main reasons and views

• reasons for decline in fertility


  1 changing position of women 2)rise of individualism 3)decline in stigma 4)medical advancements 5)child centredness/economic reasons
• reasons for decline in marriage 


  1)change in law 2) changing poistion of women 3) decline of stigma and secularisation 4) rise of individualism and confluent love
• reasons for increased life expectancy

  1)medical advancements 2)changing lifestyles 3)improved living conditions and welfare 4)decline of traditional occupations
• reeasons for rise in cohabition

  1)changing position of women

  2)changing values and attitudes

  3)advancements in medical

  4)same sex realtionships

  5)rise of individualism

  6)economic

  7)divorce
• reasons why less people are getting married

  1)changing position of women

  2)changing values and attitudes

  3)economic

  4) individualism and rising expectations

  5)alternative llifestyles - cohabition
• reasons for increase in one person households

  1)increased life expectancy

  2)changing position of women

  3)changing norms and values

  4)individualism and expectations of marriage

  5) rise in divorce
• reasons for rise in single parent families 


  1) divorce or relationship breakdown

  2)changes in norms and values

  3)secularisation

  4)welfare and state benefits
• reasons for rise in same sex families


  1)changes in legislation 2)changing norms and attitudes
• reasons for rise in reconsituated families 


  1) divorce

  2)changing norms and values

  3)indiviualism and confluent love
• reasons for rise in beanpole families 


  1)increase life expectaancy 2)decline in fertility 3)divorce
• Reasons for living apart together couples


  • Changing position of women - better career opportunities, financial and social independence - may choose to keep their own households separate from their partners
  • Feminists - having independent households eliminates conflict over unequal division of household labour
  • Change in social attitudes - nuclear family no longer only acceptable family form, diverse forms been de-stigmatised and legitimised as intimate partnerships
  • Individualisation - postmodern times, rise in individualism, no longer feel need to conform to norms, happily enter relationship arrangements more suitable for them, even if it is not a 'traditional marriage'
  • Might also choose to have an individualised space, and to spend their spare time in a more personal manner
• reasons for rise in sndwhich generation

  1. Increased Life Expectancy-living longer, and families become responsible for providing care elderly-may be because of economic pressures- parents and their adult children may not have economic resources to pay for expensive private residential nursing homes -charity Age UK found costs around £600 a week for a care home place.

  2 Changes in Fertility-many women delaying having kids , age of average mother been increasing since 1970's and reached a record high of 30.7 years in 2019 and 2020. - due to carrers etc
• reasons for rise in boomerang families

  1)Economic- tuition fees, job market , low wages, and rising house prices The Guardian-growing cost of housing has fuelled boomerang trend. More than 1mill under-25s now unemployed, and with higher tuition fees, future students should expect to finish degree with debts approaching £60,000, according to a survey published by the independent student guide Push

  2)Divorce & Relationship Breakdown- changes in legislation , rise in individualism etc - 'cult of the individual'- people no longer stay in unhappy marriages compared to previous years etc.
• has been an increase in the number of bean pole families. Explain two sociological reasons for this. [1 


  • Brannen-beanpole families- 2 or more gens live in household , close

  1 )Divorce / relationship breakdown - easier due to legislation , decline in stigma towards divorce and lone parent families. Rising divorce rates add to increase as kids part of more than 1 family and parents may have to move back in with parents due to economic reasons. lone parents may require grandparent support with childcare. - high cost of housing ,research shows average cost of a child until 21 - £227,000
• been an increase in the number of bean pole families. Explain two sociological reasons for this. [2

  Declining fertility rates - average age of mum increase 70's -30.7 years in 2019 ONS-TFR in 2021 - 1.61 kid per woman. why - growth of feminism and progression of rights , opportunities, gone through feminisation.- result attitudes of women changed.-'genderquake' - lead to women relying on parents for child care if both working. - cost of a child until 21 £227,000 - contraception- control fertility and delay having family- decline of fertility rate , emergence of bean pole family .
• functionalism views on family 1


  • Society- like body
  • M 250 cultures- universal institution, 
  •  M -social group with common residence. Inc adults of both sexes, w with a socially approved sexual relationship, and one or more kid
  •   M- four functions- sex reproduction , economic , education 
  •  Parsons -- stabiliazation of parents and primary socialisation of kids. 
  •  Parsons- 'instrumental  and'expressive -is 'natural' - based on biological differences.
  • Husband needs a 'warm bath' to sink into as family eases and soothes stresses such as his experiences at work. 
• functionalist 2 


  • P - has developed suit needs of industrial society-fit thesis.- nf suitable for modern society ,people no longer relying on wider family networks for survival and geographically mobile. can move where work is. 
  • main strength-recognises importance of family to people and organising society. sees family is central to social structure and how controls our behaviour. 
  • Chester- families have changed since time Parsons wrote but only a surface change. family- a dual-earning family in which both partners work. claimed extent of family change exaggerated. 
• functionalism critiques 1 


  -Marx -family developed to benefit ruling class rather than family or society.

