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Functionalists
- Functionalists see the
Family as a functional
prerequisite of society.
- Murdoch said the
family has 4 key
functions
- Sexual – expressing
sexuality in a way
which is socially
acceptable
- Reproduction –
needed to provide a
suitable way to raise
children
- Socialization - “primary
socialization” helps teach
children socially acceptable
behaviour and values of the
society (value consensus)
- Economic - provides
food and shelter for
family members
- Sexual – expressing
sexuality in a way
which is socially
acceptable
- Murdoch said the
family has 4 key
functions
- Parsons argues that
there are 2 main
functions of the family
- Primary socialization of
children and stabilization
of human personalities
- Primary socialization of children –
Parsons said society would not function if
the family did not socialize future
generation into the value consensus,
culture, language, history and morals of
today society.
- Stabilization of human personalities – The pressures of modern society can
“destabilize personalities”. Parsons said that through the “sexual division of labour”
the family can stabilize personalities. Whilst the male plays the instrumental role, the
women plays the expressive role, looking after the family and (importantly to this
stabilization) looking after the husband. This is the warm bath theory, the women
cares for the man, helps stabilize his personality and therefore he is a better worker.
- Primary socialization of
children and stabilization
of human personalities
- Criticisms
- Ignoring the “dark side of the family” - Functionalist fail to show
the conflict within a family that prevents it from fulfilling the
function Murdock and Parsons spoke about, for example child
abuse or violence against the mother
- Out of date – A very old-fashioned
view. Women nowadays are often
the main breadwinners or eat least
have paid jobs
- Ignoring the exploitation of women – Functionalist fail to take into account the
way the women feels about her expressive role. Many women don’t want to do
this, and when they do this job can cause a lot of boredom and stress
- Ignoring the harmful effects of the family – Leach said that
nuclear families have become so close-knit and isolated
from everything else that a lot of emotional stress is caused.
This is because family members expect too much from each
other
- Ignoring the “dark side of the family” - Functionalist fail to show
the conflict within a family that prevents it from fulfilling the
function Murdock and Parsons spoke about, for example child
abuse or violence against the mother
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