What does the family do for individuals and for society?
The functions of families, including Murdock's four functions and Parsons' two basic functions (primary socialisation and the stabilisation of adult personalities), and how perspectives evaluate them.
A focused answer to the Eduqas GCSE Sociology families topic, covering the functions of the family using Murdock's four functions and Parsons' two basic and irreducible functions, with the perspectives that evaluate them.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to explain what the family does, using the functionalist accounts of Murdock and Parsons, and to be able to evaluate them against the Marxist and feminist criticisms. The functions of the family are a favourite for both short explain questions and the longer discuss questions on Component 1.
Murdock: four functions
Murdock's account is the classic functionalist starting point: the family is treated as a positive institution that benefits both its members and society as a whole. The educational (socialisation) function links directly to the key concepts topic, since it is how culture is transmitted to the next generation.
Parsons: two basic functions
The "warm bath" image captures the idea that the family lets adults relax and recover from the stresses of work and wider society, much as a warm bath relieves tension. For Parsons, this emotional function and the socialisation of children are why the family remains essential even as other functions have moved elsewhere.
Evaluating the functionalist view
The functionalist account is positive, but the exam rewards setting it against the conflict perspectives:
- Marxists argue the family benefits capitalism, not everyone. It socialises children to accept authority, acts as a unit of consumption that buys goods, and reproduces the labour force for the ruling class.
- Feminists argue the family is patriarchal and benefits men. Women carry the dual burden of paid work and housework, and power within the family is often unequal.
- Both point to the dark side of family life, such as domestic violence and child abuse, which the rosy functionalist picture ignores.
A strong answer accepts that the family does perform important functions while showing that whether it benefits everyone depends on whose interests are served.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20184 marksExplain one function the family performs for society.Show worked answer →
A four-mark explain item: name one function and develop it.
One function is the primary socialisation of children. The family is the first agency that teaches a child language, norms and values and the difference between right and wrong.
Develop the point: by socialising children into the shared culture, the family ensures that society's values are passed on to the next generation, which functionalists such as Parsons argue is essential for social order. Markers reward a clearly named function plus a developed explanation of how it benefits society.
Eduqas 202112 marksDiscuss the view that the family benefits everyone in society.Show worked answer →
A twelve-mark discuss item assessing AO1, AO2 and AO3. Use functionalism for the view, conflict perspectives against it, then judge.
For the view: functionalists argue the family benefits everyone. Murdock said it meets four needs (sexual, reproductive, economic and educational), and Parsons said it performs two basic functions: primary socialisation and the stabilisation of adult personalities (the warm bath theory). So the family serves both individuals and society.
Against the view: Marxists argue the family benefits capitalism and the ruling class, not everyone, by producing obedient workers and acting as a unit of consumption. Feminists argue it benefits men, through the dual burden and unequal power, and both point to the dark side of family life such as domestic violence.
Judgement: the family performs important functions, but whether it benefits everyone depends on whose interests are served, so the functionalist view is incomplete. Markers reward both sides, named thinkers and a supported conclusion.
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas GCSE Sociology (C200) specification — WJEC Eduqas (2017)