THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF THE FAMILY Functions of the Family: Structural-Functional Analysis The structural-functionalists focus on several important social

functions served by the family. Socialization The family serves as the primary agent in the socialization process. Children are typically socialized for different kinds of roles, and learning never stops as adults learn from socializing their children. Regulation of Sexual Activity Some restrictions on sexual behaviour are characteristic of every culture. Every society has some type of incest taboo, a cultural norm forbidding sexual relations and marriage between certain kin. However, the specific kinship members who are subject to the taboo varies greatly crossculturally. The significance of the incest taboo is primarily social rather than biological. It minimizes sexual competition, helps integrate the larger society and establishes specific linkages of rights and obligations between people. Social Placement Many ascribed statuses are determined at birth through the family. Transmission of social standing through the family is universal. Material and Emotional Security Families provide for the physical, emotional, and financial support of its members. People living in families tend to be healthier than those living alone. Structural-functionalists tend to under-emphasize problems in families, and underestimate the great diversity of family forms. Inequality and the Family: Social-Conflict Analysis The focus of the social-conflict approach to the study of the family is how this institution perpetuates patterns of social inequality. Property and Inheritance Social class divisions are preserved by the inheritance of wealth. Patriarchy

Patriarchal values maintain the sexual and economic subordination of women. Despite the fact that women have increased their participation in the paid labour force, they still do most of the housework and child rearing. Race and Ethnicity These continue to be strong endogamous characteristics of marriage. Constructing Family Life: Micro-Level Analysis The structural-functional and social-conflict paradigms provide a macro-level perspective from which to understand the institution of the family. Micro-level approaches explore how individuals shape their family life. Symbolic-Interaction Analysis Symbolic-interaction analysis is used to study how specific realities are constructed within specific families. Varying experiences and perceptions of different family members are stressed but emotional bonds are forged over time. Social-Exchange Analysis Social-exchange theory draws attention to the power of negotiation within families. People are seen as exchanging socially valued resources with each other. As gender roles are converging, so also is what males and females have to exchange. While providing a meaningful counterbalance to the macro-level approaches, the micro-level is limited in its ability to allow us to see the social and cultural forces affecting the family.