Parsons on the Family | A Level Sociology - Families

Summary

This tutorial video explores Talcott Parsons' influential functionalist perspective on families and households. Parsons, focusing on the American nuclear family, posited it as universal and self-sufficient, with primary socialization and stabilization of adult personalities as its core functions. His sex role theory, suggesting biological suitability for gender roles, has been criticized but offers insight into the evolution of family structures. Despite criticisms of ethnocentrism and outdated views, Parsons' work provides a foundational understanding of family dynamics.

Takeaways

• 📚 Talcott Parsons is a prominent functionalist sociologist known for his work on the family as a social structure.
• 🏡 Parsons viewed the nuclear family as universal, with a focus on the American nuclear family being more isolated compared to other cultures.
• 👪 He proposed that the nuclear family has two fundamental functions: primary socialization and the stabilization of adult personalities.
• 👶 Primary socialization, according to Parsons, involves teaching children societal norms and values to ensure they conform to societal expectations.
• 🛁 The 'warm bath theory' suggests that family life provides emotional security and a sanctuary for adults to unwind from the stresses of work.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parsons' functional fit theory explains the evolution from extended to nuclear families due to industrialization and urbanization.
• 👩‍💼 Sex role theory by Parsons suggests that gender roles within the family are based on biological differences and gender socialization.
• 🔧 Critics argue that Parsons' ideas are based on stereotypes and overlook the existence of nuclear families in pre-industrial times.
• 🌐 His work has been criticized for being ethnocentric, focusing mainly on American ideals and lacking empirical evidence.
• 🔄 Contemporary society has seen changes in family functionality, with other institutions taking on roles traditionally filled by the family.

Q & A

Who is Talcott Parsons and what is his contribution to the study of families and households?

Talcott Parsons is one of the most influential functionalist sociologists. His contribution to the study of families and households includes the view of the nuclear family as universal, with a focus on the American nuclear family, and the concept of primary socialization and stabilization of adult personalities as the family's basic and irreducible functions.

How does Parsons view the nuclear family's role in society?

Parsons views the nuclear family as having a universal role in society, with two basic and irreducible functions: primary socialization and the stabilization of adult personalities. He suggests that the nuclear family is self-sufficient from extended kinship networks and utilizes other social institutions for some of its functions.

What is the concept of primary socialization as described by Parsons?

Primary socialization, according to Parsons, involves the early socialization of children into the appropriate norms and values of society. This includes teaching children how to act in specific social situations and instilling the core values of society, which is referred to as the value consensus.

What is the 'warm bath theory' in the context of Parsons' work?

The 'warm bath theory' refers to the idea that family life provides emotional security for its adult members, allowing them to address worries within the comfort of home. It is likened to a warm bath that can soothe and wash away the worries of work, helping to stabilize adult personalities.

How does Parsons explain the domestic division of labor in terms of sex role theory?

Parsons' sex role theory suggests that males and females are biologically suited to perform specific roles in the family. Men are seen as better suited to the instrumental role, which involves providing economic support and maintaining discipline, while women are considered better suited to the expressive role, providing emotional support and nurturing.

What is the 'functional fit theory' as proposed by Parsons?

Parsons' functional fit theory suggests that the evolution of the family into the nuclear family occurred due to industrialization and urbanization. This led to a need for families to be geographically and socially mobile, resulting in the formation of smaller nuclear families.

How has criticism of Parsons' views on gender roles evolved over time?

Critics have pointed out that Parsons' views on gender roles are based on crude stereotypes of males and females. Feminists have also highlighted the patriarchal nature of his explanations. Contemporary society has seen changes with dual-earner families and increased male involvement in child upbringing.

What evidence challenges Parsons' explanation of the evolution of the nuclear family?

Laszlo found evidence of the existence of the nuclear family in the pre-industrial era by examining parish records, challenging Parsons' explanation. Additionally, Wilmar Young's research demonstrated the existence of extended kinship networks in East London in the 1950s.

What is the criticism regarding Parsons' view of society and his research methodology?

Parsons has been criticized for having an outdated view of society and for ethnocentrism, focusing solely on American ideals. His work is also considered theoretical rather than empirical, meaning there was little research to back up his findings.

How has the functionality of the family changed according to more contemporary research?

Contemporary research shows that the family has lost some of its traditional functionality, which has been replaced by other institutions. This reflects a shift in societal structures and expectations of family roles.

Outlines

00:00

👨‍👩‍👧 Parsons' View on the Nuclear Family and Socialization

This paragraph introduces Talcott Parsons, a prominent functionalist sociologist, and his views on the family. Parsons believed in the universality of the nuclear family, which he saw as self-sufficient and isolated from extended kinship networks. He emphasized the family's two fundamental functions: primary socialization, where children are taught societal norms and values to fit into society, and the stabilization of adult personalities, providing emotional security and a 'warm bath' effect to soothe away work-related stress. Parsons' sex role theory also suggested that gender roles in the family were based on biological characteristics, with men taking on instrumental roles and women expressive roles, an idea that has been criticized over time.

