SOCA02H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 15: Nuclear Family, Married People, Social Forces
Document Summary
Offspring can learn ways of the group and eventually operate as productive adults. Nuclear family is ideally suited to meet these changes. Five main functions: regulated sexual activity, economic coorperation, reproduction, socialization and emotional support. Polygamy expands the nuclear unit horizontally by adding one or more spouses, legally permitted in may less industrialized countries of africa and asia. Majority of families are monogamous, cannot afford to support several wives and children extended family-nuclear family vertically by adding generations, such as spouse parents. George murdock study 250 mainly preliterate, foraging societies ( hunting and gathering societies ) in 1940"s. Marriage- socially approved, presumably long-term, sexual and economic union between a man and women. Two setting on which functionalist focused their attention 1) foraging societies and 2) middle class north american families in the 1950"s. Most men hunt and most women gather wild, edible plants. Men often tend to babies and children, gender division of labour is less strict than functionalists assume.
