Writing Resources
There are several theories on the functions of the family including Functionalist Marxist and Feminist The Functionalist theory focuses on the importance of family in the stability of society They state that society is like a human body also called the organic analogy in which it is made up of several parts that all work together for the normal functioning of the whole body If one part fails to function adequately it would lead to a breakdown in society Slideshare 2013 George Peter Murdock believed that the family is made up of 4 basic requirements Sexual as it provides sexual gratification for both people which helps to strengthen the family Economic which is the specialisation of labour in which each member of the family specialises in a certain task which provides a rewarding experience for everyone working together Reproductive as the family produces the next generation of society and Educational as the norms and values of society are taught to children Fabes 2003 In his work entitled Social Structure 1949 he examined a total of 250 societies all varied from hunter gatherer to pastoral agrarian or industrialised and found that in each of these societies exists forms that fit the definition of family as a social institution Despite its variety of forms the family is universal and he believes that family should include 2 adults of opposite sex and one or more children or a nuclear family Murdock 2010 Another theory came from Talcott Parsons and his functional fit theory
