Page 387 - Sociology and You

Chapter 11 The Family 357 Theoretical Perspectives
and the Family
Key Term
• socioemotional maintenance Functionalism
For the functionalists, the family plays many roles, including socializ- ing the young, providing social and emotional support, managing re- production, regulating sexual activity, transmitting social status, and serving
as an economic center. Let’s look more closely at each of these functions.
How does the family socialize children? In addition to caring for an infant’s physical needs, parents begin the vital process of teaching the child what he or she must learn to learn to participate in society. During the first year, the infant begins to mimic words and, later, sentences. During the sec- ond and third years, parents begin to teach the child values and norms of be- havior. By being role models and through training and education, the family continues the process of socialization in each new stage of development.
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not surprising that each of the major perspectives focuses on the family. Functionalism emphasizes the benefits of the family for society. The conflict perspective looks at the reasons males dominate in the family structure. Symbolic interactionism stud- ies the way the family social- izes children and promotes the development of self- concept.
socioemotional maintenance
provision of acceptance and support
What do functionalists believe about the roles associated with this father and daughter?
What is the socioemotional function of the family? Another major function of the family is socioemotional maintenance. Generally, the family is the one place in society where an individ- ual is unconditionally accepted and loved. Family members accept one another as they are; every member is special and unique. Without this care and affection, children will not develop normally. (See Chapter 4, pages 109–114, on children raised in isolation.) They may have low self-esteem, fear re- jection, feel insecure, and eventu- ally find it difficult to adjust to marriage or to express affection to their own children. Even individu- als who are well integrated into so- ciety require support when adjusting to changing norms and in developing and continuing healthy relationships. Here again, the fam- ily can provide socioemotional maintenance.
he family is the very core
of human social life. It is