Functions Of the Family
Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere assess the view that, in today's society the family is losing its functions.
Many sociologists argue that since the Industrial revolution, after the pre - modern society that the family has lost many of its functions and some argue they haven't. Parson and Dennis, functionalist sociologists argue that the functions that would have usually been performed by the family have now, in the modern society been removed from the family. They believe that these functions have now been transferred to other specialised institutions such as the NHS and the education and welfare system. Parson calls this structural differentiation (this means that new institutions emerge together and take over the functions of the family).
According to Parson this means that in modern society the family only has two functions to perform. The first function is that of primary socialisation of children, the family teaching the children the basic skills and norms and values of society to help them integrate into society. The second one is the stabilisation of the adult personality, this is where within the family where the adults can relax and have some personal time and become refreshed before returning to work. This is good for the demands of the economy.
Alternatively other sociologists disagree with the functionalist sociologist’s views on family losing many of its functions. Sociologists like Fletcher and Shorter deny that the family has lost any of its functions in the modern society. They argue that in the pre - industrial society families were living in poverty, meaning they were poor, therefore functions such as recreation and the education and welfare system were not carried out properly as families could not afford it. Fletcher therefore emphasises that families in the modern society have not lost any of its function; rather they have more functions to carry out. For example now alongside institutions like the NHS, the family also
Many sociologists argue that since the Industrial revolution, after the pre - modern society that the family has lost many of its functions and some argue they haven't. Parson and Dennis, functionalist sociologists argue that the functions that would have usually been performed by the family have now, in the modern society been removed from the family. They believe that these functions have now been transferred to other specialised institutions such as the NHS and the education and welfare system. Parson calls this structural differentiation (this means that new institutions emerge together and take over the functions of the family).
According to Parson this means that in modern society the family only has two functions to perform. The first function is that of primary socialisation of children, the family teaching the children the basic skills and norms and values of society to help them integrate into society. The second one is the stabilisation of the adult personality, this is where within the family where the adults can relax and have some personal time and become refreshed before returning to work. This is good for the demands of the economy.
Alternatively other sociologists disagree with the functionalist sociologist’s views on family losing many of its functions. Sociologists like Fletcher and Shorter deny that the family has lost any of its functions in the modern society. They argue that in the pre - industrial society families were living in poverty, meaning they were poor, therefore functions such as recreation and the education and welfare system were not carried out properly as families could not afford it. Fletcher therefore emphasises that families in the modern society have not lost any of its function; rather they have more functions to carry out. For example now alongside institutions like the NHS, the family also