...Using material from item 2b and elsewhere, assess the contribution of functionalist sociologists to our understanding of the family Functionalists believe that everyone has a role to play in society in order for it to work effectively. Not only does the family have practical uses like reproduction and primary socialisation, but also things that personally benefit each member of family like economic provision. Each individual has a different belief on the importance of family and how it impacts our lives; however, I think functionalism only covers the basic understanding of family and how we are impacted by our own. One functionalist who has a theory regarding family is George Murdock, who published his research in 1949. Murdock believe there are four functions to a family: sexual, reproductive, economic and educational. The sexual function is for the married parents. In order to stay together and uphold the traditional happy family, they enjoy a healthy sex life to prevent affairs and unhappiness within the marriage. This is important as it ensures the children of the couple are raised by their biological parents. The economic function is the means of the man going off to work in order to provide food and shelter for the rest of the family. Education is the primary socialisation of the children, they will have the expected norms and values of moral people, helping them to fit into society as they grow older. This ‘education’ will also help them learn their place in society...
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...In this essay the contribution of functionalist sociologists to our understanding of the family will be discussed, sociologists such as Murdock (1949), Parsons (1979) and Young and Wilmott (1973) will be mentioned in this essay. Functionalists believe that society is based on a shared value consensus, this is a set of shared norms and values into which society socialises its members, this enables society to work harmoniously and meet society’s needs and goals. Functionalists believe that the family is regarded as a basic building block of society. Murdock (1949) argues that the family performs four essential functions to meet the needs of society and its members. These functions are; economic needs, reproduction, primary socialisation and sex. However, he believes that those needs can only be achieved within a nuclear family. But some sociologists would argue that these needs can be met in other ways than within the family such as in institutions other than the family such as education, health services and the government. Marxist and Feminist sociologists have criticised Murdock’s theory. They say that functionalism ignores conflict and exploitation within society. Feminists see the family as being patriarchal and serving the needs of men and Marxists see the family as meeting the needs of capitalism and not the needs of the family members. According to Parsons (1979) there are two types of basic functions that the family provides these are the primary socialisation of childhood...
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...Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the contribution of functionalist sociologists to our understanding of the family. (24 marks) Functionalist sociologists believe that the family is the key institution of society and that it performs vital functions for the maintenance of society as a whole as well as for individual members. According to Murdock, it provides important sub-system that provides stable satisfaction for the sex drive and therefore avoids social disruption. As well as this, Murdock says the family reproduces the next generation and thus ensuring current society to continue. Parsons argued that the pre-industrial society was focused on the extended family. Roles in these families were always based on social class, not achievement. According to parsons, industrialisation had many effects on the family. This meant that the economy demanded a more geographically mobile workforce. Nuclear families were formed as people moved away their extended kin in order to take advantage of job opportunities. New nuclear family provided the husband and wife with clear social roles. Wives were expressive, Husbands were Instrumental. Parsons concluded that the nuclear family is the only family that can provide the achievement orientated and geographically mobile workforce needed by modern industrial economies. Functionalists believe the family has specific functions: Stabilisation of adult personality. Parsons spoke about the warm bath theory, where the family relieves stresses of...
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...------------------------------------------------- Scly1 Summer 2013 Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the contribution of functionalist sociologists to our understanding of the family. INSTRUCTIONS to candidates AS ESSAY – Scly1 Family/Households - 24marks – 24 minutes i.e. 2-2.5 pages average sized handwriting (2 pages typed) (AO1-10 & AO2-14) * ADD your Name/Option Group to the header * Size 12 font/calibri * Email a copy to MY. * Print /submit hard copy to your sociology teacher [print off the whole document] Essay Cover sheet MTG (circle): | A | B | C | Grade (circle): | A | B | C | D | E | Teacher Name: MARK YELLAND | Raw Mark: | | Unit (circle): | Scly | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Section (circle): | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Green Pen (when you ‘green pen’ add your comments/extra points in the box below) | Student self-evaluation (circle the numbers successfully completed) i.e. I have: 1. Used largely accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation. 2. Written 3/4/5 sentences for every paragraph, in continuous prose ( & No bullets & No hyphens & No forward slash) 3. Written 1 page every 10mins (e.g. 30mins=3 pages). 4. Written the first paragraph outlining the ‘big picture’ including key specialist vocabulary. 5. Referenced the key terms from the question in every paragraph (& underlined them in the question). 6. Used the majority of the key concepts/ideas from the MS (& ER). 7. Used at least 5 sources...