05:02

🔍 Critique and Evolution of Parsons' Theories on the Family

The second paragraph critiques Parsons' theories, highlighting that his views were based on stereotypes and patriarchal notions of gender roles. Critics, including feminists, have pointed out the ethnocentric focus on American ideals and the lack of empirical research to support his claims. It also discusses how contemporary society has seen changes in gender roles and family functionality, with dual-earner families becoming more common and men taking a more active role in child-rearing. Research by Laszlo and Wilmar Young has challenged Parsons' views on the evolution of the nuclear family, showing evidence of its existence in pre-industrial times and the continued importance of extended kinship networks. The paragraph concludes by acknowledging the outdated nature of Parsons' work, given the passage of time since his writing.

Keywords

💡Functionalist

Functionalism is a sociological perspective that views society as a complex system whose parts work together in a coordinated manner to maintain its stability and order. In the video, Talcott Parsons, a prominent functionalist sociologist, is discussed as one who sees the family as a social structure that contributes to the stability of society through its functions.

💡Nuclear Family

The nuclear family refers to a family unit consisting of two parents and their children. Parsons viewed the nuclear family as universal, suggesting that it is a fundamental social structure across societies. The video contrasts his view with that of G.P. Murdock, highlighting how Parsons focused on the American nuclear family as more isolated.

💡Primary Socialization

Primary socialization is the process by which children learn the basic norms, values, and behaviors of their society. Parsons emphasized this as a key function of the family, where children are taught pro-social behaviors to fit into society, as mentioned in the context of the 'value consensus' and the teaching of appropriate social conduct.

💡Stabilization of Adult Personalities

This concept, also known as the 'warm bath theory,' refers to the family's role in providing emotional security and a space for adults to relax and de-stress from their work lives. The video describes how family life can stabilize adult personalities by offering a comforting environment to address worries and indulge in childlike play.

💡Domestic Division of Labour

The domestic division of labour pertains to the distribution of household chores and responsibilities between family members, often along gender lines. Parsons' sex role theory posits that males and females are biologically suited to perform specific roles within the family, such as men being the primary breadwinners and women taking on nurturing roles.

💡Sex Role Theory

Sex role theory examines the roles that men and women are expected to perform in society based on their biological sex. Parsons believed that gender roles within the family were naturally divided due to biological differences, with men taking on instrumental roles and women on expressive roles, a perspective that has been criticized for reinforcing stereotypes.

💡Functional Fit Theory

Parsons' functional fit theory suggests that the evolution of the family structure is influenced by societal needs. The video explains how industrialization and urbanization led to a shift from extended to nuclear families, as smaller units were more geographically and socially mobile, fitting the needs of a changing economic landscape.

💡Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism is the practice of judging other cultures based on the values and standards of one's own culture. The video critiques Parsons for ethnocentrism, as his theories were primarily based on the American family and did not account for the diversity of family structures and functions across different cultures.

💡Value Consensus

Value consensus refers to the shared values and beliefs that hold a society together. In the context of the video, Parsons believed that families teach children these core values, which are essential for social cohesion and conformity to societal expectations.

💡Instrumental Role

The instrumental role, as discussed in Parsons' sex role theory, is associated with tasks that are goal-oriented and involve achieving specific outcomes. Men were thought to be naturally suited for this role due to their physicality and were expected to provide economic support and maintain discipline within the family.

💡Expressive Role

The expressive role is linked to emotional support and nurturing behaviors. According to Parsons, women were biologically and socially predisposed to this role, which involves caring for the emotional needs of family members, nurturing children, and maintaining the family's emotional well-being.

Highlights

Parsons is a key functionalist sociologist who extensively wrote about the family as a social structure.

He views the nuclear family as universal, similar to G.P. Murdoch, but with a focus on the American nuclear family.

Parsons describes the American nuclear family as more isolated and self-sufficient from extended kinship networks.

The nuclear family has two basic functions: primary socialization and the stabilization of adult personalities.

Primary socialization involves teaching children appropriate norms and values of society.

The stabilization of adult personalities, or 'warm bath theory,' provides emotional security and a relief from work-related stress.

Parsons' sex role theory suggests that males and females are biologically suited to specific roles within the family.

Males are seen as better suited for the instrumental role, providing economic support and maintaining discipline.

Females are considered best for the expressive role, providing emotional support and nurturing the family.

Critics argue that Parsons' ideas are based on stereotypes and highlight the patriarchal nature of his explanations.

Parsons' functional fit theory explains the evolution from extended to nuclear families due to industrialization and urbanization.

Contemporary research challenges Parsons' view, showing the persistence of extended kinship networks and changes in gender roles.

Parsons has been criticized for ethnocentrism, focusing solely on American ideals and lacking empirical research to back his findings.

Parsons' work, written over 60 years ago, provides a theoretical framework that has influenced the study of family life.

