Flashcards on Theories of the Family (4.3)

What do functionalist sociologists believe society is based on?

What analogy do functionalists use when describing society?

How do functionalist sociologists describe the family?

George Peter Murdock argues that the family performs four essential functions to meet the needs of its members and of wider society. What are they?

Murdock accepts that other institutions could perform the four essential functions. However, what does he say about the nuclear family with regards to performing these essential functions?

Why do other sociologists criticise Murdock?

What do marxist and feminist sociologists think of Murdock's view?

According to Talcott Parsons, the functions that the family performs will depend on what?

In addition, Parsons states that the functions that the family has to perform will affect its structure. What are the two family structures he identifies?

Parsons argue that the particular structure and functions of a given type of family will do what?

According to Parsons, there are two basic types of society. What are they?

In Parsons' view, when Britain began to industrialise, the extended family began to give way to the nuclear family. Why was this?

Parsons argues that modern industrial society has two essential needs. What are they?

What is meant by a 'geographically mobile workforce', and how is the nuclear family better suited to this?

What is meant by a 'socially mobile workforce', and how is the nuclear family better suited to this?

The nuclear family therefore encourages both social and geographical mobility. What is the result?

According to Parsons, when society industrialised, the family not only changed its structure. What else happened?

According to Parsons, as a result of this loss of functions, the modern nuclear family now has just two essential or 'irreducible' functions. What are they?

While functionalists see society as based on a value consensus, marxists see capitalist society as based on an unequal conflict between which two classes?

Marxists see all of society's institutions as helping to do what?

Marxists have identified several functions that they see the family as fulfilling for capitalism. What are they?

Karl Marx referred to the earliest, classless society as what? How did this society function?

In primitive communism, there was no family as such. Instead, there were no restrictions on sexual relationships. How did Friedrich Engels describe this?

As the forces of production developed, society's wealth began to increase. Along with this came the development of private property and distinctly separate classes. This change eventually brought about what sort of family?

In Engels' view, monogamy became essential for what reason?

According to Engels, the rise of the monogamous nuclear family represented what, and why?

Marxists argue that women will only achieve liberation from patriarchal control when they do what?

Marxists argue that the family today also performs key ideological functions for capitalism. Which sociologist gave an example of an ideological function performed by the family?

Capitalism exploits the labour of workers, making a profit by selling the products of their labour for more than it pays them to produce the products. How does the family play a major role in generating profits for capitalists?

Marxists tend to assume that the nuclear family is dominant in capitalist society. What does this ignore?

What do feminists accuse marxists of?

What do the functionalists criticise marxists for?

Like marxists, feminists also take a critical view of the family. What do they accuse it of?

What are the four types of feminism?

What are liberal feminists concerned with?

They argue that women's oppression is being gradually overcome through changing people's attitudes and through changes in law. Give an Act that examples this:

Liberal feminists believe we are moving towards greater equality, but argue that full equality will depend on what?

Why do other feminists criticise liberal feminists?

What do marxist feminists argue is the main cause of women's oppression?

Give some examples of the ways in which women's oppression benefits capitalism:

Marxist feminists see the oppression of women in the family as linked to the exploitation of the working class. Therefore, what do they argue must occur in order for women to be freed?

What do radical feminists argue?

What do radical feminists believe needs to happen to the family and wider society?

What do radical feminists see as the only way to achieve the abolition of the family and patriarchal society?

What is meant by political lesbianism?

What doe Germaine Greer argue in favour of?

What does liberal feminist Jenny Somerville criticise radical feminists for?

What do difference feminists argue?

What has difference feminism been criticised of?

The personal life perspective argues that functionalists, marxists and feminists all suffer from two weaknesses. What are they?

Personal life thinkers argue that to understand families, we must start from where?

As well as taking a 'bottom up' approach to relationships, the personal life perspective also takes a wider view on relationships. What is meant by this?

There are many types of relationships that individuals see as significant and which give them a sense of identity and belonging. Give examples:

A significant strength of the personal life perspective is that it recognises that relatedness isn't always a good thing. Give an example of the negative aspects of relatedness:

What can the personal life perspective be accused of?