It socializes children, it provides emotional and practical support for its members, it helps regulate sexual activity and sexual reproduction, and it provides its members with a social identity. The family performs several essential functions for society. It has a stabilizing force.Table 15.1 Theory Snapshot Theoretical perspective Socialisation (Primary) – The teaching of norms and values to the next generation Stabilization of adult personalities – The family protects adults from the stresses and strains of life. Because of these key functions the family is essential for the maintenance of stability in society. Socialisation Stabilization of adult personalities Teacher notes – Parsons believes that this all boils down to 2 basic functions that the family performs.

Successful groups need a decision maker and a problem sorterĨ Parsons: Two basic functions of the Isolated nuclear family Crit – Is the assertive male role/ caring female role natural? How does this compare to students own family situation? Can’t an individual be both? What about expressive males and instrumental females. In a ski party you need someone at the front to make decisions and guide, and someone at the back to make sure people are OK and push them along. Parsons believes this works because a successful social group needs to have members with these characteristics. Men are seen to be the decision makers and leaders in the family, while women are the carers and emotional workers. Teacher notes – The nuclear family includes a husband and wife. The family makes life worthwhile.ħ Parsons: Instrumental and Expressive leaders The family is like a warm bath which an individual can sink into to forget all his stresses and frustration.

Teacher notes – Teacher notes- Parsons believes that the family is good for society as it provides comfort for individuals and protects them from the harshness of life. This is not the case anymore, and class barriers between family members make the nuclear family closer and more isolated. In the past children would be likely to take on the same job as their parents and therefore they would remain the same social status. As a result of better education and training, individuals are moving up the social class ladder away from their relatives. This is also a result of better transport and communication.

Families are now more commonly separated from extended relatives geographically. It is easier to move around geographically for work with fewer family members. As the business grows individuals take on each of these roles and they become specialised.ĥ Parsons: Geographically and socially mobile nuclear familyĮasier to move around for work Greater class gaps between generations Teacher notes – The nuclear family is more suited to industrial society. In a small business one person is responsible for wages, cleaning, ordering stock, marketing etc. This can be highlighted with the growth of a small business. The NHS has taken over the health care role, the education system has taken over educating, the welfare state has taken over the care and financial support role. Teacher notes - The family no longer has responsibility for a wide number of processes as other institutions have taken over e.g. The extended family therefore broke down into a smaller nuclear family.Īs society evolves and becomes more complex, the institutions in society take on more specialised roles. Eventually women moved into the home and children moved into education. With industrialisation individuals moved into factories. Families are no longer required to work together as a group to produce goods. They believe that as society has moved from agricultural to Industrial the family has become smaller in order to suit this change. Family as consumers Teacher notes - Functionalists adopt an evolutionary approach to the family. Family as producers TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT Machine intensive production. PRE INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY Agricultural economy Extended family INDUSTRIAL-ISATION URBANISATION Manufacturing economy Nuclear family Labour intensive production.

Structural functionalism family theory