  -Feminists - ignores patriarchal control of family- has evolved to suit needs of men. Women are source of unpaid labour supporting capitalism and male needs.

  -Feminists - is out of date, as describe situation mightve been true of later 20th century but does not take account of modern social relationships.

  • seen by most as deterministic - people do things as society forces them not because choose to Hakim -many women actively choose domestic roles as it suits their lifestyle choices.
• functionalism critiques 2 


  -overlook negatives as dont take account of dark side

  -Postmodernists - do not explain social change and social diversity adequately.

  -Muniversal function of sex -outdated- all types sex norm now . Rape and prostitution always problem -if performing function adequately wouldn't exist.

  -Murdock's definition ethnocentric and very dated, fails take account number of -Changes in birth and fertility rates etc , reform of laws - have made cohabitation, divorce, abortion and gay rights acceptable..- other family forms can adequately perform functions
• functionalism critiques 3


  -Marx and Fem reject m'rose tinted' view of family- ignores dysfunctions and negative sides and other institutions could do these functions.

  - neglects conflict and exploitation- feminists -family serves needs of men and oppressing women

  -Marx -family meets needs of capitalism, not family members -engles ,- function regulate sexual behaviour of women ensure wealth is passed down to the rightful heir.
• functionalism critiques 4 


  -P view of socialisation process -too deterministic,- could be a 2way process

  -Marx -purpose of socialisation is socialise young into capitalist values

  -Zaretsky -fam only provides emotional support to encourage members to work another day -servant of capitalist state

  . -Feminist -p view women as naturally better suited to 'expressive role' and role in 'warm bath' analogy- is an idealistic picture of family life.- ignores 'dark side of family life' Feminists - root of problem with family is patriarchy
• Marxism views 1 


  -Marxism and functionalism similar- both recognise family passes ideas and values and are part of an economic unit.

  -functionalists - good for society, Marxists- bad for people and society.

  -both functionalists, Marxists find out function of family for society., but reject functionalist view society is based on value consensus Instead based on capitalist society.
• marxism 2 


  -women controlled- unpaid work , support workers - benefits capitalism, wc men can relieve frustrations in family. -Socialise kids norms of capitalist society- acceptance father is dominant - learn diff people have power. Althusser,- teach kids accept inequality.
• marixsm views 3 


  - have family -less likely challenge or take risks - for benefit of men- patriarchal.

  -Zaretsky- supports capitalism - place wc men feel have power - unit of consumption;
• marxism views 4 


  - explain ideological role of families in society and suggest reasons people feel strongly about family structure and organisation.

  -offers explanation of why families first developed in society.

  -points out unpleasant aspects of family life and inequalities of power within families.

  -Feminist -have based analysis on Marxist views of family.
• marxism 5 


  -society is made up of 2social classes: bourgeoisie and proletariat. Bourgeoisie -more powerful in society, power is economic- needs labour power of majority class, -relationship between capitalist class and working class is exploitation as wages of wc dont reflect true value of work do. difference between wage paid and true value of work done-surplus value
• marxism 6 


  . - bourgeoisie created 'superstructure' to legitimise class inequality. superstructure -made up of social institutions such as family, main function - convincing those at bottom tose at top deserve success and their own fault - maintains inequality between two social classes. - wc kept in state of false class consciousness; are discouraged from thinking about changes e.g. insisting a fairer distribution of society's wealth and resources.
• marxism 7


  -pessimistic about role of family- is used by capitalist class to ensure extreme inequalities in wealth and income are never challenged. - family functions to transmit ruling-class ideology.
• marxism 8


