1.2 Family Functions

As Bowen (1978) explains, everyone in a family has a specific role to fulfill, and with each role comes certain expectations and rules. The main aim for any family is to maintain stability, meaning there are rules and expectations that benefit everyone involved. When one person’s role in the family changes, it affects the established rules and expectations. These changes have a ripple effect on the entire family, prompting each member to adapt their own role and expectations to accommodate the shift.  

Consider the classic tale of Cinderella, for instance. Initially, Cinderella is portrayed as a child, fulfilling the typical expectations one would have for a young person. However, as she enters her teenage years, her circumstances change drastically. With the loss of both her biological parents, she finds herself living with her stepmother and stepsisters. Consequently, Cinderella’s role shifts from being a beloved child to serving as the household maid. Despite the common stereotype suggesting that stepfamilies are inherently problematic, this is not always the case. In fact, there are valuable lessons to be gleaned from Cinderella’s story, which often go unnoticed. Her role in the family evolves beyond that of a mere servant; she also becomes a caretaker, responsible for cooking and cleaning, all while enduring mistreatment and cruelty from her stepfamily members. When Cinderella eventually finds her prince and establishes her own family—referred to as a family of procreation—it’s reasonable to anticipate a change in the roles of her stepmother and stepsisters. They would suddenly find themselves having to manage household chores independently.  

Gender has traditionally played a significant role in determining family responsibilities. Historically, women have been primarily responsible for tasks like housekeeping and caring for children, while men have been viewed as protectors and providers, often responsible for earning money. However, there has been a noticeable shift in recent times. More families are breaking away from these traditional roles; women increasingly working outside the home and men take on greater roles in domestic and childcare duties. Despite this progress toward more equal roles, studies show that women still tend to shoulder a larger share of housekeeping and childcare responsibilities compared to their husbands. This phenomenon is often referred to as the “second shift” (Hochschild and Machung 2012). 

Parental roles significantly influence their children’s aspirations. A study by Croft and her team in 2014 looked at the perspectives of over 300 children. They found that when fathers supported more equal sharing of household chores and mothers prioritized their careers, it affected their daughters’ aspirations. In such households, daughters were more inclined to aspire to work outside the home and pursue careers in fields that weren’t traditionally associated with their gender. 

What roles do families play? Sociologists have examined the functions of families and found some key functions that are common across nearly all families worldwide. This suggests that regardless of cultural differences, most families share certain fundamental purposes.

Economic Support

Economic support is overwhelmingly the primary role of families today. When your parents allow you to raid their pantry, do your laundry at home, or top off your bank account, that’s economic support. Similarly, in different cultural settings, such as in New Guinea, if a young adult hunts and shares wild game with others, that also constitutes economic support.

Some families engage in cooperative ventures akin to business partnerships. For instance, in Quebec, Montreal, there’s a well-established practice among Italian immigrants where they assist family and friends in migrating from Italy to Canada. This assistance includes subsidizing travel expenses, aiding in finding employment upon arrival, and even privately financing mortgages for each other. The expectation is that each member supports others in a similar fashion.

Emotional Support

Emotional connections are widespread within families, but it’s important to recognize the significant cultural differences in how closeness is expressed in different family settings worldwide. Intimacy includes social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical bonds shared among family members. Within these bonds, family members exchange secrets, confide in each other, offer advice, and demonstrate ongoing care and trust. Many researchers in family studies argue that these intimate family relationships serve as a powerful support system, helping family members cope with external stresses they encounter outside of the home.

Socialization

From the moment they’re born, children begin a journey of learning about their society and culture. This process, called socialization, involves parents, family members, and friends teaching newborns the norms and values of their community. It helps children develop their own understanding of reality based on their experiences and interactions with others.

For instance, the typical American child grows up learning that they belong to their family and community, and they have both privileges and responsibilities within these groups. As they grow, they go through predictable stages of life, from infancy to adulthood, each with its own set of expectations. However, not everyone follows these patterns exactly, and some people may experience different realities based on their unique life experiences.

Socialization occurs in distinct phases. Primary socialization begins at birth and continues until a child starts school, with family, friends, daycare, and media playing crucial roles. Secondary socialization takes place during later childhood and adolescence when children attend school and are influenced by non-family members. During this time, they learn to conform to societal expectations and navigate complex social dynamics, which can be stressful. As children grow older, their peers become increasingly important, often overshadowing the influence of their parents. However, parents can still maintain some influence by building relationships with their children’s friends. The third level of socialization occurs in adulthood as individuals take on adult roles and responsibilities. Whether it’s starting college, entering the workforce, getting married, or embarking on other life adventures, adults continue to adapt to new roles and expectations, drawing on the lessons learned during their earlier stages of socialization.

Sexuality & Reproductive Control

Traditionally, families have played a significant role in guiding decisions about sexuality and reproduction. In the past, parents often arranged marriages for their children, a practice that continues in many countries today. However, in America, parents typically prefer their adult children to choose their own partners. Within families, there’s often a consensus that pregnancy and childbirth should ideally occur within marriage or a committed relationship. Unwed mothers, who are not legally married when they give birth, may face various challenges, including financial, emotional, and social support for both themselves and their child, particularly if the father is not involved. In such situations, it’s common for older female family members to step in and provide support for the child, rather than the birth father taking on these responsibilities.

Ascribed Status

When children are born, they enter a family structure and gain an ascribed status. This means they’re given a social position based on factors like race, gender, or class, which they inherit at birth. In the United States, many of these ascribed statuses may change over time, as discussed in the Stratification Chapter. But what exactly is a “status”? Think about your friends – have you noticed that some naturally take charge and organize plans? If you’re the one who usually makes reservations or buys tickets for everyone, you might be seen as the “organizer.” Status refers to these socially defined positions or roles we take on.

There are three main types of status to consider:

1. 1. Ascribed Status: This is given at birth, like your race or social class.
   2. Achieved Status: This is earned through your choices and efforts, such as being a college student, a movie star, a teacher, or an athlete.
   3. Master Status: This is a standout status that often defines how others see us, sometimes overshadowing our other statuses.

Your racial, cultural, religious, and economic backgrounds, which are part of your ascribed status, influence how you grow up and are shaped by society. In modern societies, achieved status – what you accomplish through your own efforts – usually holds more importance than what you’re born into. However, how much you achieve can depend heavily on the support you receive from your family and the stability of your home environment.

Roles also come with their challenges. For example, being a student can sometimes feel overwhelming, which is called role strain. And when the expectations of one role clash with those of another, you might experience role conflict, adding to the burden you feel.

Social Class

In both the United States and worldwide, there exist families spanning various economic statuses, ranging from wealthy to impoverished. Your social class is heavily influenced by the family you were born into or adopted by. Additionally, your economic position often correlates with your actions, given the opportunities available to you, as highlighted by Max Weber (1930). These opportunities, known as life chances, encompass access to essential resources and opportunities in society. For instance, while some of you may finance your college education independently and rely on public transportation, others may possess luxuries like a new car and the latest smartphone, with parents covering educational expenses.

Life chances extend beyond economic factors and can impact the quality of your marriage and family life. For instance, individuals from families with a history of shaming behaviors may be more susceptible to developing addictions. Similarly, those from divorced families may have a higher likelihood of experiencing divorce themselves, and being raised by a single parent may increase the chances of becoming a single parent in the future. However, it’s important to note that these are correlations rather than direct causes. While being born into challenging family circumstances may present some disadvantages, it doesn’t necessarily condemn you to replicate the patterns of your family of origin in your own family. Understanding life chances serves to heighten your awareness by illustrating broader social trends that may impact your personal experiences.