Sociology · Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 22 · Question 1
0495
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Functionalists claim that the nuclear family is the norm and that it is the best type of family for individuals to live in. Other sociologists disagree and claim that family diversity is now more typical 1 and that some individuals have negative experiences of family life. Experiences of family life may depend on many factors such as an individual’s gender, social class and their expected family roles.
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1(a)[2]
What is meant by the term ‘family diversity’? One mark for a partial definition, e.g. not all families are nuclear. Two marks for a clear definition, e.g. increase in the number of different types of families with different family roles.
1(b)[4]
Describe two positive functions of the family. Possible answers:
reproduction – societies must reproduce new generations of children in order to survive and most families encourage reproduction within marriage;socialisation – children learn the norms and values of their society through primary socialisation in the family;social control – children’s behaviour is regulated so that they conform to expected norms and values through a system of rewards and sanctions used in the family;care of children – families nurture, feed, clothe and shelter children in order to allow them to grow into well-rounded and emotionally secure adults;status – families provide status for their children, involving them in a web of inter-connected personal and group relationships – they help them form an identity;regulation of sexual behaviour – families set rules for socially approved sexual relationships e.g. families with married parents are used as role models by society to encourage certain behaviours and morals;gender roles – families ensure that men and women perform the roles they are best at e.g. women as expressive and men as instrumental (functionalism);economic support – families ensure members are financially provided for and taken care of;any other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of two). One mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of two).1(c)[6]
Explain how family roles are changing. Possible answers:
children – their role as passive and obedient has changed in many families to a more active role in child-centred families;pivot/sandwich generation – with an ageing population there is a change in the role of many women who have to care for both dependent children and elderly relatives;grandparents – with good health in many older people, grandparents are now often providing childcare for their working children’s kin;gender roles – functionalists believe families are becoming more symmetrical as conjugal roles change from segregated to joint;changing families – for example, many people are now choosing to live alone, as single parents and these choices alter family roles;labour saving devices – these mean less time is needed on housework, so allowing for a change in (gendered) family roles;female role – with more working women more dual worker families are emerging with less focus on domesticity;falling birth rate – women are having less children and some are choosing not to have them at all – this drastically changes their family roles e.g. DINK families rather than mothers;dual burden – women are still expected to perform the domestic role even when they take on more external roles e.g. employment, so their role changes as they take on more responsibilities and it becomes more stressful;male role – masculinity is changing and this has affected family roles e.g. house-husbands, joint conjugal roles, new men;any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. Responses may be short and un/underdeveloped. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will have clear and accurate explanation, showing good sociological knowledge and understanding. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected and explained. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one point in a well-developed way or cover several points in less detail.1(d)[8]
Explain why some individuals may have negative experiences of family life. Possible answers:
domestic violence – Dobash and Dobash’s research discovered that domestic violence was commonplace in many families and relationships;child abuse and neglect – for some children family life can be exploitative and dangerous (sexual, physical, emotional, neglect);elder abuse – research has shown that pressures of caring for elderly relatives (e.g. pivot generation) has led to increases in the abuse of elderly people in families;forced marriage – individuals forced to marry without giving their consent often experience very unhappy marriages which may involve physical and emotional harm alongside a lack of liberties;feminism – many feminists believe that families are patriarchal and are sources of unhappiness for women;they often have less power than men and may have to perform the triple shift;
Marxism – they believe families may be negative because they are where male workers take out their stresses and frustrations from the workplace;poverty – deprivation is increasingly common and this makes family life difficult as the cost of living rises;divorce – divorce rates are increasing as societies become more secular and this may lead to sadness, conflict and tension in families e.g. from blended families;coercive control – some individuals experience their partner controlling almost every aspect of their life, often through threatening behaviour resulting in the victim becoming socially isolated and vulnerable;any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. A tendency to description is likely. Responses may be short and undeveloped and points stated without explanation. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding. Responses maybe underdeveloped and lacking in range. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates may be beginning to use sociological terms and concepts in greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed/explained. Band 3 [7–8 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding and will be well-developed and explained. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately overall. Answers will be well-focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout.1(e)[15]
To what extent is the nuclear family the norm? Possible answers: Arguments for:
family functions – functionalists believe that the nuclear family is the only one that can fulfill all the essential functions and therefore that it remains the norm;fit thesis – the nuclear family is thought by many sociologists to be the best fit for modern industrial societies as it allows for geographical mobility and so is the norm;cereal packet family – media representations of family life continue to show the nuclear family as the norm and therefore the agenda is set for this in society;gender roles – research shows that women still perform the majority of the expressive family roles and men the instrumental roles – suggesting that the nuclear family remains the norm;remarriage – many people may get divorced but then form another relationship or remarry – this means the nuclear family cycle continues as the norm (even in its new blended form);globalisation – in the digital age Western images and media content are widely available on a global scale and this spreads the message that the nuclear family is the norm;feminism – they believe the nuclear family is the norm – the dominant family form and an important social agent that maintains patriarchy;religion/tradition – in societies where religion is valued, the traditional nuclear family, based on marriage and having children, is still expected and is therefore the norm;any other reasonable response. Arguments against:extended families – in many cultures and societies e.g. South Asian, these families are seen as the best to fit the members needs and are therefore the norm, not the nuclear;matrifocal families – research shows these are commonplace in some cultures e.g. Afro-Caribbean, this challenges the dominance of the nuclear family as the norm;feminism – feminists see the nuclear family as patriarchal and therefore do not encourage women to be part of one – this may explain the rise in singlehood, lone parent families and alternatives to the family e.g. shared households – all suggesting the nuclear family is no longer the norm;family diversity – multiple types of families now co-exist and this has reduced the dominance of the nuclear family as the norm (postmodernism);cross-cultural variations – in some cultures’ marriage is not monogamous and therefore the nuclear family is not the norm;secularisation – as religious influences decline so do pressures to form a nuclear family and this means that other types of family become more commonplace and so the nuclear family is not seen as the norm any longer;any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–4 marks] Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of the debate. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one- sided. Lower in the band (1–2 marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points and provide a weak definition of key terms in the question. Band 2 [5–8 marks] In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of the debate. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited/some use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two- sided or only cover one side of the debate. Lower in the band, the response may be rather narrow in the points covered and there may be some development. Higher in the band, more points are likely to be covered with some development. Alternatively, a list-like answer with some development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. Band 3 [9–12 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of the debate. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well-developed, focused on the questions and there will be a range of points presented. There will be a two-sided response but it may lack range on one side. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of developed points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 [13–15 marks] Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of the debate. There will be a strong grasp of the arguments as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well- developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Responses will be two-sided and have a range of points on each side. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent.?
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