Assess the Usefulness of the Functionalist View of the Family Essay Sample

Assess the utility of the Functionalist position of the household ( 24 Markss ) Functionalism is a macro theory and so looks at things on a big graduated table they consist of structural theoreticians. They see society as being similar to a human organic structure. in that the indispensable variety meats in the organic structure execute specific maps. This is similar society as one of the indispensable variety meats in society is the household. as it performs indispensable maps which serve the demands of the household. And that each portion of the organic structure works in harmoniousness with all other parts merely like society which works in harmoniousness with all other parts. Over the class of clip the household has changed and evolved and so has its maps this is known as ‘the March in Progress. ’ Even though the maps may hold changed somewhat harmonizing to the functionalists the function of the household is still indispensable for society.

Murdock was the first functionalist theoretician who studied the household. He did this in 250 different societies of different civilizations ; this survey was done in 1949. He claimed that the household is cosmopolitan and inevitable and that households exist in every society. He saw that the household had four maps occurred in every society. These maps are sexual. reproductive. economic and educational. The sexual map of the household is to set up sexual relationships whereby people have one spouse who meets their sexual demands. This reduces step-relations and the figure of kids born outside matrimony and besides reduces the figure of STI/STD’s. Another map of the household that Murdock saw was generative. this is critical to maintain the human race traveling as it continues to make new coevalss which in bend. provides new work forces. The 3rd map that Murdock saw was that of economic. This is that households provide economic support to peculiarly the immature but this is widening as parents are paying longer to maintain kids.

This economic map allows the economic system to work successfully by transfusing attitudes and values for the work force. The concluding map that Murdock saw was that the household is an agent of societal control as they household teaches us about stable relationships and values. This is when kids are taught the difference between right and incorrect which helps guarantee society maps decently. Another functionalist that besides studied the household in the 1950s is Talcott Parsons. Compared to Murdock. he saw the household as merely holding two maps. These were: primary socialization and stabilization. Primary socialization Teachs kids norms and values of society i. e. the difference between right and incorrect. These relationships established in the child’s early old ages teach the kid about the basic component of the civilization they were born into. Stabilisation ensures parents provide security to assist persons get by with the wider society by bracing personalities and emotional. the household besides gives a individual a topographic point where they can get away from the emphasis of the universe and so doing them experience emotionally secure. Parsons saw the household as being a mill that produces the following batch of citizens.

Functionalists see the household and other facets of society of invariably germinating ; they say that the household has evolved to run into the demands of modern twenty-four hours modern-day society. And so specific maps have changed to run into the demands of society and while making this. harmonizing to Talcott Parsons the household is losing specific maps although it is going more specialized in the maps that it still maintains. The two maps that Parsons believes have been removed are educational and economic as authoritiess are supplying money to households with kids. Although the household has lost some maps. they are left with what they do best and have become specialised in these countries. Parson maintains that although some maps have been lost. the household is still a really of import establishment in society. If the maps aren’t performed good so it can take to jobs in ulterior life such as offense and unemployment. Functionalists say that the terminal of the household would intend that society couldn’t work.

There have besides been unfavorable judgments of the utility of the functionalists view on the household. Functionalists have been accused of idealizing the households and that they overplay the harmonious nature of the household. as in fact the household isn’t idyllic. This is seen in the statistic that in England and Wales one kid per hebdomad is killed by their parent or calling ( NSPCC ) and so functionalists ignore the dark side of the household. Functionalists besides ignore the high divorce rates which show us that there are jobs within the household. as in 2005. 13 out of 1000 matrimonies ended in divorce ( ONS 2006. ) This is outlined in household life so as kids from divorced households find it difficult to set and the consequences of this is misbehaviour and backdown from school and so the kids have no educational makings ensuing in unemployment. This is outlined in household life so as kids from divorced households find it difficult to set and the consequences of this is misbehaviour and backdown from school and so the kids have no educational makings ensuing in unemployment.

Feminists attack the thought that the household is functional for all as the household exploits adult females as two adult females are murdered each hebdomad by their spouse ( Home Office 2006. ) In footings of measuring how utile of the functionalist position of the household it decidedly gives us the basic maps of the household and illustrates their intents in society. Although the functionalist position is seen as being an old train of idea. its thoughts are still used in today’s society this can be seen through the conservative government’s positions. However society has become more diverse which has caused the household to go diverse. The atomic household is now non the lone household type and there is a whole different scope of household units and this is when we can state that the functionalists theories are non utile as they merely trade with the atomic household. and so this theory can non be used to analyze anything outside the atomic household. One of the biggest unfavorable judgments connected to this theory is the deficiency of treatment on the dark side of the household and that non all households perform the basic maps good and so the effects of this are seen in society.