hello lovies in this video we're going to be going through the sociology of families for your AQA GCS sociology now after you've watched this video made all the notes learned all the facts looked at all the key terms to help you remember all the facts to help you with your recall your ao1 so that in the exam you can apply and evaluate at a better level over on the website after every single section youve breaking it down into smaller videos there is a set of multiple choice questions to help you recall the facts and then there are going to be the predicted papers and the walkthroughs and the example essays that we've got in our Master [Music] Class AQA GCSE sociology topic three families lesson one sociological perspectives on the functions of families functionalists the family is a complex social institution that serves a variety of functions both at the individual and societal level sociological perspectives on the functions of families provide different ways of understanding the role and significance of families in society let's start with functionalists functionalists are focused on the positive contributions the family makes to society they see the family as a Cornerstone to society and argue that without it Society could descend into chaos the functionalist perspective on families emphasizes their role in maintaining social stability and meeting the basic needs of society seeing families is serving the needs of everyone in society fun functionalists also argue that the nuclear family structure of a married couple and their children is the most efficient and effective way to meet these needs one of the key functional asist for the family is Murdoch Murdoch argued some form of the nuclear family existed in most societies making it Universal he saw the family is having four main functions number one sexual function families provide a context for the development of sexual relationships and the formation of intimate Partnerships for example in many cultures marriage is viewed as a normative context for sexual activity and the raising of children families also play a role in shaping individuals attitudes and behaviors towards sexuality and reproduction number two two reproductive function families are responsible for the reproduction and raising of children they provide a stable environment for the upbringing and socialization of children for example parents are responsible for providing basic needs such as food clothing and shelter for their children and for ensuring their physical and emotional well-being number three economic function families play an important economic role by providing for the basic needs of their members and by participating in the larger economy through work and consumption for example parents may work to earn income to support the family while children may contribute to the family by doing chores or working part-time jobs families also provide material Goods for the children EG shelter clothing and food which children could not buy themselves number four educational function families are responsible for the education and socialization of children passing on values beliefs and cultural heritage from one generation to the next for example parents May teach their children basic skills such as reading and writing and they may also introduce them to the customs and traditions of their culture which helps create a value consensus in society as families are usually the first people to teach their children this is known as Primary socialization a second prominent functionalist theorist is tolot Parsons who emphasizes the role of the family in the socialization of children and the development of adult personalities unlike Murdoch Parsons only outlines two key roles the family plays in society number one Primary socialization Parsons argues that the family is the primary agency of socialization for children as it is the first and most important social institution that children encounter the family is responsible for teaching children the values norms and beliefs of their society as well as basic skills and behaviors necessary for functioning in society secondly stabilization of adult personalities Parsons also emphasizes the importance of the family in the stabilization of adult personalities he argues that the family plays a crucial role in the emotional and psychological development of individuals by providing a sense of security and emotional support Parsons calls this the warm bar Theory as when someone comes home from a busy day of work their family provides them with stress relief and relaxation just as a warm bath word in addition he argues that the family is responsible for instilling in individuals a sense of personal responsibility self-discipline and self-control which are necessary for functioning as a responsible adult in society Parson's functionalist perspective emphasizes that the family is an essential Institution for maintaining social order and stability he argues that the family performs important functions such as reproducing and raising children providing for the economic well-being of its members and regulating sexual behavior furthermore he believes that the traditional nuclear family structure consisting of a married couple and their children is the most efficient and effective way to meet these needs an example of Parson's perspective in action would be a traditional nuclear family where the father is the primary bread winner and the mother is responsible for raising the children and maintaining the household this family structure would be seen as functional as it would meet the basic needs of society and provide the necessary socialization and emotional support for the children to grow up into responsible adults lesson two sociological perspectives on the functions of families marxists the Marxist perspective has a very different view on the role of the family in society marxists emphasize the role of families in maintaining class inequality and reproducing the labor force for capitalist societies according to Marxist the family is an instrument of social control that serves the interests of the ruling class known as the Bourgeois by marxists they argue that the family functions to