75612
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Mind Map by orlaghemmett, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by treisemcmahon
over 11 years ago
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Copied by orlaghemmett
over 11 years ago
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Functionalist Perspective of Family
- Functionalist believe that society is
based on a value consensus (a set
of shared norms and values into
which society socialises its
members).
- Functionalist see the family as a particularly important
sub-system - a basic building block of society.
- Murdock argues that the family performs four
essential functions:
- Stable Satisfaction of the Sex Drive
- Reproduction of the Next Generation
- Socialisation of the Young
- Meeting its Members' Economic Needs
- Stable Satisfaction of the Sex Drive
- Functionalist see the family as a particularly important
sub-system - a basic building block of society.
- Criticisms of Murdock
- Murdock accepts that other institutions could perform these functions.
He argues that the steer practicality of the nuclear family as a way of
meeting these four needs explains why it's universal.
- Sociologists have criticised Murdock's functionalist approach:
- Feminists see the family as serving the needs of men
and oppressing women
- Marxists argue that it meets the needs of capitalism not those of family
members or society as a whole
- Feminists see the family as serving the needs of men
and oppressing women
- Sociologists have criticised Murdock's functionalist approach:
- Murdock accepts that other institutions could perform these functions.
He argues that the steer practicality of the nuclear family as a way of
meeting these four needs explains why it's universal.
- Parsons' 'Functional fit' theory
- In the view of Parsons, the functions the family performs will depend on the
kind of society in which its found. Parsons distinguishes between two kinds of
family structure
- The nuclear family of just parents
and dependent children
- The extended family of three
generations living under one roof
- The nuclear family of just parents
and dependent children
- Parsons argues that the particular structure and functions of a
given type of family will 'fit' the needs of the society in which its
found.
- He argues that the nuclear family fits the needs of
industrial society and is the dominant family type in
that society, while the extended family fits the needs
of pre-industrial society - the family had to adapt to
these
- He argues that the nuclear family fits the needs of
industrial society and is the dominant family type in
that society, while the extended family fits the needs
of pre-industrial society - the family had to adapt to
these
- In the view of Parsons, the functions the family performs will depend on the
kind of society in which its found. Parsons distinguishes between two kinds of
family structure
- A Geographically Mobile Workforce
- Parsons argues that it's easier for the compact two generation nuclear family, with just
two dependent children, to move, than for the three generation extended family.
- The nuclear family is better fitted to the need that modern industry has for a
geographically mobile workforce.
- The nuclear family is better fitted to the need that modern industry has for a
geographically mobile workforce.
- Parsons argues that it's easier for the compact two generation nuclear family, with just
two dependent children, to move, than for the three generation extended family.
- Socially Mobile Workforce
- In modern society, an individual's status is achieved by their own
efforts and ability, not ascribed by their social and family
background, and this makes social mobility possible
- Parsons argues that the nuclear family is better
equipped than the extended family to meet the needs of
industrial society
- The nuclear family encourages social
mobility as well as geographically mobility
- The nuclear family encourages social
mobility as well as geographically mobility
- Parsons argues that the nuclear family is better
equipped than the extended family to meet the needs of
industrial society
- In modern society, an individual's status is achieved by their own
efforts and ability, not ascribed by their social and family
background, and this makes social mobility possible
- Loss of Functions
- According to Parsons, when society industrialises, the family not only changes its
structure from extended to nuclear, it also loses many of its function.
- In Parsons view, as a result of this loss of functions, the modern nuclear family comes to specialise in
performing just two essential or 'irreducible' functions:
- The Primary Socialisation of Children - to equip them with
basic skills and society's values
- The Stabilisation of Adult Personalities - the family is a place where
adults can relax and release tensions
- The Primary Socialisation of Children - to equip them with
basic skills and society's values
- In Parsons view, as a result of this loss of functions, the modern nuclear family comes to specialise in
performing just two essential or 'irreducible' functions:
- According to Parsons, when society industrialises, the family not only changes its
structure from extended to nuclear, it also loses many of its function.
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