The video concludes with a summary of Parsons' contributions to the understanding of family structures and functions.

Transcripts

welcome to this tutor to use sociology

topic video on families and households

examining the views of parsons on the

family

topko parsons is one of the most

influential functionalist sociologists

and his volume of work spreads

throughout the different modules on the

course he wrote extensively about family

life particularly focusing on the family

as a social structure

his view of the nuclear family being

universal is quite similar to that of

another theorist in the functionalist

tradition that we have looked at g p

murdoch

parsons also suggested that the nuclear

family was universal but he differed

slightly from murder by focusing on the

american nuclear family which he saw as

more isolated than the nuclear families

that murdoch had described

he argued that there existed a

privatised nuclear family one that was

self-sufficient from extended kinship

networks and utilized other social

institutions to provide some of the

functions of the family

despite this he suggested the nuclear

family had two basic and irreducible

functions these were primary

socialization and the stabilization of

adult personalities

parsons looked to explain the domestic

division of labour as part of his sex

role theory suggesting that males and

females were biologically suited to

perform in specific roles in the family

and we will look at the ideas of parsons

in more detail in this video

whereas murdoch took a cross-cultural

approach to his research

parsons concepts were based upon his

theoretical ideas of the american family

in the 1950s

an era often referred to as the golden

age of capitalism where families look to

other institutions to replace some of

the functions of the family becoming

consumers as technological advances in

the development of greater

infrastructure in the aftermath of world

war ii offered hope of a brighter future

for american families

parsons suggested however that there

were two functions that could not be

performed by any institution other than

the family

and these were primary socialization and

the stabilization of adult personalities

parsons ideas of primary socialization

were not too different to murdoch's

function of education

it involved the early socialization of

children into the appropriate norms and

values of society

children will be taught how to act in

specific social situations such as at

the dining table or in the presence of

adults

they will also be taught the core values

of society what function is referred to

as the value consensus

essentially pro-social behaviors that

enable them to fit into society and not

become deviant

parents would reinforce these behaviors

and sanction behaviors that were

undesirable thus allowing their children

to grow up well adjusted to society and

conformed to its expectations of them

a second function parsons described was

the stabilization of adult personalities

now this is often referred to as the

warm bath theory an idea that for the

males coming home to the family was the

equivalent of getting into a warm bath

capable of soothing and washing away the

worries of work

however there was more to the

stabilization of personalities

family life provided a form of emotional

security for its adult members

allowing worries to be addressed within

the comfort at home allowing people to

function normally in the public sphere

adults could also indulge their childish

tendencies through playing with their

children being involved in games and

playing with toys gave them a sense of

fulfillment through play and helped to

stabilize their personalities in

contrast to the stresses of adult life

a further contribution of parsons to our

understanding of family life was the

evolution of the family into the nuclear

family in what is referred to as parsons

functional fit theory

he suggested that in the pre-industrial

era the family was larger most likely to

be extended either horizontally through

living with siblings and their families

or vertically with grandparents being

cared for by their sons and daughters

parsons suggested that as a result of

industrialization and urbanization the

family unit became smaller

as there was a need for families to be

both geographically mobile in order to

move to towns and cities to look for

employment

and socially mobile

this was necessary as the expansion of

industry meant there was a need for

layers of middle management to control

workers and these would be inevitably

form the middle classes

and so the need for socially mobile

smaller nuclear families evolved in

society

a final contribution of parsons was sex

role theory which examined gender roles

within the family amongst other areas of

society

parsons suggested that roles within the

family were best divided based upon

biological characteristics and the

process of gender socialization

he suggested that males were better

suited to the instrumental role because

of their physicality

which involved providing economic

support through employment and

maintaining the discipline in the

household

the expressive role the emotional

support and the nurturing of the family

was best performed by females as they

were biologically and socially

predisposed to showing more nurturing

characteristics such as empathy

of course critics over time have

criticized these ideas as being based

upon crude stereotypes of males and

females

while feminists have highlighted the

patriarchal nature of parsons

explanations

gender roles in contemporary society

have changed with the growth of dual

learner families and males being more

involved in children's upbringing than

in the past

a second criticism of parsons is his

explanation of the evolution of the

nuclear family

laszlo found evidence by looking at

parish records of the existence of the

nuclear family in the pre-industrial era

while later research by wilmar young

demonstrated the existence of extended

kinship networks in east london in 1950s

parsons has also been criticized for

having an outdated view of society but

given he was writing over 60 years ago

this is to be expected

more contemporary research into family

life shows the extent to which the

family has lost some of its traditional

functionality

and how this has been replaced by other

institutions

and finally parsons has been criticized

for ethnocentrism in his research

focusing solely on american ideals

while his work is theoretical rather

than empirical in nature

meaning there was little research to

back up his findings

that concludes this tutor to you

sociology topic video on families and

households examining the work of toll

cut parsons on the family

thanks for watching