AQA A Level Sociology Revision Guide: Families & Households

Functions of Families & Households

Sociological Explanations

• Family and household relationship with social structure and change.
• Reference to economy and state policies.

Key Concepts

• Family: No clear definition; broad sense (descendants) vs. narrow sense (parents and children).
  • Includes non-traditional forms (e.g., unmarried couples, adopted children).
  • Broader family involved if part of everyday life (e.g., childcare).
• Household: Group living together, not necessarily kin.
  • Includes non-family groups (e.g., flatmates, single occupancy).

Theoretical Views on Family Functions

Functionalist Views

• George Murdock (1949): Four universal functions of family:
  • Educational: Norms and values (primary socialisation).
  • Economic: Resource pooling.
  • Reproductive: Producing next generation.
  • Sexual: Stabilising adult relationships.
• Talcott Parsons (1951): Two irreducible functions in modern societies:
  • Primary socialisation: Norms and values tied to family/community.
  • Stabilisation of adult personalities: Emotional support ("warm bath theory").
• Criticisms:
  • Overly idealistic view.
  • Conflict theorists (Marxists, feminists) argue families benefit powerful groups, not society.
  • Feminist perspective: Families benefit men; women as "takers of shit."

Marxist Views

• Families serve capitalism and ruling class (bourgeoisie).
• Engels (1884): Economic function through inheritance.
• Zaretsky (1976): Family as a private control space for proletarian men, mitigates work exploitation.
• Criticism: Disagreement with current societal constitution based on class struggle.

Industrial Society and Family

• Parsons: Transition from extended to nuclear families supportive of industrial society.
  • Geographical/social mobility and specialised roles.
• Criticism:
  • Historical data challenges Parsons’ theory.
  • Laslett & Anderson found nuclear families predated industrialisation.

March of Progress Theory

• Wilmott & Young (1973): Four stages of family development.
  • Pre-industrial: Family as economic unit.
  • Early industrial: Separation of home/work; kinship importance.
  • Symmetrical family: Gender role balance.
  • Asymmetrical family: Unrealised prediction of increasing male leisure independence.
• Criticism: Idealised progress view; feminist scholars challenge symmetrical family portrayal.

Social Policy and Families

Coalition Government (2010-2015)

• Policies like shared parental leave and same-sex marriage.
• Inconsistencies in policy focus.
• Issues with parental leave uptake.

Conservative Government (Post-2015)

• Married couple’s tax allowance.
• Child tax credits limited to two children.
• Links between social policy and power dynamics.

Exam Preparation

• Analyze social policy impact on families.
• Use provided exam hints for question preparation.
  • Example questions on social policy influence and family life.