reproduce the labor force by socializing children into the values and beliefs necessary for capitalist Society for example a Marxist would argue that family roles are structured to enure that men are socialized for roles in the public sphere such as paid work while women are socialized for roles in the private sphere such as unpaid domestic and Care work a prominent Marxist theorist in this field is zaretzki zaretzki argued the family maintains capitalism in four ways firstly inheritance private property and wealth is built up over time and passed down generation to generation through inheritance this keeps wealth within ruling class families and it is not shared with workingclass families secondly consumerism families buy and consume products of the capitalist system EG food clothes holidays this enables the board bis to make their profits thirdly socialization the family socialize us into the norms and values of our class for example we may go into the same job as our parents workingclass children are socialized by the family to accept their subordinate role in society and see the system as Fair fourthly the role of women women in the Family Support capitalism in two ways firstly they complete unpaid domestic labor such as cooking and cleaning which means men can focus on going to work and making profits for the Bourgeois secondly they act as an emotional cushion for men men may feel frustrated at work as they are underpaid and have no power women provide them with emotional support when they feel this way this benefits capitalism as it reduces the stress men feel due to their exploitation in the workplace so they can continue to go to work lesson three sociological perspectives on the functions of families feminists the final sociological perspective that considers the role of the family is feminism the feminist perspective on families critiques the functionalist perspective for its emphasis on the traditional nuclear family structure and its failure to consider the ways in which families can be oppressive to women feminists argue that the traditional nuclear family structure is patriarchal and reinforces gender inequality by placing men as the primary Breadwinners and women as primary caretakers they also argue that the family can be a sight of Oppression for women as they are often expected to prioritize the needs of their families over their own needs and desires for example a feminist might argue that the traditional gender roles within the family are limiting for women's autonomy and opportunities for economic and personal development prominent feminist theorists in this field are delie and Leonard they argue that the traditional nuclear family is not a natur natural or neutral institution but it is a product of patriarchal societies which serves to maintain male dominance and control over women they also argue that the family is a site of exploitation and oppression for women who are expected to perform unpaid domestic labor and caregiving work they also argue that the family is a key institution in maintaining the patriarchal structure of society by reproducing gender roles and maintaining the sexual division of labor Lesson Four family [Music] forms there are a variety of forms of family including number one the nuclear family this is the traditional family form consisting of a married couple and their biological or adopted children the nuclear family is considered the basic unit of social organization and is characterized by its relatively small size and close emotional bonds number two the extended family this is a family form that includes multiple Generations living under the same roof or in close proximity to one another in addition to parents and children extended families may include grandparents aunts uncles and cousins this type of family is common in many cultures particularly in non-western societies where multiple Generations often live together and share resources number three reconstituted family this family form refers to a blended family where one or both Partners have children from a previous relationship and they come together to form a new family unit reconstituted families may include stepparents step siblings and half [Music] siblings number four lone parent family this family form is headed by a single parent who raises the children alone this type of family is becoming more common in modern societies and may be the result of divorce separation or never being married number five Single Sex family this family form refers to a family where all members are of the same sex such as a family headed by two mothers or two fathers this type of family is becoming more common with the acceptance of same-sex relationships and the availability of assisted reproductive Technologies number six bean Poole family this family form refers to a family that has multiple generations of older people and only some children in any generation that are all alive number seven cohabitation this refers to couples who live together but are not legally married it has become more common in many societies including the UK it is often seen as a trial marriage where couples can test their compatibility some couples cohabit indefinitely without any intention of marrying number eight empty nest a family structure where all the children have left home leaving the parents living on their own this often occurs when children grow up and move out to study or work or start their own families number nine empty shell this refers to a relationship in which the couple continues to live together but with no real love or emotional connection between them couples may stay together due to social pressures financial reasons or for the sake of the children these relationships might be free of open conflict but can also be devoid of affection or intimacy number 10 kinship the bond based on blood relations or marriage which ties individuals together in a family this can extend beyond immediate family to include extended family such as uncles aunts cousins Etc there are also alternatives to families such as firstly friends it can be argued families are less important in our lives and are replaced by friends who provide emotional support in this way our