functionalism family

• Functionalism


  A sociological consensus theory that places importance on our shared norms and values upon which society functions
• Functionalist theorists


  • See each institution of society as performing a certain role that helps to keep society harmonious and in solidarity
  • Out of all institutions, the family is of particular importance to functionalists as it is within that unit that children experience primary socialisation
• If the family performs basic functions for its members, including meeting their emotional needs, then it is stable and can therefore contribute to an efficient and functioning society
• Durkheim


  A well-known functionalist who stated that the family is a key institution responsible for several important functions for the well-being of society
• All institutions need to be harmonious and stable for society to be the same
• Nuclear family


  • A universal family structure because it performed four major, crucial functions for wider society: educational, economic, reproductive, and sexual
• Educational functions of the family

  The nuclear family is a key institution through which children experience primary socialisation. Children are introduced to basic social values, beliefs, and practices and taught to differentiate between 'right' and 'wrong'
• Economic functions of the family


  Families which follow the traditional nuclear structure meet the material needs of their members by providing food, shelter, and basic necessities
• Reproductive functions of the family

  Nuclear families enable procreation and the continuation of future generations, as they are comprised of married heterosexual couples who have children
• Sexual functions of the family

  The nuclear family maintains the stability of the adults' sexual relationships, as monogamy prevents 'sexual jealousy' and adultery
• Parsons' functional fit theory


  Family structures change along with society and each type of family is created to 'fit' society at the time. The functions performed by the family do not stay the same but change over time as society progresses
• In pre-industrial society, extended families were common because they performed various functions e.g. providing more labour for work, caring for sick family members, and educating and taking care of children
• In industrial society, the nuclear family structure is a better 'fit' as it helps to perform different functions in a complex new world
• The state took over some functions such as healthcare and education, which decreased the need for an extended family
• Industrialisation required geographical mobility as the economy continued to grow and change, and an extended family was difficult to move around
• Nuclear families allowed for specialised roles. In Industrial society, a division of labour developed between men and women to ensure all needs and functions were met
• Primary socialisation


  The first point of our exposure to social norms and values, where children are taught which behaviours are acceptable and which aren't
• Nuclear family


  A traditional family unit consisting of two parents with one or more children. The conventional idea of a nuclear family consists of a monogamous, heterosexual couple
• Parsons' Warm Bath theory


  When a man comes home from a busy day of work, his family provides him with stress relief and relaxation; just as a warm bath would. This ensures the emotional needs of the breadwinner are met
• Criticisms of the functionalist perspective on the family

  • Focuses too much on the positive aspects, ignoring conflicts between different groups in society
  • Reproduction is seen as a key function, but Marxists view it as the reproduction of the next generation of workers who will be exploited
  • Family socialises children into accepting capitalist ideology as dominant
  • The traditional allocation of gender roles is patriarchal and creates unequal power dynamics at the expense of women
  • Women do not have a say in familial decisions due to gender roles
  • Divorce is stigmatised because couples are encouraged to stay together no matter what
• Murdock's and Parsons' statements about society and family structures are inaccurate, as research has found that the most common type of family in pre-industrial communities was the nuclear family, not the extended family
• In industrial times, nuclear families would move in with their extended families to save costs and strengthen social ties. Extended families provided support that was not yet given by the state
• Functionalism


  Social consensus theory, places importance on shared norms and values, sees each institution as performing a certain role that helps to keep society stable and harmonious
• Family


  • Particularly important institution as it is where children experience primary socialisation
  • Meets the emotional needs of its members, it is then stable and can contribute to a functioning efficient society
• Durkheim stated the family is an institution responsible for several important functions for the well-being of society
• Functionalists


  Believe all institutions need to be harmonious and stable for society to be the same
• Functionalists compare society


  To the body, all have to work together to function
• Ethnologist George Murdoch


  • Studied over 200 societies and found the nuclear family was a universal family structure because it performed 4 major functions for society
• Functions of the nuclear family


  • Educational - where children experience primary socialisation, introduced to basic social values, beliefs and practices, difference between right and wrong
  • Economic - meet the material needs of members, providing food, shelter, and basic necessities
  • Reproductive - enables procreation and the continuation of future generations
  • Sexual - maintains the stability of the adults' sexual relationships, as monogamy prevents sexual jealousy and adultery
• Talcott Parsons


  • Built on Murdock's work, stressed the importance of the nuclear family
  • Believed family structures change along with society, the functions performed by the family change over time as society changes
• In pre-industrial times


  Extended families were common as they provided various functions e.g. more labour for work, caring for sick family members, educating, raising care of children
• In industrial society


  The nuclear family is better 'fit', performs different functions
• Transition from extended to nuclear family


  State took over many functions e.g. healthcare, education - no need for extended, extended families difficult to move around, nuclear family is an independent unit, allowed for specialized roles-division of labour, Male-instrumental, female-expressive
• Primary socialisation


  • Children taught which behaviours are acceptable and which are not, e.g. punished for lying because lying is wrong, helps child to understand norms and values = harmonious society
• Conventional nuclear family


  Monogamous heterosexual couple with children (2 or more)
• Functionalists claim


  • The conventional nuclear family structure performs positive functions both on an individual level (for family members) and for wider society
• Parsons' second function of nuclear family


  • To stabilize adult personalities, prevents dysfunction and instability in adults' lives because it provides key emotional support for each other, especially during stressful times, prevents adultery
• Parsons' 'warm bath theory'

  Man comes home from hard day at work, family provides relaxation - just as a warm bath would ensure the emotional needs of the breadwinner are met
• Historians/anthropologists found Murdoch/Parsons' claims inaccurate
• Peter Laslett (1972) found the most common family type in pre-industrial communities was the nuclear family, not the extended family