The Funtionalist view of the family
The Functionalist view of the family.
Functionalism was the dominant branch of western Sociology until the 1960s since when it has been increasingly criticised by sociologists favouring different sociological perspectives. Functionalists argue that societies consist of inter-related social institutions such as schools, mass media, political systems, the Church and the family each of which contribute positively to the maintenance of stability of society as a whole. That is: these institutions are said to be functional for societies as a whole it is assumed by functionalists that societies operate in the interests of all of their members so that there is no reason for fundamental conflict in society. Instead there is a high degree of consensus that societies are organised efficiently and relatively fairly.
Functionalists talk about society being like a human body. The systems approach has been used by Functionalists to explain how social change occurs in society. Functionalists see the family as the basic and most vital institution in society, just as one could see the heart and the brain as the most vital organs of the body. Functionalists sociologists would say the effect of increasing numbers of working wives and mothers been to cause changes in family life. A new situation has come about, in which activities in the home are shared so society has entered into a new stable state. The organic analogy incorporates the ideas of a system to emphasize the inter-relatedness and mutual dependency of the major institutions of society. They therefore, see the family as changing and responding to the needs of society. Drawing on the example of Irish families in rural areas in the 1940’s, they argue that most pre-industrial families existed in a patriarchal extended family structure. This usually meant that the landholder dominated his wives and children; while even his adult sons and their wives lived and deferred to him Functionalists therefore argue that the
Functionalism was the dominant branch of western Sociology until the 1960s since when it has been increasingly criticised by sociologists favouring different sociological perspectives. Functionalists argue that societies consist of inter-related social institutions such as schools, mass media, political systems, the Church and the family each of which contribute positively to the maintenance of stability of society as a whole. That is: these institutions are said to be functional for societies as a whole it is assumed by functionalists that societies operate in the interests of all of their members so that there is no reason for fundamental conflict in society. Instead there is a high degree of consensus that societies are organised efficiently and relatively fairly.
Functionalists talk about society being like a human body. The systems approach has been used by Functionalists to explain how social change occurs in society. Functionalists see the family as the basic and most vital institution in society, just as one could see the heart and the brain as the most vital organs of the body. Functionalists sociologists would say the effect of increasing numbers of working wives and mothers been to cause changes in family life. A new situation has come about, in which activities in the home are shared so society has entered into a new stable state. The organic analogy incorporates the ideas of a system to emphasize the inter-relatedness and mutual dependency of the major institutions of society. They therefore, see the family as changing and responding to the needs of society. Drawing on the example of Irish families in rural areas in the 1940’s, they argue that most pre-industrial families existed in a patriarchal extended family structure. This usually meant that the landholder dominated his wives and children; while even his adult sons and their wives lived and deferred to him Functionalists therefore argue that the