friends are more important than our kin secondly communal living this is a group of people living together and sharing possessions and property they have the shared responsibility for all members a good example example is the kabut communes which were originally Jewish children slept in children's quarters and were collectively looked after by adults and then they all ate together in one room thirdly house share a house share is when people live together but do not share possessions or property for example students living together or Lodgers renting a [Music] room number four residential homes elderly people and those with disabilities who struggle to care for themselves may live in a residential home where they have their own room but share the community life with other residents family diversity in modern societies including the UK has seen a significant increase due to various factors secularization secularization refers to the declining influence of religion in everyday life traditional religious beliefs often support the conventional nuclear family and may oppose divorce cohabitation or samex relationships as the influence of religion has decreased there's been an increase in diverse family forms which might not align with traditional religious teachings the change in position of women over the past Century women's rights and their roles in society have transformed drastically with more women in the workforce and having their own careers there's less economic dependency on men this allows women more freedom in choosing their living arrangements and relationships as women pursue higher education and careers many are choosing to marry and have children later in life changes to legislation laws have evolved to recognize and support a broader range of family types EG divorce same-sex relationships and adoption and surrogacy changes to social attitudes societal views on what constitutes a normal or acceptable family have evolved and changes to employment the nature of work and employment has transformed over time especially with the rise of flexible work in patterns and remote work economic pressures such as the need for dual incomes have influenced family structures and roles lesson five family forms in the UK compared to other countries here are a few examples of how family forms differ between the UK and other countries number one extended family most families in the UK live in separate households however in some countries it's more common for families to live in co-residential arrangements for example in many African and Asian cultures it is not uncommon for multiple generations to live together in one household this extended family structure may include grandparents uncles aunts and cousins all living together and sharing resources and responsibilities in India joint families are still a common family form where several generations of a family live together Under One Roof often with the eldest male member being the head of the household this family structure allows for shared resources and responsibilities as well as a strong sense of community and support number two communes as previously stated most families in the UK live in separate households however In some cultures people live together in large groups known as communes communes were really popular in the USA in the 60s and 70s they may have been based upon shared political beliefs or values EG environmental issues number three gender roles different cultures have different gender roles for example previously in the UK families had more traditional gender roles which meant men were often the bread winner and went to work and women stayed at home as Housewives arguably this is changing over time as women are now engaged in the workforce in the Caribbean either sex can be head of the household number four samex families samex families are becoming more visible and accepted in the UK with an increasing number of same-sex couples raising children however in many other parts of the world same-sex relationships and families are not recognized or are actively discriminated against for example in many countries in Africa and the Middle East same-sex relationships are illegal and punishable by imprisonment or even death number five single parent families single parent families are becoming increasingly common in the UK but still represent a smaller proportion of families compared to many other countries in the United States for example about 20 5% of families are headed by a single parent in some countries single parent families are often the norm due to high rates of disease and other factors that result in the loss of a parent number six kism the Kutz movement was built on principles of egalitarianism communal living and Collective ownership every member of the community would contribute to the work and in return all their basic needs would be taken care of by the Kuts there's no private property everything is owned by the community work is distributed among members based on the needs of the community and often rotates in traditional kism children were often raised in communal children's houses rather than by their biological parents this was to ensure that upbringing was in line with Community Values and to free up parents to contribute to the Kit's work however this practice has changed in many kism over the years number seven one child family instituted in 1979 by the Chinese government the one child policy was a population control measure aimed at reducing the rapid growth rate of China's population families that adhered to the policy often received benefits such as better housing or educational opportunities in contrast those who violated the policy face penalties which could include fines loss of employment or force sterilizations and abortions as a birth rate dropped and life expectancy increased China began to experience an AG in population where a higher proportion of elderly people this demographic shift posed challenges for social support systems by 2016 in response to the socioeconomic challenges created by the one child policy and a desire to balance the population's age structure the Chinese government announced an end to the policy lesson six family diversity