Here is a list of statements from different sociologists, expressing a range of views on family diversity. They can all be found on pages 71 to 78 of the book.
Match each of the statements with one of the following viewpoints:
functionalism; the New Right; feminism; Chester; The Rapoports; Hareven; Giddens.
NOTE: There are two statements for some of the viewpoints.
Statement
- Family diversity reflects a more diverse society, where people have different wants and needs.
- Family diversity has been exaggerated; the nuclear family is still the most dominant and popular family form.
- Lone parent families don’t provide role models for young boys and this leads to delinquency.
- Couples today make their own choices about their relationships; this makes the relationship less stable but ‘pure’.
- Easier divorce has meant that many women have been able to escape oppressive marriages.
- The nuclear family is the best form of family for modern society and it alone can perform the necessary ‘essential’ functions.
- Cohabitation is usually a preliminary phase before marriage and children.
- Government welfare benefits provide ‘perverse incentives’ that encourage dependency on the state.
- Family diversity provides women with a wider range of opportunities.
- We need to understand the meaning family life has for people – different individuals may make different choices.
- Family types other than the nuclear family are unsatisfactory and deviant.
VIEWPOINT – write down your viewpoint….
