Functionalist Perspective On Family Essay

“The wise man must remember that while he is a descendant of the past, he is a parent of the future”- Herbert Spencer. I think this is a great quote from a man that had a considerable influence on the functionalism perspective of family. As new generations emerge different sets of values and perspectives on family are created. The most prime sociological perspective in sufficiently expressing their view on the role of family is functionalist. The Perspective of the Functionalist are summarized within 6 paramount functions. I will be targeting three of these functions to best explain the use of family in society. The three paramount functions are; Reproduction, affection and companionship, and provision of social status. These are essential

Family not only allows reproduction as I stated earlier, it also needs affection and companionship. The role of these two subject is to provide something a single individual cannot receive. What does this have to do with society? Well looking at this from an outside view, affection can bring so much to a person’s inner emotions that allows them to, behave in a proper manner externally. For instance, a child from a family is able to have empathy towards others and gives them good character qualities. Another example can be they know the feeling of being secured, and loved, they are ignorant to the emotion of neglect therefore they will treat others in the same loving, caring, secure manner. This contributes to society by brining good into the world and making the world a better place one person at a time. Family provide a warm, and intimate relationships, helping them feeling satisfied, and wanted. Although many will argue people can find those traits outside of the home from, teachers, and friends, but family is where it all should be rooted from. Giving individuals or children the understanding they have someone there for them when they are in need, with either support or love. As for the companionship well that is essential for every human being, it allows people to strive further with the support of some you know truly is there for you along the way. These are key factors of why family is useful to

The functionalist believe we inherit a social position because of whom we are related to. We can also have a social reputation because of our siblings, and parents. For example an individual who is born within a Hispanic culture, with parents that are a part of the working labor class, has an ascribed status of Hispanic, and poor. The role this has on society it assists with society’s stratification. The family in which the child is born into also has the same resources as the parents. This allows these families to have their role in society’s stratification determining his or her place. Now for those families that have an education and great networks allows their children to inherit the same social networks. For example, a child who is born into a family that graduated from college and has great networks, they also are able to reach out to the same networks. Just because a child has an ascribed status does not mean they are stranded within that status. A child can later have mobility status and become educated and wealthy, hence when they have children, their children are not born with the same ascribed status as his or her parents. The child is now ascribed the current status of the parents. With a parent that furthered his education, despite the ascribe status from his parents , not educated, and labor workers, now the born child from him