statistics show the nuclear family is still the most popular type in the UK but over time more types of family have emerged making the nuclear family less important the rapapa were the first sociologist to identify this change unlike functionalists they saw this as a positive thing they argued that family diversity is a natural and healthy aspect of society and that it should be celebrated and accepted rather than stigmatized or pathologized they saw a postmodern future where people would have more freedom and choice over who is their family they also argued that family diversity is not just a product of individual choices but is also shaped by social economic and political factors they identified five different types of of family diversity organizational diversity there is diversity between families as the decline of marriage and increase in divorce has led to new family types emerging EG lone parent and reconstituted families there is also diversity within families as different patterns of work had lefted to differences in families for example Le dual career stay-at home and sharing of segregated conjugal roles cultural diversity migration to the UK means different cultures ethnicities and religious beliefs add to the diversity of family life some have different types of marriage EG polygamy which is where more than one husband or wife at a time and it also leads to different family practices EG child rearin practices social class diversity family social class can affect the resources available to them and their values and behaviors for example working class tend to have shared domestic tasks if both parents work whereas middle may have more segregated to support the husband's career life cycle diversity you have different family structures as you move through life for example newly wedded couples may have no dependent children but later have dependent children as they get older they may retire and may be in an empty nest family eventually one may pass away leading to a oneperson household cohort diversity family structure can change depending on events and attitudes in the world for example the first world war created lots of Lone parent families different laws and social attitudes have also led to less people getting married lockdown may have led to more divorces lesson seven conjugal roles the domestic division of labor refers to the way in which domestic tasks and responsibilities are divided within a family in traditional families the domestic division of labor is typically characterized by a clear segregation of responsibilities between men and [Music] women men are typically seen as the primary Bread Winners and are responsible for providing for the family financially while women are responsible for managing the household and caring for the children this means that women are often responsible for tasks such as cooking cleaning laundry and child care while men are responsible for tasks such as home repairs and garden work in contemporary families the domestic division of labor is becoming more equal with both Partners sharing responsibilities more equally this is due to several factors including changes in G roles and the increasing participation of women in the workforce as a result both partners are more likely to be working outside of the home and both partners are more likely to be involved in domestic tasks and child care functionalists would argue that domestic division of labor is important for the stability of the family unit and that it is best for the traditional gender roles to be maintained to meet the needs of the family and Society feminists would argue that traditional domestic division of labor is a form of gender oppression and reinforces patriarchal power structures and that it limits women's opportunities and reinforces gender stereotypes marxists would argue that domestic division of labor is the result of power struggles within the family and that it is used to maintain class and power differentials conjugal roles are characteristics and duties taken on by individuals in a marriage these can be joint or segregated joint conjugal roles refer to a situation where both Partners in a conjugal relationship share domestic and economic responsibilities equally this means that both Partners contribute to the running of the household as well as participating in paid work outside of the home in this type of conjugal role Partners also tend to share decision making power and work together to achieve common goals segregated conjugal roles on the other hand refer to a situation where Partners have distinct and separate domestic and economic responsibilities in a segregated conjugal role one partner typically takes on the role of primary bread winner and is responsible for the majority of the paid work outside of the home while the other partner takes on the role of primary caretaker and is responsible for the majority of the domestic work and child care in this type of conal role decision-making power is also typically concentrated in one partner different sociological perspective have different views of the roles and relationship ships within conjugal relationships also known as marriage or Partnerships the functionalist perspective according to functionalists the conjugal relationship plays a key role in maintaining social order and stability the traditional gender roles within the conjugal relationship are seen as complimentary with the husband fulfilling the role of bread winner also known as the instrumental role and the wife fulfilling role of Homemaker and caregiver also known as the expressive [Music] role they believe that traditional gender roles with men as the primary Breadwinners and women as the primary caregivers are necessary for the stability and prosperity of families and Society they argue that these roles are based on biological differences and that men and women are naturally suited to different tasks in this way segregated conjugal roles based upon traditional gender roles are best suited to meet the needs of the family and Society they would argue that the segregation of conjugal roles is natural and efficient the feminist perspective feminists critique the traditional gender roles within