Using the Information from Items a, B and C and Elsewhere, Assess the View That the Nuclear Family Functions to Benefit All Its Members and Society as a Whole.
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Category: Societal Issues
Date Submitted: 04/09/2013 01:55 PM
Sociological perspectives have different ideas about the role of the family in society.
Functionalists believe that every institution, for example the family, plays a role in society and is necessary in order for society to function properly. This is illustrated by Murdock (1949) as he believed that family is useful to society and as a result, the family institution, inevitably can be found universally. This means that no matter what culture, there will be a form of family present, as logically, it would benefit its members.
Murdock argued that the nuclear family is evident in all 250 societies that he researched. According to Murdock all these societies performs four basic functions. The first being the sexual function; whereby in most societies it is forbidden to have sexual relationships outside of marriage, ensuring stability to the social system by having stability within the family. The second is the economic function, where the family is a unit of consumption, buying goods for the family. Thirdly is the educational function. The family is largely responsible for primary socialisation. Without this, there would be no culture, and therefore, no consensus about society’s norms and values.
Talcott Parsons argued families have become increasingly specialised functions for which families were responsible in pre-industrial societies has been taken over in industrial society. Therefore he claimed that the family retains only two basic functions; primary socialisation and stabilisation of adult personalities.
Primary socialisation is part of the socialisation process which happens within the family. This is where every individual must learn the shared norms and values of society. Without this there would be no consensus, a vital part of society. Children’s personalities are moulded in terms of society’s culture to the point where it becomes internalised; becomes a part of them.
Stabilisation of adult personalities means that adults are able to indulge in their...
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