Overview of AQA A-Level Sociology Families

Jun 2, 2025

AQA A-Level Sociology: Families and Households

Introduction

  • Topic: Families and Households (Paper 2) in AQA A-Level Sociology
  • Structure: 3 questions (2 x 10 markers, 1 x 20 marker) = 40 marks (half of Paper 2)
  • Other half of the paper includes topics like Media or Beliefs

Sociological Perspectives and Theories

  • Functionalism

    • Murdoch: Family is a social group with common residence, economic cooperation, and reproduction
    • Nuclear Family: Man, woman, own/adopted children. Universal according to Murdoch.
    • Four Functions (Acronym: SEA):
      • S: Sex - stable satisfaction of human sex drive
      • E: Education - transmission of norms and values
      • E: Economic - meeting family’s economic needs
      • R: Reproduction - producing the next generation
    • Critique: SEA functions can be met outside family (IVF, welfare state, education centers)

  • Parsons' Views

    • Family functions change to fit society’s needs (Functional Fit Theory)
    • Two main functions: Primary Socialization, Stabilization of adult personalities
    • Expressive and Instrumental Roles: Men as breadwinners, women as caretakers
    • Critique: Changes in law and society challenge traditional roles

  • New Right

    • Advocates for nuclear family and traditional values
    • Criticism of single-parent families; linked to delinquency and societal issues

  • Feminism

    • Family benefits men more than women
    • Gender socialization through canalization and verbal appellation
    • Types of Feminism:
      • Liberal: Focus on equal rights through legislation
      • Marxist: Women's oppression linked to capitalism
      • Radical: Patriarchy as root of women's oppression
      • Difference: Cannot generalize women's experiences

  • Marxism

    • Family maintains capitalist society (Ideological State Apparatus)
    • Engels: Marriage ensures wealth remains in ruling class
    • Zaretsky: Family as unit of consumption

  • Postmodernism

    • Focus on meanings individuals give to family relationships
    • Diversity and choice in family structures

Division of Labor

  • Types of Conjugal Roles

    • Segregated: Traditional roles, men and women separate tasks
    • Joint: Shared domestic tasks and leisure time

  • Symmetrical Family (Wilmont and Young)

    • Move towards joint roles due to social changes (council housing, women working)
    • Critiqued by Oakley: True equality in roles is overstated

  • Decision Making (Edgel)

    • Men typically make more important decisions
    • Women’s decisions often relate to less important areas

Marriage and Divorce

  • Decline in marriage rates and rise in cohabitation
  • Increasing divorce rates due to societal changes and legislation

Family Diversity

  • Modernism vs. Postmodernism: Shift from structured life to choice and diversity
  • Types of Families: Nuclear, extended, reconstituted, etc.

Social Policy

  • Impact on family life: Divorce reforms, contraception, same-sex marriage
  • Critique of policies: Reinforcement of patriarchal structures

Childhood

  • Socially constructed; varies across cultures and time
  • Postman's view on the disappearance of childhood
  • Child-centered society: Increasing rights and focus on children’s welfare

Family Demographics

  • Population growth and its implications
  • Fertility, birth, and death rates
  • Life expectancy and an aging population

Migration

  • Factors influencing migration: Globalization, legislation, push/pull factors
  • Diverse experiences based on gender and ethnicity

These notes aim to provide a comprehensive overview of key topics in AQA A-Level Sociology focusing on families and households. They reflect concepts, theories, and perspectives relevant to understanding the structure and dynamics of families.

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