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...functions of the family Assess the contribution of functionalism to our understanding of families and households. (24) Functionalists take a consensus view of the role of family. They see it as a universal institution that performs essential functions for society as a whole and all members of the family. According to Murdock, it provides important sub-system that provides stable satisfaction for the sex drive and therefore avoids social disruption. As well as this, Murdock says the family reproduces the next generation and thus ensuring current society to continue. Parsons sees a functional fit with the nuclear family fitting modern society’s needs for a geographically and socially mobile labour force. However critics argue that he is wrong about the relationship between industrialisation and family structure. Moreover Marxists, Liberal, radical and Marxist feminist all view the functions of the family in different ways, this essay will assess the different perspectives in which all these groups view the functions of the family. Functionalists believe that society is based on a value consensus- as set of shared norms and values; into which society socialises its members. This enables them to cooperate harmoniously to meet society’s needs and achieve shared goals. They regard society as system made up of different parts or sub-systems that depend on each other, such as the family, the education system and the economy. Factionalists also see the family as a particularly...
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...Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the contribution of Marxism to our understanding of families and households. (24 marks)Marxists see all society’s institutions as helping to maintain class inequality and Capitalism. Therefore, the main contribution of Marxism to the sociology of families and households has been to explain how the family functions to maintain the interests of the bourgeoisie, and maintain the Capitalist system. Marxists’ contributions have drawn much criticism from Feminist and Functionalist sociologists, who question whether Marxism can help us to understand the family in contemporary society. Marxists argue that the key factor determining the shape of all social institutions, including the family, is the mode of production. Engels (1891) argues that the Capitalist mode of production has shaped the family in many ways. He argues that Capitalism depends on the patriarchal monogamous nuclear family. In Engel’s view this family structure is essential to Capitalist society because of the inheritance of private property- men have be certain of the paternity of their children in order to ensure that their legitimate heirs inherit from them. For Engels, it is the nature of Capitalism which dictates the structure of the nuclear family, and in turn the nuclear family maintains class inequality as inheritance of private property ensures that class divisions between the proletariat and bourgeoisie are maintained. However, Engel’s view can be criticized...
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...Item 2A Sociologists analyse the domestic division of labour in many different ways. Parsons describes the division of labour in the traditional nuclear family in terms of an expressive role and an instrumental role. However, this traditional arrangement may have changed as families have changed, and many feminists use the term ‘dual burden’ to describe the woman’s role in the family today. Item 2B Government policies and laws include tax and benefit policies as well as legislation such as relating to divorce and marriage. Sociologists have different views on the impact of these policies and laws on families. For example, feminists argue that social policies assume that the ideal family is a patriarchal nuclear family, and that government policies and laws therefore favour this sort of family. On the other hand, the New Right argue that the benefit system undermines traditional nuclear families by actively encouraging lone parents. 0 6 Explain what is meant by the ‘dual burden’ (Item 2A). (2 marks) 0 7 Explain the difference between the expressive role and the instrumental role (Item 2A). (4 marks) 0 8 Suggest three ways in which the differences between children and adults are becoming less clear in society today. (6 marks) 0 9 Examine the reasons for, and the effects of, changes in family size over the past 100 years or so. (24 marks) 1 0 Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess sociological views of the impact of government policies and laws on family life. ...