conjugal relationships as being patriarchal and oppressive to women they argue that these traditional roles perpetuate gender inequality and are based upon patriarchal values and power relations they believe that these roles are socially constructed and that men and women can perform the same tasks they call for a more equal distribution of domestic and economic responsibilities within the conjugal relationship the Marxist perspective marxists also believe that traditional gender roles are a result of social constructs and that they serve to maintain class distinctions and the capitalist system they argue that the traditional family structure with men as the primary Breadwinners and women as the primary caregivers serves to reproduce the labor force and maintain the capitalist system women have unequal roles in the family and complete most of the domestic tasks as doing so supports capitalism for example by completing all the domestic work it frees men up to go out and complete paid work they see this as evidence of capitalism rather than patriarchy marxists would argue that the segregation of conjugal roles is a result of power imbalances and class inequalities and that these roles are used to maintain maintain social and economic power differentials the postmodern perspective postmodernists reject the idea of a fixed and stable conjugal relationship and view it is a fluid everchanging construct they argue that individuals have multiple identities and roles and that these identities and roles are constantly changing and shifting lesson eight the symmetrical family Wilmont and young were sociologists who developed the theory of the symmetrical family in the 1970s they argued that families in industrial societies have become increasingly symmetrical over time meaning that both men and women have more equal roles in terms of domestic labor and child care this idea was in contrast to the traditional functionalist view of the family which saw men as the bread winners and women as the Homemakers the theory of the symmetrical family is based on the idea that as industrial societies become more complex the division of labor within families becomes more complex as well Wilmot on young argue that as women enter the workforce in increasing numbers traditional gender roles within the family begin to break down this leads to both men and women sharing domestic and child rearing responsibilities more equally Wilmont and young also developed the principle of stratified diffusion which states that changes in family patterns and gender roles tend to spread from the upper and middle classes to the working classes over time they observe that changes in family patterns such as the rise of the nuclear family and the decline of extended families tend to occur first among the middle and upper classes and then spread to the working classes over time an Oakley is a feminist sociologist who has written extensively on the idea of the conventional family and the role of women within it Oakley's perspective is that the traditional nuclear family is a patriarchal institution that is harmful to women according to Oakley the traditional family is based on a model of Domesticity where women are expected to fulfill the role of Homemaker and caretaker while men are expected to be the bread winners Oakley argues that this model of Domesticity is harmful to women because it limits their opportunities for education employment and personal development she also argues that the domestic model of the family reinforces traditional gender roles and reinforces patriarchal power structures Oakley also argues that the conventional family is a source of patriarchal oppression and that this oppressive nature of the traditional family structure is a cause of many of the problems that women face in society Oakley does recognize that women are now more likely to be in paid work but she argues that instead of roles becoming more symmetrical as women enter the workforce women in paid work still do the majority of the domestic labor this means that they have the Dual burden of both paid employment and domestic tasks and in effect have two jobs Oak perspective is not just a criticism of the traditional family form but also a call for the creation of Alternative forms of family and domestic Arrangements that are more Equitable and empowering for women Oakley's perspective is that the traditional family is not a natural or neutral institution but rather a social construct that has been shaped by patriarchal values and EMP power relations this means that it is not only possible but also necessary to change the traditional family structure to create a more equal and just Society for women lesson nine factors that impact conjugal roles conjugal role relationships within the Contemporary family can be impacted by a number of issues decision making is an important aspect of conjugal role relationships in traditional families decision- making is typically seen as the responsibility of the male partner while the female partner is responsible for managing the household and caring for the children however in contemporary families decision making is becoming more equal with both Partners sharing resp responsibilities more equally this can lead to conflicts and disagreements if Partners have different opinions or approaches to decision making money management is also an important aspect of conjugal role relationships in traditional families the male partner is typically seen as the primary bread winner and is responsible for providing for the family financially however in contemporary families both partners are more likely to be working outside of the home and both partners are more likely to be involved in Money Management this can lead to conflicts and disagreements if Partners have different approaches to managing finances or if one partner feels that they are contributing more financially than the other dual career families are becoming more common in the Contemporary family with both Partners working outside the home this can lead to challenges in balancing work and family responsibilities as well as conflicts over who will take care of the children and manage the household child rearing