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Summary Families and households
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Aqa a level sociology families and households summary notes.
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FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDSSOCIOLOGY. FAMILIESTheAND
Families and sociology HOUSEHOLDS.
Functionalist perspective Benefits & Criticisms - the
Families and households differ in their The family meets the needs of society by Functionalist Perspective
structure and bonds and can be very diverse. socialising children into shared norms and
The Functionalist perspective holds the
Different sociological perspectives view the values, that is, a value consensus leading to
traditional nuclear family as the familial ideal.
family through different lenses, including their social harmony and stability. The family
However many have taken issue with this
purpose in society and their influence on the provides security for conception, birth and
perspective.
socialisation process. nurture of new members of society.
Benefits of the traditional nuclear family
Definitions The male role
Parsons argues that the two-generational nuclear
The difference between a family and a The family stabilises adult personalities and family ‘fits’ contemporary industrial societies better
household: helps to maintain a stable society through than extended families. Smaller families provide a
the sexual division of labour, with men more geographically mobile workforce who can
o Family refers to a group of people who are performing instrumental roles and women easily move around the country to areas where their
related by kinship ties, that is, relations of performing expressive roles. Instrumental skills are most needed.
blood, marriage, partnership or adoption. role refers to the role of the ‘breadwinner’
Social mobility
o A household refers either to a person living which can lead to stress and anxiety and can
alone or a group of people who live at the destabilise his personality. Higher rates of social mobility make it easier to
move up or down that social scale. Rising living
same address and share living arrangements. The female role standards and the welfare state taking over some
Examples functions previously performed by the family
The stress caused by the man’s instrumental
(structural differentiation) have reduced
Many families live in households but not all role can be countered by that of the woman
dependence on kin for support in times of distress.
households are families. Both families and and her expressive role, providing warmth,
households are diverse. For example: security and emotional support to the family. Meritocracy
The family is a supportive and general happy
o Families might include a lone parent, The growth in meritocracy (where success is
social institution.
extended family of nuclear family. possible through people’s own efforts and skill,
Loss of function rather than family connections) means that
o While a household might include these or extended kin have less to offer family
groups of friends with no familial ties living in Parsons argues that the family in
members, for example, job opportunities.
the same house or people living alone. contemporary society had lost many of its
functions through the process of structural Criticisms of the functionalist approach
The Functionalist Perspective differentiation. Structural differentiation
Functionalism assumes that the family is a
refers to the way functions are transferred to
Functionalists see the family as beneficial to happy and harmonious institution and ignores
other specialised institutions, such as the
society, contributing to social stability and the reality of family conflicts and domestic
welfare state and healthcare.
providing a source of practical and emotional abuse.
Parsons believes that the two main
support for individuals in a number of ways. functions of the family are the primary Out-dated
socialisation of children and the stabilisation
of human personalities. The notion of instrumental and expressive
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