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AS Unit 1 Acquiring Culture; Family and Culture Week 3: Functions of the Family

Objectives
Having viewed this slide show you should be aware of:

The loss of functions thesis. The functions of the family. That in late modernity or postmodern society the family is taking on new functions. There is a growth in people seeking alternatives to the family or choosing alternative styles of family life.

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Introduction
Ronald Fletcher (1966) talked of the 'multifunctional family', but he was equally aware of the family being stripped of its secondary functions.

The modern nuclear family, he felt, was left with residual functions.
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George Murdocks Universal Residual Functions


George Murdock (1949) conducted a survey of 250 societies and claimed there are four universal residual functions of the family:

sexual

economic

(by education he really meant socialisation)

education

reproductive
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Talcott Parsons: Family Stripped of its Functions


Talcott Parsons sees the modern family as stripped to just two basic and irreducible functions:

Socialisation of children

Stabilisation of adult personalities

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Critique of Functionalist View


Both Murdock and Parsons reflect the functionalist perspective on family functions The family functions in an over-romantic and idealised way. This referred to as the warm bath theory of family.
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Family Adaptation in Postmodern Society


In Post-modern society the family is modifying itself to meet the changed circumstances of contemporary society. The family has become more childcentred, but with fewer children However, many couples are choosing to stay childless

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Source of Emotional Support


Families are seen as functioning to provide warmth and security, emotional support. All family members benefit from the loving relationships that they share with each other.

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Family as Source of Identity


The family provides a sense of identity. This is clearly important to family members as evidenced by recent interest both by individuals and the media in family histories.
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Family as Leisure
Families also provide shared leisure, family holidays, special occasions e.g. weddings, birthdays, outings, cultural and educational visits (cinema, theatre, museums, etc.).

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Alternatives to the Traditional Family


An increasing number of people are rejecting the traditional family: singlehood, gay families, childless couples.

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Singlehood
There has been a dramatic increase in the proportion of oneperson households in the past 40 years.

12% of people in Great Britain now live alone. Many of these are elderly widowed, but not all!
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Singlehood is much more popular in the white population than ethnic minorities

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Singlehood (continued)
Single people now account for just under a third of households (29 per cent) in Britain. They include professional young men and women. And divorced people

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Factors Behind Singlehood


Growth of 'FITT women' with careers and education success Creative singlehood reflects the growth of the affluent young.

Women no longer need to be financially dependent upon a man

Increased divorce rate and separations from cohabitation.

More fashionable 'singles' accommodation is available.


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Delay or rejection of marriage/cohabitation


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Childless Couples
Childless couples reflect the fact that there is less pressure on people to have children.

Couples may put lifestyle choice above starting a family. Some couples may be put off by the cost of bringing up a child (over 50,000 from birth to age of 18)

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Gay and Lesbian Relationships


Gay and lesbian couples are often childless But this nontraditional family form is also slowly becoming less of a rarity

In 2002 the Government announced plans to make it easier for same-sex couples to adopt children. Medical technology (e.g. surrogacy) allows people to conceive children in non-traditional ways.
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Conclusions

There is general support for the loss of functions thesis that argues the family has been stripped of many of its functions. George Murdock sees the family performing 4 universal residual functions: sexual, reproductive, economic and education (socialisation). Talcott Parsons sees the family performing two basic and irreducible functions socialisation of children, stabilisation of adult personalities.

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Conclusions (continued)

There has been a growth in people rejecting traditional family. 12% of people in Britain now live on their own (almost a third of households). Couples account for almost a third of households too.

In a less homophobic society there has been a growth of gay and lesbian relationships.
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End of Presentation

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