is also an important aspect of conjugal role relationships in traditional families the female partner is typically seen as the primary caregiver and is responsible for raising the children however in contemporary families both partners are more likely to be involved in child rearing and this can lead to disagreements over parenting Styles and decisions leisure activities are an important aspect of conjugal role relationships in traditional families leisure activities are typically seen as a responsibility the male partner while the female partner is responsible for managing the household and caring for the children however in contemporary families leisure activities are becoming more equal with both Partners sharing responsibilities more equally this can lead to conflicts if Partners have different interests or approaches to leisure activities lesson 10 how relation relationships in families have changed over time relationships within families have changed over time reflecting the social and economic changes that have occurred throughout history we can split this into three distinct family types over history pre-industrial industrialized and contemporary let's look at pre-industrial families these for typically large extended families that lived and worked together on farms or in small communities the family worked as a unit together gender roles were shared as men women and children worked according to their capabilities to provide for the family children were viewed as many adults who were able to work and provide for the family as soon as they were physically capable the family unit was responsible for the healthcare education and Welfare of its members families were also closely tied to their communities with extended family members and community members often working together and providing Mutual support social Mobility was rare and you tended to stay in the social class you were born into industrialized families during the Industrial Revolution families began to change as people moved from rural areas to cities for work the nuclear family was now the dominant type gender roles changed as women became increasingly excluded from employment by legislation men became the bread wommer and women and children became dependents the housewife role became prominent and women were responsible for the socialization of children and emotional and physical care of the family children were seen as more vulnerable and were not allowed to work as the education system emerged the state started to take over some functions of the family for example the NHS took over healthc care provision at this point families were able to achieve social Mobility if the father got a well-paid job although this was still difficult to achieve and finally moving on to contemporary families in contemporary or modern societies the concept of the nuclear family has become less prevalent as single parent and Blended families have become more common gender roles within families have become more equal as women have entered the workforce in increasing numbers and men have become more involved in domestic and child rearing tasks additionally there has been a rise in the acceptance of non-traditional family structures such as same-sex relationships and single parent families families have become more child centered seeing children as vulnerable and dependent there are now lots of laws to protect children more opportunities in the workplace means social Mobility has become easier to achieve sociological perspectives on change in relationships within families can be broadly grouped into three main categories functionalist feminist and Marxist the functionalist perspective functionalists see childhood as improving as a result of Greater child centeredness in the family this has led children to be happier safer and more valued compared to the pre-industrial family where children were viewed as a unit of production to work they are now objects of consumption meaning they bring parents pleasure pride and they want to invest time and resources in them laws has also been created to protect children from abuse and neglect in the family the feminist perspective feminists argue that the family is still a sight of Oppression for women who are expected to take on most of the domestic labor and child rearing responsibilities childhood is a time where girls are socialized to accept their secondary and subordinate position in society girls learn their future roles by observing the exploitation of their mothers within the patriarchal family as Society changes feminists argue that the fam should change as well to promote gender equality and greater autonomy for women the Marxist perspective marxists argue that the family reflects the larger capitalist society and that changes in the family are a result of changes in the economy and class relations as capitalist societies undergo changes such as the rise of the service sector and the decline of the industrial sector the family also changes with new forms of family emerging such as the Dual earner family children also suffer due to to the capitalist Society for example by poverty neglect and abuse since the system is driven by profit children inevitably become casualties of low wages alienated workers and frustrated parents with financial worries and debt all three perspectives highlight different aspects of how relationships within families change over time and how these changes are connected to broader social and economic changes lesson 11 contemporary family related issues contemporary family related issues include number one the responsibility of parents as time has passed children are viewed as increasingly vulnerable this has meant children have become more dependent on adults the period of dependency is increasing as children are now expected to remain in education until they are 18 number two the quality of parenting there is ongoing debate about what constitutes good parenting and how to measure it some argue that permissive parenting Styles can lead to children who lack self-discipline While others argue that authoritarian parenting Styles can lead need to children who lack self-esteem some argue the role of the parent is