Exploring Relationships and Family: Discussion Questions on the Functions of the Family

The Basic Functions of the Family in an Advanced Industrialized Society

Exploring Relationships and Family notes and discussion question Directions: Read the some of the content discussed in chapter 2 then answer the following questions thoroughly.

The text identifies the most basic functions of the family in an advanced industrialized society. Families are responsible for reproduction, economic support, and emotional security.

Critics of the American family have argued that a major reason for the “breakdown” of the family today is that the family has increasingly lost many of its functions.

Throughout history, the family has been the major social institution, but with increasing specialization and complexity of modern society, the functions of this institution have become fragmented, with many now performed by other agencies. Family Functions

a. Economic—the family used to be a self-sufficient unit in which members consumed primarily what they produced. Today, the family earns a living outside the home, pools resources, and makes consumption decisions for food, housing, clothing, shelter, health care, etc.

b. Protection—in the family, the father used to be the parent who provided physical protection for his family. Today it may be the father or other relatives and significant others. Throughout history, children have provided social and economic protection to their parents throughout old age.

c. Education—the family performed the basic function of education, not only of the young child, but also of older children in the way of vocational training and homemaking. Parents today may play a critical role in developing skills that are important for school readiness, values education, and recreational skills.

d. Religious—evidence that the family performed and continues to perform the religious function is seen by grace at meals, family prayers, church and Sunday school attendance, and the reading together of passages in the Bible. Today this may also include values training.

e. Recreation—the recreation function used to be performed by families at the homestead of some family or within the family, rather than at recreation centers outside the home. Today, families may still perform this function through the activities they choose for their children to do with other children or together as a family.

f. Affection—the family has always provided for its members varying degrees of affection, companionship, intimacy, and support. This is true for couples as well as for children and other relatives.

g. Procreation—it is within the family that the procreation of children is condoned and the family name passed on through the generations.

h. Adaptation—it is within the family that members help one another cope with change and deal with stress and crises.

i. Prestige—the family has served the basic function of giving prestige and status to its members. Throughout history, the family name has been important, and a member of a family was less an individual and more a member of a family.

Discussion questions:

A) After reading the material above which of the functions seem to be the most important to families today? What do you think are the least important functions performed by the family today? Explain each answer using supporting details in at least 5 to 6 sentences.

B) Give an example of how your family has carried out each function. Which functions seem to have undergone the greatest change over time? Why? Explain each answer using supporting details in at least 5 to 6 sentences.

C) If the family is not performing the function, what agency is? Do you think the agency is doing a better, worse, or about the same or as good a job as the family could?

Do you feel that the family today is “breaking down” because it is no longer performing specific functions? Why or why not? Write a detail response to this question. Include details from the text to support your response.