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...Assess the contribution of functionalist sociologists to our understanding of the family (24 marks) Functionalists employ the idea of the nuclear family being the main universal family in society and most benefitting. The nuclear family functions to meet the pro dominant means of society (sexual reproduction, educational and economic functions). The family allows each member of the family to shine individually and enjoy success. The functionalist sociologist Murdock believed that the nuclear family is found in every society because it performs four main functions that are essential to the existence of society and no other institution can perform. The four are reproductive, sexual, educational and economic. He said that the reproductive function was vital because it was vital for society to survive; he saw the family as the best place for reproduction to take place. Similarly, he believed that the sexual function should take place within the family, because if sex is controlled by keeping it in the family it helps maintain stability and it binds the couple together rather than having a free for all. Murdock saw education as an important function for the family. The family socialises children into society’s values and norms. The final function that Murdock identified was the economic one. The family provides for its members’ basic needs such as food and shelter. There are other sociologists who have criticised Murdock’s views of the family. He sees the family as only nuclear...
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...functions of the family (a) Consensus is a general agreement for example the functionalists sociologists see society as based on value consensus; that is, harmony and agreement among its members about basic values. (b) Two essential functions that Parsons sees the nuclear family performing is a geographically mobile workforce which is when people often spent their whole lives living in the same village and a socially mobile workforce which is constantly evolving science and technology. (c) Three functions that the family might perform are promoting social mobility to meet the needs of industrial society, promoting geographical mobility as they are better fitted to the need that modern industry has and also providing a reserve of army of female labour that can be taken on when extra workers are needed. Essay : Using material from item A and elsewhere, assess the contribution of functionalism to our understanding of families and households. In this essay, i will be focusing on the functionalist perspective of families and households. Functionalist believe that society is based on a value consensus which are a set of shared norms and values into which society socialises its members. I will look at both the strengths and limitations as well as the different perspectives such as Parsons and Murdock to examine the essay. Murdock argues that the sheer practicality of the nuclear family is a way of meeting four needs whereas Parsons says the family may meet more needs...
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...elsewhere, assess the contribution of functionalism to our understanding of families and households (24 marks) According to functionalist sociologists, the family is a key institution of society. It performs vital functions for the maintenance of society as a whole and for the benefit of all its individual members. For example, according to George Peter Murdock, it provides for the stable satisfaction of the sex drive and thus avoids the social disruption and conflict that could be caused by a sexual ‘free for all’. Similarly, the family reproduces the next generation and thereby ensures the continuation of society over time. Functionalists tend to see the nuclear family as the ideal family type for modern society. For example, Talcott Parsons argues that it is the family structure best equipped to meet the need of industrial society for a mobile labour force. Similarly, the nuclear family performs two essential functions for its members and for society as a whole. However, not everyone accepts the functionalist view of the family and its role. Marxists and feminists reject its consensus assumptions about who benefits from the family. Similarly, historians and sociologists have put forward evidence to challenge Parsons’ view that there is a ‘functional fit’ between the type of society and the type of family structure found within it. When considering the question, we need to understand that functionalism has contributed towards our understanding of the family. However...
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...SCLY1 (Old Specification) Past Exam Questions Although June 2016 will be a new specification and exam structure much of the material you have learnt in families and households applies to the new exam. Below are examples of questions taken from the old exam papers that you should practice writing plans for as they are still relevant. However there are a few key differences: * The question you will answer will be worth 20 marks not 24 marks. * You will have 30 minutes to write a 20 mark answer. * The essays will consist 4 paragraphs and a conclusion containing new information. How to use this document: * Use the extract from the mark scheme and examiners’ advice to create essay plans of the questions. * You may not have heard of all of the concepts in the mark scheme but there should be at least some that are familiar to you. * The examiner’s advice usually outlines bad, moderate and good answers to the question so pick out the ways in which you can achieve top band and incorporate this into your plan. June 2015 Examine the impact of government policies and laws on family life. [24 marks] From the mark scheme: Concepts and issues such as the following may appear: patriarchy; familism; surveillance; ideological control; gender regimes; marital breakdown; family structure; family diversity; welfare dependency; underclass; reserve army of labour Policies/laws on abortion; divorce; contraception; reproductive technology; marriage; adoption; pensions; benefits; taxes;...