diminishing and being replaced by peers teachers the internet and [Music] games tablets and TV are known as electronic babysitters increased access to technology means parents have less control over the behavior of their children teenagers also have far more access to unsuitable and harmful materials online others disagree and say parents have too much control over their children for example parents control children's resources like their pocket money their space having adult only areas their time what bedtime and curfews they have and their bodies including the dinner and clothes they wear number three relationships between teenagers and adults the relationship between teenagers and adults can be fraud with conflict adolescents often struggle to gain independence and assert their own identity while adults May struggle to let go of control and accept their CH child's grown autonomy furthermore some Studies have suggested that parental involvement and monitoring can have negative effects on adolescent mental health and well-being number four care of the disabled and elderly the care of disabled and elderly family members is an ongoing issue for many families this can include providing financial support emotional support and physical care as the population ages the number of people with disabilities and elderly individuals is expected to increase putting a strain on families and Health Care Systems number five arranged marriage arranged marriages are still practiced in some cultures and traditions where parents or a third party arrange the marriage between two individuals while some argue that arranged marriages can lead to stable and fulfilling relationships others argue that they can limit personal freedom and lead to feelings of pressure and dissatisfaction all these issues reflect the complexity and diversity of contemporary families the way family members interact and the way they are expected to interact is different in different cultures and societies furthermore the roles and responsibilities within families are also changing over time as gender roles and social norms evolve Lesson 12 criticisms of families number one isolation and unrealistic idealization some family members can have unrealistic and idealized expectations of relationships and others in the family for example a child may feel parents have unrealistic expectations of their academic performance this can be made worse by society's expectations of us and social media the pressure of these unrealistic expectations can lead to disappointment and have a negative impact on Mental Health they argue that the emphasis on the nuclear family as the ideal unit can lead to neglect of other forms of family and Community Support number two loss of traditional functions critics argue that the traditional functions of the family such as providing economic support and socialization have been taken over by other institutions leaving families with less purpose and fewer responsibilities for example education is now performed by school Healthcare is now performed by the NHS and Welfare is now looked after by social services this reduced the importance of the family number three lack of contact with wider kinship networks as we have become more GE graphically mobile those moving away may lose touch with their elderly relatives who are unable to travel as there has been more focus on the immediate nuclear family we have less contact with extended family which may contribute to isolation particularly those who are divorced or widowed number four the status and role of women within families critics argue that traditional gender roles Within families can be oppressive to women who are often expected to take on the majority of domestic and caregiving responsibilities number five marital breakdown around one in three marriages end in divorce critics argue that the high rates of marital breakdown in contemporary Society can have negative effects on Children and Families leading to increased poverty and mental health problems number six dysfunctional families critics argue that some families may be dysfunctional characterized by neglect abuse and domestic violence which can have a detrimental impact on the physical mental and emotional well-being of family members different sociological perspectives criticize the family for different reasons functionalists generally see the family as positive and supportive however some functionalists recognize negative aspects of the family they suggest children become emotional scapegoats for parents as they offload their daily stresses onto them marxists such as zetki argue the family is unable to provide for the psychological and social needs of the IND individual instead it exists to support capitalism and in doing so can have a negative impact on individuals feminists such as delie and Leonard argue the positive view of the family hides the true amount of unhappiness and frustration experienced by women in the family they believe the family has a central role in uphold in patriarchy and see the family as a vehicle for female oppression and subject ation women are twice as likely as men to experience domestic abuse lesson 13 the change in patterns of divorce the pattern of divorce in Britain since 1945 has seen a steady increase in the overall divorce rate in 1945 the divorce rate in England and Wales was around 9 per 100,000 population by 1964 it had risen to 18 per 100,000 population the divorce rate continued to rise throughout the latter half of the 20th century reaching a peak of about 16 per 1,000 married population in 1993 in the 21st century the divorce rate in England and Wales has fluctuated around 11 and A2 per 1,000 married population but it is still still much higher than it was in the mid 20th century according to the office of national statistics there were 1,669 divorces granted in England and Wales in 2020 the main factors that have contributed to the increase in the divorce rate in Britain since 1945 include changes in social attitudes towards marriage and divorce the increase in number of women in the workforce and the availability of no fault divorce Additionally the increase in cohabitation as an alternative to marriage has led to