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The sociology of families

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How and why have patterns of marriage, divorce and family life changed?

Changing family patterns, including trends in marriage, cohabitation, divorce, childbearing and the ageing population, and the reasons behind them.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE Sociology families topic, covering changing patterns of marriage, divorce, cohabitation and childbearing in Britain, and the social and legal reasons behind them.
9 min answer →

How are roles and power divided between partners in the family?

Conjugal roles and the division of domestic labour, including segregated and joint roles, the symmetrical family, the dual burden, and decision-making and power within couples.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE Sociology families topic, covering conjugal roles, the symmetrical family thesis of Willmott and Young, Oakley's critique, the dual burden and power within couples.
9 min answer →

What criticisms do sociologists make of the family?

Criticisms of the family, including the Marxist and feminist views, the dark side of family life, and the conflict perspective on family roles and inequality.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE Sociology families topic, covering Marxist and feminist criticisms of the family, the dark side of family life, and conflict views on inequality within families.
9 min answer →

What different family forms exist in modern Britain?

The diversity of family forms, including nuclear, extended, reconstituted, lone-parent, same-sex and single-person households, and the reasons for increasing family diversity.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE Sociology families topic, covering the main family forms (nuclear, extended, reconstituted, lone-parent, same-sex) and the reasons for growing family diversity in Britain.
9 min answer →

What functions do families perform for individuals and for society?

The functions of families, including Murdock's four functions and Parsons' two basic and irreducible functions, and the functionalist view of the family as a positive institution.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE Sociology families topic, covering the functions of families through Murdock's four functions and Parsons' two basic and irreducible functions, with the functionalist view of the family.
9 min answer →