Sociology Todays Lesson To investigate the view functionalist

Sociology Today’s Lesson: To investigate the view functionalist sociologists take of the family and to evaluate this viewpoint. Starter… Mind map the functions you can identify which the family provides both to the individual and society.

Some functions of the family… Emotional Support Educational Economic Nurture Functions of the Family Guidance Security

Lesson Objectives • To gain an understanding of the functionalist viewpoint of the family. • To be able to use examples of functionalists to back up the views they hold of the family. • To be able to critically assess the functionalist viewpoint and its views of the family.

A Household or A Family? What is a household? A household is a group of people who live together, they may or may not be related through blood or marriage. What is a family? A family is a form of household where all the people who live together are related through either kinship ties or marriage.

Functionalism is a theory which views society as being a system of interconnected parts and they compare society to the human body. The Body – Society Body Parts – Institutions within society, the family being one of these!

Functionalism Functionalists see both humans and societies to have certain basic needs which must be met in order for society and humans to survive. Social institutions meet these basic needs and therefore for a social institution to be functional it needs to contribute to the survival of the whole society.

Think… What needs do individuals and societies have which the family as an institution could contribute to in order to help meet these needs?

Functionalism Family – Institution in Society For Functionalists the institutions in society are important as they help maintain social order and social cohesion.

Functionalism Murdock (1949) - Studied 250 societies of different cultures. (Good breadth of study!) - Murdock saw that in each of these societies the nuclear family existed. - Below are the four functions Murdock saw the family to provide. Sexual Stable sexual relationship for adults Reproductive Continuing to create society members In conclusions Murdock claimed the family is universal and Economic to provide each inevitable and. Pools that resources families exist in everyfor society. other Educational Teaches norms and values of society

Functionalism Parsons (1950’s) Parsons saw the family as being a - Compared to Murdock, Parsons onlythe next factory that produces batch of of citizens. provides two vital functions the family. Primary Teaches children the norms and Socialisation values of society. Stabilises personalities and Stabilisation emotional relationships. Parents also provide security to help individuals cope in wider society.

Think… Is the family all hunky dory as the functionalists seem to assume it is?

Evaluation Write down one strength and one weakness of the functionalist viewpoint of the family. You may wish to use other sociological perspectives to critique functionalism. Ensure you put at the top strength or weakness! Strength Weakness

Criticisms • Functionalists are criticised for ignoring the negative aspects the family can bring such as child abuse, neglect and violence.

Criticisms • Marxist Feminists would argue that women end up staying at home being a housewife and not getting paid for this.

Criticisms • Some parents fail to bring up their children to make them socially acceptable and they may be bad role models for the young.