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...Assess the contribution of functionalism to our understanding of families and households. (29 marks) Functionalists believe that society is based on a value consensus into which society socialises its members. This enables them to cooperate harmoniously to meet society’s needs and achieve shared goals. However, other sociologists argue that contemporary society is not harmonious but is ridden with conflicts. Functionalists regard society as a system made up of different sub-systems that depend on each other, such as the family, education, religion, law and the mass media. Family and other sub-systems are often compared to the human body where if one of the body parts doesn’t function properly the others won’t either. Social structures work for you and society as a whole so if one doesn’t work correctly society will break up. Functionalists are interested in the positive functions of the family and how it contributes to a healthy society. Conversely, functionalists don’t look at society negatively or the negative effects family could have on you or society as whole. Also, Marxists see societies institutions as helping to maintain class inequality and capitalism therefore, the functions of the family are purely performed for the benefit of the capital system and do not help society function properly, they don’t work for you and society as a whole, they are only there for the bourgeoisie. Murdock (1949) argued that all families fulfil four vital functions and without this society...
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...Brenna McRandal Using material from item A and elsewhere, assess the contribution of Functionalism to understanding of the role of education When studying education, Functionalists seek to discover what functions it performs to meet society’s needs. Durkheim identified two main functions of education: creating social solidarity and specialist skills. Durkheim argues that society needs a sense of solidarity, and that without solidarity, social life and cooperation would be impossible because each individual would pursue their own selfish desires. The educations system helps to create social solidarity by transmitting society’s culture, values and beliefs onto the next generation. Also, school acts as a ‘society in miniature’, preparing us for life in the wider society. For example, both in school and at work we have to cooperate with people who are neither family nor friends. Modern industrial economies have a complex division of labour, where the production of a single item usually involves the cooperation of specialist workers. For this to be successful, each person must have the necessary specialist skills knowledge and skills to perform their role. Durkheim argues that education teaches individuals the specialist skills they need to play their part in the social division of labour. Parsons sees the school as the ‘focal socialising agency’ in modern society, acting as a bridge between the family and the wider society. In both school and the wider society, a person’s status...
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...Assess the contribution of functionalism to our understanding of families and households. Functionalism is a macro approach to society. It is based on a consensus that society as whole is run by and for the benefit of all its members. Early Functionalists such as Durkheim believed that society is made up of many institutions which work together to function. Regarding families, Functionalists believe that the nuclear family is best for society. Functionalists look at what the functions the family performs and they therefore say that the nuclear family is best for society. For example functionalists believe that traditional domestic roles (for the male to play an instrumental role as the breadwinner and the female to do the dual-burden) are necessary to ensure that children are socialised correctly with both male and female role models. Functionalists believe that the nuclear family is perfect for bringing up a geographically mobile workforce which allows families to move about for work easily, for example Functionalists believe during the industrial revolution nuclear families became more common as it was easier for families to move to an urban area in search of work than if it was for example an extended family. Conflict theories such as Marxism and Feminism challenge the Functionalism and the consensus of society by taking a more critical view. Social historians such as Laslett and Anderson also criticize the functionalist view of a ‘Functional Fit’ in the family. The main...
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...elsewhere assess the contribution of functionalism to our understanding of the role of education. Functionalism is based on the view that society is a system of interdependent parts held together by a shared culture or value consensus (agreement) amongst individuals as to what values or norms are important in society. Therefore they take a positive view of the education system. As item A suggests they see it as a form of secondary socialism essential to maintaining society i.e. the values and norms transmitted by social institutions and groups which build upon those learnt in the family (primary socialism). The French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1903) identifies the two main features of education as the creation of social solidarity and the teaching of specialist skills which are both essential for life in society and work. The American functionalist Talcott Parsons (1961) sees society as one based on the principle of meritocracy unintentionally highlighting the inequality of how those they see as ‘the naturally more talented’ get the best jobs over others. In addition to this Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore (1945) also see education as the means for selection and role allocation but focus on the relationship between education and inequality amongst individuals. Similarly to the point, Peter Blau and Otis Duncan argue that a modern economy depends on the prosperity constant growth of using its ‘human capital’ and its workers skills. However the functionalist view...
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