Transcript Universality of the Family

Universality of the Family
Murdock (1949)
Andy Walker Learning Online
1
Universality of the Family
 Is the nuclear family universal?
 Murdock studied 250 societies
 Murdock Identified four functions of the
family.
Andy Walker Learning Online
2
Functions of the Family
 Sexual: the family provides environment for
regulating sexual desires.
 Reproduction: essential for survival of
human society
 Socialisation: learning the norms and
values of society.
 Economic: shelter, division of labour.
Andy Walker Learning Online
3
Murdock’s main argument….
 The nuclear family is the most efficient
arrangement for performing all of these
vital functions
Andy Walker Learning Online
4
Quotes from Murdoch
Use these in your essays and try to learn them
for exams
‘The family is a social group characterised by
common residence, economic co-operation and
reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at
least two of whom maintain a socially approved
sexual relationship and one or more children, own
or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults’.
Andy Walker Learning Online
5
Quotes from Murdoch…
‘The nuclear family is a universal human
social grouping. Either as the sole
prevailing form of the family or as the basic
unit from which more complex forms
compounded, it exists as a distinct and
strongly functional group in every society’.
Andy Walker Learning Online
6
Criticisms of Murdock’s view
 We can find exceptions that suggest the
nuclear family is not universal (Nayar,
Matrifocal, Kibbutz and Gay)
 The functions of the nuclear family can be
equally performed in different family
structures.
Andy Walker Learning Online
7
Counter arguments to support
Murdock
 The exceptions are few in number and are
not statistically significant.
 Alternatives family forms can be seen as
the nuclear family gone wrong.
 The nuclear family is the ideal.
Andy Walker Learning Online
8
Argument for an essay/exam
 Whether the nuclear family is universal depends
on how it is defined
‘Relationships are universal, so is some form of
co-residence, of intimacy, sexuality and emotional
bonds. But the forms they can take are infinitely
variable and can be changed and challenged as
well as embraced’.
Andy Walker Learning Online
9