Sociology Lecture 8: Functionalist Perspective on Family

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of the family, according to functionalists?

To create well-integrated members of society and instill culture (correct)

To regulate sexual behavior through the norm of legitimacy

To maintain patriarchy and social inequality

To provide material and emotional security

Which sociologist proposed that the basic building block of society is the nuclear family?

Conflict theorists

Radcliffe-Brown

Durkheim

Structural functionalists (correct)

What is the term used to describe the way societies maintain internal stability and survive over time?

Social inequality

Organic solidarity (correct)

Mechanical solidarity

Patriarchy

According to functionalists, what is one way that the family contributes to social replacement?

By reproducing new members Signup and view all the answers

What is the main role of the family according to conflict theorists?

A mechanism to maintain and reinforce the status quo Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the association of corporate-descent groups in stateless, primitive societies?

Corporate-descent groups Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern of Durkheim's work, according to the passage?

How societies maintain internal stability and survive over time Signup and view all the answers

How do wealthy families maintain their privileged social position?

Through inheritance, education, and social capital Signup and view all the answers

What is the traditional family form in most cultures?

Patriarchal Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the family, according to the conflict perspective?

To maintain patriarchy and social inequality Signup and view all the answers

According to conflict theorists, what is the result of the traditional family structure?

Inequality between men and women Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the process by which the family assigns social class and ethnicity to new members?

Ascribed statuses Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of mothers with children under six are in the paid workforce?

More than 60 percent Signup and view all the answers

What do symbolic interactionists view the family as?

A site of social reproduction where meanings are negotiated and maintained Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of symbolic interactionism?

Patterns of communication, interpretation, and adjustment between individuals in society Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between traditional male and female roles?

Traditional male roles are valued more than traditional female roles Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary way that functionalists believe the family contributes to the well-being of society?

By instilling the social culture into children and creating well-integrated members of society Signup and view all the answers

According to Radcliffe-Brown, what is the basis of most stateless, 'primitive' societies?

An association of descent groups Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the structural functionalism approach?

The social structures and institutions that shape society as a whole Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for an established organization dedicated to education, public service, culture, or the care of the destitute, poor, etc.?

Institution Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function that functionalists identify as being performed by families in terms of reproduction?

Producing children and perpetuating the species Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a group of people related by blood, marriage, law, or custom?

Family Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary way that functionalists believe the family contributes to the socialization of children?

By teaching children the social norms and customs of society Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the framework that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability?

Structural Functionalism Signup and view all the answers

What is a key aspect of the definition of gender?

Socio-cultural phenomenon Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary focus of first-wave feminism?

Legal equality Signup and view all the answers

What is a notable feature of second-wave feminism?

Focus on family and employment equality Signup and view all the answers

What is a common perception of mothers' roles in traditional western cultures?

Raising and looking after children constantly Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of births in 2008 were to women ages 35 and older?

14% Signup and view all the answers

What is the average age of first child birth in the United States?

25.1 years Signup and view all the answers

What is a notable criticism of traditional gender roles?

They are predetermined and unjust Signup and view all the answers

What is the estimated number of women who are mothers in the United States?

82.5 million Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism that enables individuals to appreciate another person's perspective?

Role-taking Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of symbolic interactionism?

The analysis of patterns of communication, interpretation, and adjustment between individuals Signup and view all the answers

According to symbolic interactionists, what is the basis of marriage and family relationships?

Negotiated meanings Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the repeated set of actions that reinforce and rejuvenate bonds in family relationships?

Ritual Signup and view all the answers

What is the age at which role-taking typically emerges?

At an early age Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary way that individuals construct their verbal and nonverbal responses?

In expectation of how the initial speaker will react Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the ties and relationships between individuals?

Bonds Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of activities such as playing house that helps individuals develop role-taking?

Improvisational quality Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Sociological Perspectives on Family

Functionalism

Functionalists view the family as a construct that fulfils important functions and keeps society running smoothly.
Functions of the family:
- Reproduction
- Socialization
- Care, protection, and emotional support
- Assignment of status
- Regulation of sexual behavior through social norms
Radcliffe-Brown proposed that most stateless, "primitive" societies, lacking strong centralized institutions, are based on an association of descent groups.
These clans emerge from family units.

The Nuclear Family

The nuclear family is seen as the basic building block of society, and the clan is an outgrowth, not vice versa.
The family creates well-integrated members of society by instilling social culture into children.
It provides important ascribed statuses such as social class and ethnicity to new members.
It is responsible for social replacement by reproducing new members, to replace its dying members.
Further, the family gives individuals property rights and also affords the assignment and maintenance of kinship order.
Lastly, families offer material and emotional security and provide care and support for individuals who need care.

Conflict Perspective

The conflict perspective views the family as a vehicle to maintain patriarchy (gender inequality) and social inequality in society.
The family works towards the continuance of social inequality within a society by maintaining and reinforcing the status quo.
Wealthy families are able to keep their privileged social position for their members, while individuals from poor families are denied similar status.
The traditional family form in most cultures is patriarchal, contributing to inequality between the sexes.
Males tend to have more power and females tend to have less.
Traditional male roles and responsibilities are valued more than the traditional roles done by their wives (i.e., housekeeping, and child-rearing).

Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

Symbolic interactionists view the family as a site of social reproduction where meanings are negotiated and maintained by family members.
Key mechanisms:
- Role-taking: permits an individual to appreciate another person's perspective and to understand what an action might mean to that person.
- Symbolic rituals: help to build emotional bonds, and marriage and family relationships are based on negotiated meanings.
The interactionist perspective emphasizes that families reinforce and rejuvenate bonds through symbolic rituals such as family meals and holidays.

Sociology of Motherhood

In many cultures, especially in a traditional western one, a mother is usually the wife in a married couple.
Her role in the family is celebrated on Mother's Day.
Mothers frequently have a very important role in raising offspring, and the title can be given to a non-biological mother that fills this role.
In most family structures, the mother is both a biological parent and a primary caregiver.
However, this limited role has increasingly been called into question by both feminist and masculist authors.

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Description

This quiz covers the functionalist perspective on family, including the social functions that families perform and how they contribute to societal well-being.