Primary Functions of the Family The family is a basic unit

Good morning, everybody. In our lecture last week, we started our discussion of the family, and we ended the lecture with a comprehensive definition for this important concept. Today, we are going to focus on the functions of the family. That is, we will look at what the family can do to a society. Although it has many different forms, as a social institution, the family is present in all cultures. As a basic unit of society, what functions does the family perform in it? This is a question that interests many sociologists. As we have already talked about, a family can be defined as a set of people who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption and who share the primary responsibility for reproduction and caring for members of society.
   Do we really need the family? Most of us may say "Yes, of course." But there have also been scholars who disagree& For example, more than a century ago, Friedrich Engels described family as an essential source of society inequality. That is, in his eyes, because the family plays a role in the transfer of power, property, and privilege. More recently, conflict theorists have also argued that the American family contributes to social in- justice, denies opportunities to women that are given to men, and limits freedom in sexual expression and mate selection.
   In order to evaluate such issues, it is helpful to use the tools provided by the functionalist perspective. This means that we should examine how a social system satisfies the needs of its members and how it contributes to the stability of society. The family fulfils a number of functions, such as providing religious training, education, and recreational outlets. Yet according to sociologist William F. Ogburn a half-century ago, the family mainly performs six very important functions in the society. In the following part of the lecture, let’s explore these functions one by one.
   The first of the six paramount functions is reproduction. This is easy to understand. As we know, if a society wants to maintain itself, it must replace dying members with newly born ones. By reproducing new members, the family can help maintain proper proportion of working force, thus ensuring the smooth running of the system as a whole. In this sense, the family contributes to the human survival through its function of reproduction.
   The second is the function of protection. You may not like this, but you have to admit that human beings are extremely vulnerable. Unlike the young of animal species, human infants need constant care and economic security. They experience an extremely long period of dependency, which place special demands on elderly family members. In all societies, the family assumes ultimate responsibilities for the protection and upbringing of children.
   What do you think is the third one? Well, it’s the function of socialization. By definition, socialization refers to the process in which people learn the attitudes, values and actions appropriate to individuals in a particular culture. In a family, parents and other kin monitor a child’s behaviour and transmit the norms, values, and language of a culture to the child. By doing these, they are helping the child to fit into the society, which is the final objective of socialization. Of course, as conflict theorists point out, the social class of couples and their children significantly influences the socialization experiences they are exposed to and the protection they receive.
   Regulation of sexual behaviour is the next function we’ll discuss. Sexual norms are subject to change over time, for example, changes in customs for dating, and cross cultures. However, whatever the time period or cultural values in a society, standards of sexual behaviour are most clearly defined within the family circle. The structure of society influences these standards so that, characteristically in male-dominated societies, formal and informal norms permit men to express and enjoy their sexual desires more freely than women may.
   The fifth function is the function of affection and companionship. Ideally, the family provides members with warm and intimate relationships and helps them feel satisfied and secure. Of course, a family member may find such rewards outside the family---from peers, in school, at work--and may perceive the home as an un- pleasant place. Nevertheless, the family is obligated to serve the emotional needs of its members. We expect our relatives to understand us, to care for us, and to be there for us when we need them.
   The last one of the six paramount functions is the providing of social status. We inherit a social position because of the "family background" and reputation of our parents and siblings. The family unit presents the newborn child with a specific status of race and ethnicity that helps to determine his or her place within a society’s stratification system. Moreover, family resources affect children’s ability to pursue certain opportunities such as higher education and specialized lessons.
   Now it’s time to put this lecture to an end. Today we mainly looked at the six vital functions of the family in human societies, namely, reproduction, protection, socialization, sexual behaviour regulation, supplying affection and companionship, and providing social status. However, one might ask if the family can effectively fulfil these weighty responsibilities. In our lecture next week, we will begin a more detailed examination of marital and family life in several countries to see how the family meet these needs. So see you then.