  -Engels divided history into 2main eras: (1). era of primitive communism - during early stages of human evolution was no private property and family today did not exist. Human lived in 'promiscuous hordes' or tribe-were very few rules limiting sexual relationships, e.g. marriage did not exist. Children brought up by whole tribe rather than parents. Gough supported ,, .(2). era of capitalism - nuclear family based on monogamy only developed with emergence of capitalism -led to accumulation of private property and wealth.
• Marxism 9 


  -Engels -monogamous nuclear family used by capitalists as efficient way of ensuring wealth and private property inherited by direct descendants. only one of each sex in a family- no questions about paternity

  -Engels -women seen as private property of men,were turned into 'a instrument for production of children'.
• marxism 10


  -Only with over-throw of capitalism will women achieve liberation from patriarchal control. A classless society established where production owned collectively not privately. be no need for patriarchal family, since will be no need to transmit private property down generations. -Althusser -for capitalism to survive wc must submit to ruling class ideas and not threaten position of power in society.
• marxism 11


  -althusser- family acts as an ideological state apparatus that operates as a form of social control to pass on ideology of ruling class., believe primary socialisation helps maintain false consciousness by winning hearts and minds of proletariat.

  -Poulantzas -family is used to create values like nuclear family being best form of family structure as supported by many governments and political parties.
• marxism 12 


  -Cooper -nf an ideological apparatus - promotes values and ways of thinking essential to reproduction and maintenance of capitalism, transmits them through process of socialisation . -Cooper-Teaches kids not to question authority through discipline(SANCTIONS)

  -Zaretsky- family is an ideological agent of the ruling-class. Eg i child learns obedience and respect for authority- can be exploited later in life by ruling class when grow up to be adults are more likely to view power and authority by capitalist class as 'natural' and be passive workers
• marxism 13 


  -Zaretsky -family acts as a 'safety valve-for exploited worker.problems -alienation , lack of control - all features being exploited by capitalist economy ,

  -Zaretsky- worker unlikely engage in behaviour threatens nf set-up. willing put up with exploitation as want ensure standard of living for families- less willing complain

  -Zaretsky -family acts as a unit of consumption, is main institution majority products are consumed,-essential to success and profitability of capitalist system. Zaretsky - family encouraged by ruling class ideologies to buy more,pester power
• marxism 14

  -Marcuse - wc families encouraged to buy 'false needs' in form of latest consumer goods and to judge themselves and others based on purchases .These consumer goods are noticed by others as are 'trendy' or high-status items-stimulates economy and boosts profits for ruling classes and also distracts workers from need to seek equality and justice.

  -Althusser -family acts as 'ideological state apparatus'- family supports state oppression of people eg parents insist be obeyed, kids learn not question authority. give pocket money in exchange for tasks, kids learn how economy works
• marxism 15


  - emergence of nuclear family linked to needs of capitalism.

  • control of women emerges from need for men to ensure offspring is actually theirs, to pass on wealth,

  -family is a unit of production. Women support men to work for low wages in factories. Families reproduce and train children to be future workers
• critiscims of marxism 1

  - only negative side of family life . ignoring positives. family seen in terms of economic relationship to society - simplistic, operates on assumption capitalism is a bad thing

  -Hakim- role of women dated- now have choices, but still choose family life, similar to functionalism as female perspective on family life. tends to be overlooked.
• marxism critiques 2

  - resaerch shows Engels' development of family is historically inaccurate, idea the nuclear family emerged as a response to private property is unlikely.

  • assume nf dominant in capitalist society. - outdated for several reasons

  -postmodernists -increasing family diversity makes hard to generalise about roles of families in societies. Many diverse forms of family life are now acceptable in society.
• marxism critiques 3


  -Functionalists reject view family socialises kids into capitalist ideology. Instead, family enables kids to become effective functioning adults. see socialisation as a one-way process , dont considers working-class parents and kids may resist

  -interpretivists -deterministic view of individuals ignore all members of society are free thinking individuals and can chose to ignore capitalist demands.

  • ignores positive function of family, assuming family life only serves the interest of capitalism and not individuals.
• marxism critiques 4


  -Zaretsky's theory is outdated, assumes worker is male and only one worker in family. also ignores other benefits all family members may get from family life: emotional support, comfort and generally the positive benefits.

  • interpretivists-families are free thinking individuals, don't always give in to the demands of consumerism. TV ads and pester power support idea that the family acts as a unit of consumption for capitalism. However, criticising consumer products consumption ignores that some products can help ease family life. E.g. washing machine, microwaves etc.