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Families and Households

In: Social Issues

Submitted By naheela30
Words 547
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Functionalist Sociologists believe that the family benefits society and the individual within it. They believe that society is based on value consensus and shared norms and values. Functionalists also see the family and other social institutions as working together like the organs of a body.
However, other sociologists disagree. Feminists see the family as oppressive to women rather than being beneficial for all.
Functionalist Murdock agreed that the nuclear family was so important that it occurred everywhere in all societies. He believed it was a universal institution. However, today there are many different types of families like single parent families and homosexual families which do not fit in with
Murdock.
Murdock also believed that the family performed 4 functions. These were socialisation, economic, reproductive and sexual. For instance, he believed that the family was where sex should take place. This would limit tension caused by jealousy and anger if people slept with many partners.
Thus conflict is avoided and harmony is created. In many ways the family in pre-industrial societies was like a Swiss army knife – it was multifunctional.
However Parsons disagrees with Murdock and argues that after industrialisation the family has lost functions. It now only provides socialisation of children and the stabilisation of adult personalities.
These functions are very important to help society to continue. Other institutions have taken over the roles which used to be performed by the family. The NHS now provides sick care. This means that the family has fewer functions and the smaller nuclear family is more able to move - geographically and socially. The small nuclear family benefits the economy. Marxists would agree that the nuclear family benefits the economy but would criticise the view that it is beneficial to the family members. The family

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