Theories of the role of the family

Overview

Consensus and conflict views, Parsons' two basic functions, Marxists, Engels and Zaretsky, feminists, Delphy and Leonard, Oakley's conventional family, and the New Right.

What you need to know

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Questions from this subtopic

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1. 1

   What is the difference between consensus and conflict views of the family?

   Model answer

   Consensus theorists, such as functionalists, see the family as benefiting both its members and society as a whole. Conflict theorists, such as Marxists and feminists, see the family as serving the powerful, whether capitalists or men.

2. 2

   Who was Parsons, and what did he see as the two basic functions of the modern family?

   Model answer

   Talcott Parsons was an American functionalist writing in the 1950s. Parsons argued the modern family keeps two irreducible functions: primary socialisation of children and stabilisation of adult personalities.

3. 3

   How does primary socialisation in the family benefit society, according to Parsons?

   Model answer

   Parsons saw the family as a ‘personality factory’ that teaches children society's shared norms and values. Children who internalise these values fit into society and help keep it stable.

4. 4

   What did Parsons mean by the stabilisation of adult personalities?

   Model answer

   Parsons argued family life gives adults emotional security and relief from the stresses of work. The ‘warm bath’ image describes a worker returning home to relax and be restored.

5. 5

   How did Parsons describe gender roles in the nuclear family?

   Model answer

   Parsons said the husband takes the instrumental role of breadwinner, while the wife takes the expressive role of carer. Parsons saw this division as natural and functional for society.

6. 6

   Give two criticisms of Parsons' view of the family.

   Model answer

   Feminists argue Parsons presents women's unequal role as natural and ignores domestic abuse. Parsons based his view on white, middle-class American families of the 1950s, overlooking family diversity.

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