SOCIOLOGY- ASSESSMENT

Q. Discuss the basic functions of family.

A family is where our life starts. Family plays a vital role in building a person. The quality of a
society, its civilization depends on how the family nurtures their beings. A functional family is one in
which family members fulfill their agreed upon roles and responsibilities, treat each other with respect
and affection and meet each other’s needs. So, as per my conventions, following are the basic functions
of family:-

1. Socialization

 The process by which children learn to become human and adopt certain behavior.
 Children learn from what they see and experience in their developing years.
 Since children spend most of their early years only interacting with their family members,
the family unit has the greatest impact on development.
 Socialization and Language:
 The ability to speak a language is one way to prove the impact a family can have on
socialization.
 Children pick up the language of their parents by imitating the sounds of their parents.
 If no language is developed at a young age, it is very difficult to establish communication
skills later.
 Socialization Proof – Feral Children
 Another way to prove that children learn language and behavior from families is
through studying feral children.
 These are children who have been deprived of human contact during their early
developing years.
 One case involves two girls in India that were said to be raised by wolves. They had no
language but growled, yelped, and murmured. They could not stand erect. They did not
use their hands to eat but lowered their heads instead.

2. Rules of behavior

 These types of cases show that human interaction is required for children to acquire human
behavior.
 The family teaches appropriate behavior, what to expect, and how to interact in everyday
life.
 Behavior:
 Charles Cooley argued that we learn emotions such as love, pity, pride, sympathy,
generosity, guilt and a sense of right and wrong, are taught to us by our family.
 One study showed that the emotional health of students was directly related to the
relationship between parents. So even emotional health is taught to us.

3. Patterns of interaction

 Studies also show that children that have been deprived of close family relationships which
lead to emotional problems as adults.
  This forms a cycle as these adults may have trouble meeting the emotional needs of their
future families.
 Evidence: Abuse cycle:
 Families who have abusive relations are prone to more abusive behaviors.
 Studies have shown that as children grow if they are taught to express violence when
angry, they will continue this behavior throughout their lives unless they are re-
socialized by choice.
 Children also learn how to deal with problems from the example of their parents.
 EX. Children with parents that smoke are also more likely to smoke.
 Parents are role models for their children: both positive and negative.

4. Emotional support

 Students from parents that have a loving relationship, and are supportive, have a more
positive self-image and were also more confident.
 Students from families that have distrust and hostility are more likely to have a negative
self-image and emotional problems.

5. Reproductive Function

 In order for a society to continue to exist it must replace those people that die.
 The family is responsible for raising children to become contributing members of society.
 In many advanced countries, families are choosing to have less children.
 Birth control has made choice possible since the 1970’s.

6. Economic Function

 Families are the means whereby children are supplied with the necessities – food, shelter
and clothing.
 In the past, children were needed to work on farms and help provide for the family at an
early age.
 Today children are normally dependent on the family until after high school.

When families fail to provide any of the necessary element of these functions, over time or
repeatedly, they are considered to be dysfunctional. This can lead to emotional, social, and/or
developmental difficulties for the family members.

ASMITA POUDEL
068/BAE/207