Functionalist and New Right Views of the Family

Functionalism and the New Right represent two of the most influential — and most criticised — perspectives on the family. Both view the traditional nuclear family as the ideal family form, but they arrive at this conclusion by different routes. Understanding these perspectives, and the evidence for and against them, is essential for AQA A-Level Sociology (7192).

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The Functionalist Perspective

Functionalism is a consensus theory. It sees society as a system of interdependent parts (institutions) that work together to maintain social stability and meet society's needs. The family is one of these institutions, and functionalists argue it performs vital functions for both individuals and society.

Murdock (1949): Four Functions of the Family

As introduced in Lesson 1, George Peter Murdock (1949) identified four essential functions:

Function	Explanation
Sexual	The family channels sexuality into socially approved relationships (marriage), preventing jealousy and social disruption
Reproductive	The family provides a stable environment for producing and raising the next generation
Economic	Family members cooperate economically — sharing income, food, housing, and labour
Educational (socialisation)	The family is the primary agent of socialisation, transmitting culture, norms, and values to children

Murdock argued these functions are so important that the nuclear family is found in every known society — it is a universal institution.

Criticisms of Murdock

• Feminists argue Murdock ignores the dark side of family life — domestic violence, child abuse, and the exploitation of women's unpaid labour.
• Marxists argue the family primarily serves the interests of capitalism, not "society" as a whole.
• Other institutions can perform these functions — the state provides education and welfare; religion and peer groups also socialise children. The family is not the only institution capable of fulfilling these roles.

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Parsons (1955): The Functional Fit Theory and Two "Irreducible" Functions

Talcott Parsons (1955) went further than Murdock, arguing that the family has lost many of its traditional functions (economic production, education, healthcare, welfare) to specialised institutions. In modern industrial society, the family retains only two irreducible (essential) functions:

1. Primary socialisation of children — The family is uniquely equipped to socialise children during their earliest years, internalising the norms and values of society and shaping personality. Parsons drew on Freud to argue that early family experiences are critical for personality development.

2. Stabilisation of adult personalities (the "warm bath" theory) — The family provides emotional security and stress relief for adults. After the pressures of the competitive, impersonal workplace, the family is a haven — a "warm bath" in which adults can relax, de-stress, and be emotionally supported. This function is vital for maintaining mental health and preventing social instability.

Key Concept — The Warm Bath Theory: Parsons argued that the family acts as a "warm bath" — a place of emotional comfort and security that counteracts the stresses of the outside world. The wife/mother provides emotional support, nurturing, and care for the husband/breadwinner.

Parsons: Instrumental and Expressive Roles

Parsons argued that within the nuclear family, adults adopt complementary roles based on biological differences:

Role	Performed by	Function
Instrumental role	Husband/father	The breadwinner — goes out to work, earns money, provides financially for the family. Connects the family to the wider world
Expressive role	Wife/mother	The homemaker and carer — provides emotional warmth, nurtures children, manages the household. Creates a stable emotional environment

Parsons argued this division of labour is based on biology — women are "naturally" suited to the expressive role because of their capacity for childbearing and breastfeeding. He saw this arrangement as functional for both the family and society.

Criticisms of Parsons

Criticism	Source	Detail
Gender roles are socially constructed, not natural	Ann Oakley (1974)	Oakley argued that Parsons' instrumental/expressive distinction is an ideological justification for gender inequality, not a reflection of biological necessity. Cross-cultural evidence shows enormous variation in gender roles
Ignores family diversity	Various critics	Parsons assumes the nuclear family with a male breadwinner is the norm. He ignores lone-parent families, dual-earner families, same-sex families, and reconstituted families
Ignores conflict and inequality	Feminists and Marxists	The "warm bath" theory presents an idealised view of family life, ignoring domestic violence, emotional abuse, unequal power, and the exploitation of women's domestic labour
The "functional fit" theory is historically inaccurate	Laslett (1972), Anderson (1971)	As discussed in Lesson 1, the nuclear family pre-dated industrialisation, and extended families actually grew in some industrial areas
Deterministic	Various	Parsons assumes the family passively adapts to economic needs. In reality, families are shaped by cultural values, state policies, feminist movements, and individual choices

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The New Right Perspective

The New Right is a conservative political perspective that became influential in the 1980s and 1990s, particularly under the governments of Margaret Thatcher (UK) and Ronald Reagan (USA). It is not a sociological theory in the academic sense, but it draws on functionalist assumptions and has had a significant influence on family policy.

Core New Right Arguments