens who argues that the nuclear family is still important as it provides stability and continuity for children
• However, the functionalist view is criticised because it ignores the fact that not all marriages are happy or successful, leading to divorce and separation
• Marxists believe that the nuclear family serves the interests of the ruling class by providing cheap labour and ensuring obedience from future generations
• The extended family has been found to be more common among ethnic minorities, such as African Americans and Hispanics.
• Marxists disagree with Davis and Moore's idea of the nuclear family being functional, arguing instead that it serves the interests of the ruling class.
• Feminists argue that the nuclear family is patriarchal and oppressive towards women, limiting their opportunities and perpetuating gender roles.
• Marxists suggest that the nuclear family is a product of industrial society, where women were forced out of the home and into paid employment due to economic pressures.
• Extended families have been found to be less likely to experience poverty compared to nuclear families.