Functionalist FamilyFunctionalist FamilyToday’s Lesson: To investigate the view functionalist sociologists take of the family and to evaluate this

viewpoint.

Starter…Mind map the words you associate or identify with

FAMILY

Lesson ObjectivesLesson 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?A Household or A Family?

What is a household?A household is an individual or 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.

Differences between a family and a household

• A household can consist of one person

• A household can consist of people who are not related

• A household exists at one address

• A family can live apart and still be a family

• A family is related by blood or law whereas households may not be

FunctionalismFunctionalism

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!

FunctionalismFunctionalism

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…Think…

What needs do individuals and societies have which the family as an

institution could contribute to in order to help meet these needs?

TaskWhat functions you think the family may

provide to the individual and society in order to help them meet their needs.

Functions of

the Family

Guidance

SecurityNurture

Economic

Educational Emotional Support

Some functions of the Some functions of the family…family…

FunctionalismFunctionalism

Family – Institution in Society

For Functionalist’s the institutions in society are important as they help

maintain social order and social cohesion.

FunctionalismFunctionalism

Murdock (1949)- Studied 250 societies of different cultures. - 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

Economic Pools resources to provide for each other

Educational Teaches norms and values of society

In conclusion, Murdock claimed the family is nuclear or“universal” and it is inevitable and that

families exist in every society.

FunctionalismFunctionalism

Parsons (1950’s)- Compared to Murdock, Parsons only

provides two vital functions of the family.

Primary Socialisation

Teaches children the norms and values of society.

StabilizationStabilizes personalities and emotional relationships. Parents also provide security to help individuals cope in wider society.

Parsons saw the family as being a factory that

produces the next batch of citizens.

Think…Think…

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

EvaluationEvaluation

On your post-it-notes 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

CriticismsCriticisms

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

CriticismsCriticisms

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

CriticismsCriticisms

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

TaskTask

Return to the worksheet and in the last box draw how you now see the family through the functionalist

perspective.