Assess the Contribution of Functionalism to Our Understanding of Families and Households

Contributing what they ask to offer to families and households is someaffair that economic consumptionalists seem to do in a variety of ways. Functionalism is a consensus theory (as stated in Item A). This sum that it argues evidenceliness is make on a consensus, or a general agreement amidst members on how society should be ordered and organised. They believe that family is star of the pivotal societal institutions (which atomic number 18 parts in society involved in the acculturation process) along with mass media, education and peer group). Functionalism looks at the family acts and jobs that they perform.The functionalist George Murdock believes that the nuclear family is universal, therefrom meaning that its found worldwide, and that is the best family fibre/institution for acting the 4 functions that functionalists believe ar the foundations of successful families. Sexual function (Staying with hotshot sexual partner and fulfilling their sex drive, this is benef icial as it avoids conflict. ) Economic function (administering food and shelter for members of your family, this is positive as it protects them and keeps them healthy). Reproductive function (Delivering the early generation, beneficial so that humans dont die out).Educational function (Whereby you indoctrinate your offspring the norms and values in society this being gainful as your children will then be accepted into things such as education and will begin the education process of further things). A strength of Murdocks effort implies how the nuclear family operates functions to benefit both the individuals and society. This means that it is positive for everyone, and has a gratifying effect on everyone. However a weakness would be that he likewise ignores that other families (such as footprint families, drawn-out families etc. ).This means that he doesnt take into deem that they can also perform some of the functions. This is negative be cook it suggests that his ideas ar ent solely thorough or fair. Talcott Parsons disputes that there is such thing as a functional fit (the idea that the functions the family performs and the dominant type of family in a society are shaped by the of necessity of that society) between society and the family, and depending on the type of society the family is in, that has an effect on the shape the family takes (for example, what type the family is, nuclear, etc. ). So the family deepens as society does.Parsons claims that the principal(prenominal) type of family in pre-industrial society was the extended family, which is groups of people either related by marriage, blood, or adoption thats outside the nuclear family it can be extended vertically via grandparents etc. or horizontally (aunties, uncles, etc. ) However the main type of family in industrial society is the nuclear family (which is parents and children). Parson also believes that there is such thing as brotherly mobility where your family can slow move almost the class system however this can cause conflict, due to ascribed and achieved statuses your family.For example, a child gets a higher job than one of its parents (i. e. plumber and doctor). To prevent this conflict, the 2nd generation moves out to start their profess nuclear family. Another mobility would be geographical mobility, whereby you can move around more easily due to the family only being small. Another thing Parson believes is that over time family has lost functions due to other affectionate institutions, such as the education function, whereby before the kids would stay at home, and the parents would teach them things they thought were important (i. . mothers- daughters cooking etc. fathers- sons hunting). However the family still performs twain functionsPrimary socialisation, this is where you learn norms and values off your parents, and stabilisation of adult personalities, (aka the warm bath theory) this is where the family is classed as a place to relax and de-stress after work. A strength of Parsons ideas is that it shows how the families change to meet the means and needs of society. This means that is can account for things such as how the families do change and patterns for the change.An example of what it backs up would be the organic analogy (the idea that social institutions are the organs to keep us going and that the people are the skin). This is positive because it gives us a deeper understanding on family. However a weakness of Parsons beliefs would be that it only looks at the diaphragm class, American families. This means you cannot generalize it to anyone out of those categories. It also is historically ludicrous and thinks woman should be homemakers, yet men need to work.This is negative because once again it isnt as detailed and explained as it should be in order for us be able to accept it. Concluding, Parsons and Murdocks ideas suggest how the family functions and how it benefits society and family members, yet it ignores the negative aspects of family life such as child abuse or violence to men/women. There are also other conflicts between other ideas such as Marxists believe that the family only benefits the working class, and feminists believe that families only benefit men.