a decline in the number of marriages which in turn has led to a decline in the number of potential divorce cases in 2020 the average length of marriage for divorce was 12.7 years with the majority of marriages ending in divorce within the first 10 years and the rate of divorce is higher for those who marry at a younger age there are several reasons that have contributed to the riseing divorce in Britain since 1945 changes in the law one of the main reasons for the rise and divorce has been changes in the law prior to 1969 divorce in Britain was only possible by proving that one spouse was at fault such as through adultery or cruelty however the divorce Reform Act of 1969 introduced the concept of no fault divorce making it possible for couples to divorce simply by stating that the marriage had broke down irretrievably this made it easier for couples to obtain a divorce and led to a significant increase in the number of divorce cases changing social attitude udes another reason for the rise in divorce has been changes in social attitudes and values as Society has become more secular traditional values and beliefs about marriage and the family have been challenged the idea of marriage as a lifelong commitment has been replaced by a more individualistic approach with people feeling more entitled to seek happiness and fulfillment in their personal lives this has led to a decline in the number of marriages and an increase in the number of divorces the change in status of women the status of women in society has also played a role in the rising divorce as women have become more financially independent and have gained greater access to education and employment opportunities they have been less willing to tolerate unhappy or unsatisfying marriages this has led to an increase in the number number of women initiating divorce proceedings secularization secularization has also played a role as with the rise of secularization traditional values and beliefs about marriage in the family have been challenged this has led to a decline in the number of marriages and an increase in the number of divorces as people have become more individualistic increased life expectancy as we now live longer we are more likely to seek a new partner in later life if we are unhappy with our current ones previously we felt more of a need to stick with our partners even if we were unhappy as we felt we didn't have enough of Our Lives left to make a big change now many people divorce midlife and find new partners sociological perspectives on divorce and the rise in Lone parent families can offer different explanations and understandings of these issues functionalists would argue that divorce is a negative consequence of the breakdown of social institutions such as the family they would argue that the family is a vital institution that fulfills several important functions including socialization emotional support and the care of children thus they would argue that the rise in divorce and lone parent families is a sign that Society is not functioning properly however they do recognize some positive functions of divorce for example it can lead to less dysfunctional families feminist sociologists would argue that the rise in divorce and lone parent families is a result of patriarchal social structures that have oppressed women and limited their opportunities they would argue that the traditional nuclear family is a patriarchal institution that has been used to control and exploit women they would also argue that the rise in Lone parent families is a result of the lack of support for women who are trying to raise children on their own feminists believe the family is often a less happy place for women than men causing them to feel resentment for example because of triple shift and domestic abuse previously women could not apply for divorce and were often forced to stay in unhappy marriages consequently feminists often see divorce as a positive thing so women can escape unhappy marriages Marxist sociologists would argue that the rise in divorce and lone parent families is a result of the capitalist economic system they would argue that the capitalist system creates a societ society that is characterized by economic inequality and class conflict which can lead to the breakdown of families they would also argue that the rise in Lone parent families is a result of the capitalist systems failure to provide adequate support for workingclass families lesson 14 the consequences of divorce divorces can have several negative consequences for family members including emotional financial and social effects for the husband and wife divorce can be a traumatic and stressful experience it can lead to feelings of grief loss and emotional turmoil as well as Financial stress and uncertainty the couple may experience a loss of companionship and emotional support as well as difficulties in co-parenting and maintaining a relationship with their children for children divorce can be particularly difficult as it can disrupt their sense of security and stability children may experience feelings of Abandonment and loss as well as difficulty adjusting to living in two separate households they may also struggle with the emotional turmoil of their parents and have difficulty coping with changes in their family Dynamics children of divorced parents are also more likely to experience behavioral and emotional problems and have a greater risk of academic and social problems for extended family members divorce can also be a difficult and stressful experience they may be called upon to provide emotional and financial support to the couple and their children which can be very challenging they may also experience a sense of loss and sadness as the family unit is disrupted the increase in the number of Lone parent families is also a consequence of the rise and divorce lone parent families are more likely to experience financial difficulties and are more likely to live in poverty than two parent families they may also struggle with the responsibilities of raising and children on their own and may experience feelings of isolation and loneliness ouch this is 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