Functionalism

• What do Functionalists think of the Nuclear Family

  Society works like a living organism with many ‘jobs’ to complete different functions e.g. the nuclear family being the ideal family form
• What does Murdock think of the Nuclear Family

  The nuclear family performs 4 functions 

  • Reproductive,  produce children for the survival of humankind 
  • Educational,  role of primary socialisation 
  • Economic,  family is a unit of production providing the necessities of life through the division of labour
  • Sexual,  remaining monogamous (no sex out of marriage)
• A03 of Murdock 


  • Marxists, Murdock over-emphasises the harmonious nature of the nuclear family & benefits capitalism rather than themselves (unit of consumption)
  • Marxists, the role of education is now performed by the state (influence of bourgeoisie ideology)
  • Feminists, doesn’t recognise same-sex families (no reproduction - childlessness, IVF, teen pregnancy)
• What does Parsons think of the Nuclear Family

  The nuclear family forms two main functions 

  • Primary socialisation,  formation of personalities from shared norms of society (‘personality factories’)
  • The stabilisation of adult personalities,  marriage kept each other emotionally & mentally balanced (warm bath theory - family provides comfort from frustrations of life)
• A03 of Parsons

  • Marxists,  Parsons overestimates the role of the family in socialisation of personalities 
  • Feminists,  Parson fails to recognise growth in female employment & dual family careers (role switch)
  • Marxist Feminist Ansley,  family is not a warm bath but a safety valve to keep capitalism going, male frustration is turned from capitalism & absorbed by the comforting wife
• What does Fletcher think of the Nuclear Family

  • Sees the nuclear family as a ‘warm bath’ to ‘soak away stress of the outside world’
  • Increase of divorce shows people’s high expectations of relationships whereas in the past many would tolerate empty shell marriages 
  • Functions of the family have become more detailed & important e.g. education has added to responsibility of parents to guide children through the educational process
• A03 of Fletcher

  • ‘close loving nuclear family’ is widely questioned
  • Leach,  linked nuclear family to an overloaded electrical circuit waiting to blow a fuse
  • Feminists,  nuclear family is a patriarchal institution to benefit men (Bernard, married women have an earlier mortality than men & unmarried women live longer)
  • Interactionalists,  fletcher sees socialisation as a ‘one way process’ & ignores interaction of child & parent (pester power of children)