FUNCTIONALIST THEORY OF THE FAMILY

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FUNCTIONALIST THEORY OF THE FAMILY
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Functionalist key concepts
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EVOLUTIONARY APPROACH
PRE INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY
Agricultural economy Extended family INDUSTRIAL-ISATION URBANISATION Manufacturing economy Nuclear family
Labour intensive production. Family as producers TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT Machine intensive production. Family as consumers
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Durkheim The specialised family

• As society evolves and becomes more complex, the
  institutions in society take on more specialised
  roles.

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Parsons Geographically and socially mobile
nuclear family

• Easier to move around for work

• Greater class gaps between generations

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Parsons The Warm Bath theory
The family is like a warm bath which an
individual can sink into to forget all his
stresses and frustration. The family makes life
worthwhile.
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Parsons Instrumental and Expressive leaders
Successful groups need a decision maker and a
problem sorter
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Parsons Two basic functions of the Isolated
nuclear family

• Socialisation
• Stabilization of adult personalities