Murdock's functions of the family

Murdock's functions of the family

1. Sexual

   • Approved by wider society.
   • Ignores asexuals and those with religious beliefs against sexual relationships.

2. Heterosexual

   • Must contain one adult male and one adult female.
   • Preferably married.
   • Ignores or disregards other family types such as gay or lesbian and lone-parent.

3. Work together and pool resources

   • Share domestic tasks.
   • Share income.
   • Valid in marriages, but not in parent-child families.

4. Reproduce

   • Ignores gay relationships, infertile men or women and those who don't want children.
   • They have at least one child.
     • Can be biological or adopted.

5. Live together

   • They share the same household.
   • Assumes anyone you don't live with isn't family.