Essay
Evaluate the view that the nuclear family is functional for society and individuals [35 marks]
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A grade essay (29/35). Evaluates the view that the nuclear family is functional for society and individuals.
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Evaluate the view that the nuclear family is functional for society and individuals [35]The Nuclear Family is formed from two generations, all living in the same household. This
most commonly consists of a father, mother and children. There are many different views
within society on whether the nuclear family is functional for society and individuals.
Functionalists (including neo-functionalists) would believe that the nuclear family is functional
for both society as a whole and individuals, whereas a feminist may disagree. Each view is
based on not only what the nuclear family is believed to represent, but its role within a
modern society.
Functionalism is a consensus theory, meaning it is based on the idea that shared norms and
values allow a society to cooperate and therefore provide harmony. The functionalist view on
the nuclear family is that it plays a significant role in maintaining consensus within society, as
it socialises individuals into the same “ideal” norms and values. This therefore benefits and is
functional for society as a whole, as there is less conflict regarding norms and values.
Functionalists believe that the nuclear family is therefore universal. Functionalist Murdock
believed that the nuclear family is functional as it serves four main purposes: Reproduction,
economic requirements, education and sexual purposes. Firstly, the nuclear family allows for
natural reproduction, allowing the population of society to be maintained. Other methods of
reproduction that may need to be used in other forms of the family such as same-sex can be
expensive and unsuccessful. Secondly, the nuclear family provides basic economic
requirements such as food and shelter, allowing each individual to grow and become a part
of society later on in life. Furthermore, the nuclear family educates and socialises the next
generation into the deemed acceptable norms and values of culture within a society. This
again benefits both the individual and society as a whole. Finally, the nuclear family is
functional as it provides the stabilisation of sexuality; each individual will have one partner
with whom they have a sexual relationship. This may be seen as functional as it condemns
any relationships outside of the marriage that may be harmful to an individual. This therefore
is functional for society, as it avoids conflict and maintains consensus.
However, many disagree with Murdock’s view that the nuclear family is functional for
individuals and society. One reason for this is that many argue the functionalist beliefs ignore
conflict and abuse within the family itself. For example, domestic abuse is one of the most
common modern problems within society, with one in four women in England claiming to
have experienced this within their lifetime. Therefore it could be argued that the nuclear
family is not functional for individuals or society, as, in reality, it can create the conflict that
functionalists aim to avoid. Another way in which the functionalist view of society can be
criticised is regarding the education and socialisation of children. Functionalists such as
Parsons have stated that the man and woman in the nuclear family each play a main role;
instrumental and expressive. This means that the man or father of the family is responsible
for the physical needs such as working to earn money, and the woman or mother is
responsible for emotional needs such as loving and caring for the family. Therefore, during
primary socialisation in the nuclear family, the children are taught that these are the suitable
behaviours for their gender. Feminist Anne Oakley criticises this, describing it as “gender
manipulation”- the children in the nuclear family are pushed towards “normal” behaviours
through processes such as canalisation (giving children toys and activities aimed at their
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