Evaluation

Feminists argues most universal family unit is mother and child rather than the nuclear family as Murdock suggests

Marxists argue Murdock ignores the influence of capitalism- the family indoctrinates the next generation of workers through primary socialisation
Marxists argue primary socialisation does infact promote the stagnation of society by learning parents' norms and values

Outdated- there has been changes in gender roles and increase family diversity since 1949

Economic function = man works performs instrumental role providing basic needs while woman performs expressive role doing unpaid labour at home

Sexual function = men and women have a controlled sexual relation within marriage which promotes heterosexuality as a norm

Educational function (primary socialisation) = children are socialised into society's norms and values (eg gender role by modelling same-sex parent)

Reproductive function = gender socialisation promotes socially acceptable behaviours to prepare children for reproduction in a stable, heterosexual relationship to prevent social stagnation

socially mobile family = the nuclear family can move up the class system due to the meritocratic nature of society and status is not ascribed (fixed)

geographically mobile family = the nuclear family can move to find employment more easily than the extended family; jobs appear and disappear in different places which requires the workforce to move to the jobs

warm bath theory is when male breadwinner can ‘relax into’ his family like a ‘warm bath’ to remove work-related stress; this is functional for economic efficiency as it means he can meet the demands of the workplace

instrumental role performed by male breadwinner who provides economic support through paid work and maintains discipline in the household due to his physicality (eg stronger build, aggression)

expressive role performed by female homemaker who provides emotional support due to her nurturing nature (eg showing empathy)

Evaluation

Feminists argue Parsons' theory has a patriarchal nature and is based on gendered stereotypes

Nuclear Family did not evolve due to industrialisation- Laslett studied Parish records and found evidence of a pre-industrial nuclear family

Nuclear family was not as isolated as Parsons suggested- Wilmott & Young found evidence of extended kindship networks in 1950s industrial London

Ethnocentric view- theory based on study of American nuclear family so results cannot be generalised

Theoretical view- not backed up by empirical evidence

Stage one: the preindustrial family- extended family live and work together as a unit of production and there is no separation between work and home life

Stage two: the early industrial family- work and home life become separated when families move into cities, men go to work and women perform domestic role at home

Stage four: the asymmetrical family (prediction for the future of families):- high social class couples spend more time apart (eg leisure time is separated), this change diffuses down social strata and becomes norm

Stage three: the symmetrical family- modern nuclear family is a unit of consumption, isolated from kindship networks, and there are joint conjugal roles therefore less gender segregation, children become economic liability

Evaluation

Feminists argue the symmetrical family is a myth and presented in an idealistic way- there has been little progress towards gender equality in couples and the dark side of the family is ignored (eg domestic abuse and coercive control)

Extended kinship networks have not disappeared- Wilmott (1988) found these contacts remained important for both WC and MC families (eg seeing relatives weekly, phoning relatives, care and support of elderly family members)

Value judgement- theory suggests family has 'improved' and is now more valuable, however extended pre-industrial style families in rural areas function just as well as self-sufficient structures

Greer (2000) all-female or 'matrilocal' households make women focal point of family and removes male dominance

Political Lesbianism heterosexual relationships are innately oppressive as they involve 'sleeping with the enemy' so same-sex relationships are the only way to remove male dominance

Evaluation

Liberal Feminist Sommerville (2000) argues Radical Feminists ignore the improved position of women in society through legal and social changes

Political Lesbianism suggests sexuality is a choice which invalidates the lesbian experience by turning their identity into a political statement

Evaluation

Other Feminists argue that Difference Feminism ignores the fact that women do have many shared experiences (eg fear of domestic violence, lower pay)

Argues that increased family diversity, specifically in lone-parent families, means that functions of the family are fulfilled by those outside of biological relations - people construct their own networks of support

eg lone-parent female-headed families outsource childcare function to friends/ neighbours and the emotional support function (stabilisation of adult personalities, which relied on a married couple/ husband) to friends/ other lone mothers

• Traditional study of family is ethnocentric (white MC family)
  
  
  

• Looks at how people create meaningful relationships and construct their own family outside of blood relations (eg support network of friends) - aspects of personal life ignores by traditional studies
  
  
  

• we have a degree of agency (free will) in forming relationships however this is constrained by the family (different to individualisation thesis) - MC ideal
  
  
  

• this is called the ''connectedness thesis''

Types of family relationships

• Fictive kin - close friends who are treated as family (eg 'auntie' in black families)

  
  

• Chosen families - support networks of friends and ex-partners in LGBTQ+ families

  
  

• Dead relatives - 'live on in memory'

  
  

• Pets - considered part of family, especially if grown up with children etc

1. memory = shared emotional memories - a bond is likely to be formed if these are meaningful events
(eg births, deaths, trauma, joy, birthdays)

2. biography = 'life history' or shared experiences - stronger relationships are formed with those who have the same experiences as you (particularly true for adolescents who strive for independence from blood relations)
(eg travelling together, going to same school/ uni, working at same place)

3. embeddedness = 'interconnected web' or your social circle - who you spend most time with determines how strong your relationship is
(eg more time spent with friends > siblings who are away at uni and vice versa)

4. imaginary = how each individual perceives that relationship
(eg how much support can they give me? how important is this relationship?)

5. relationality = how much you relate to someone - you may relate more strongly to those outside blood relations who share your norms and values (age can determine views so old family members may have outdated views)
(eg LGBTQ+ who are rejected by traditional family, domestic abuse survivors who relate to other networks of survivors more than their partner)