Functionalist Views on Family
Sociology: AQA GCSE, topic 2.1.1
Functionalist Views on Family
Functionalists believe social institutions are necessary for a society to function properly. A common analogy is that society is the body and the social institutions (e.g. family) function like organs.
What are Murdock's ideas?
- According to the functionalist George Murdock, a family serves four functions:
- Sexual: sexual relations between spouses allows for a closer bond, leading to family and social stability.
- Economic: a family provides its members with all the necessities.
- Educational: a family helps to transmit the norms and values of society to their children (primary socialisation).
- Reproductive: a family ensures the reproduction of humans which allows for the continuation of society.
What are Parsons' ideas?
- According to the functionalist Talcott Parsons, a family serves two functions:
- Primary socialisation.
- The stabilisation of adult personalities (S.O.A.P).
Primary socialisation
- Parsons believed that the family is responsible for teaching the values and norms necessary for being part of society (primary socialisation).
- According to Parsons, parents play different roles:
- Mothers play the expressive role (being the caregivers).
- Fathers play the instrumental role (being the breadwinners).
S.O.A.P.
- Stabilisation of adult personality (S.O.A.P.) means that a family is always there to protect family members from dangers and stressors.
- The warm bath theory implies that a family is a safe haven where one can feel secure, which subsequently leads to a stable adult personality.
Criticism of Functionalist Family Views
There are several criticisms of the functionalist theory.
Ignoring inequalities
- Functionalists ignore inequalities that take place in the family (e.g. domestic violence, child abuse).
- Functionalists ignore inequalities that take place in society such as ethnic, gender, class, and age inequalities.
Outdated
- Murdock and Parsons’ research can be seen as outdated since people nowadays tend to have children outside of marriage.
- Furthermore, gender roles have become obsolete as in many cases, families are dual-earners and partners tend to have joint conjugal roles.
Test yourself on Functionalist Views on Family
What does Parsons' warm bath theory describe?
According to Murdock, what four functions does a family serve?
What is one of the main criticisms of functionalist theory on family?