Power and authority in families

Descent and inheritance rights are intricately linked with patterns of power and authority in families. The most prevalent forms of familial power and authority are patriarchy, matriarchy, and egalitarianism. A patriarchal family is a family structure in which authority is held by the eldest male (usually the father). The male authority figure acts as head of the household and holds power and authority over the women and children, as well as over other males. A matriarchal family is a family structure in which authority is held by the eldest female (usually the mother). In this case, the female authority figure acts as head of the household. Although there has been a great deal of discussion about matriarchal families, scholars have found no historical evidence to indicate that true matriarchies ever existed.

An egalitarian family is a family structure in which both partners share power and authority equally. Recently, a trend toward more egalitarian relationships has been evident in a number of countries as women have sought changes in their legal status and increased educational and employment opportunities. Some degree of economic independence makes it possible for women to delay marriage or to terminate a problematic marriage.

To this point, we have examined s variety of marriage and family patterns found around the world. Even with the diversity, most people’s behavior is shaped by cultural rules pertaining to endogamy and exogamy. Endogamy refers to cultural norms prescribing that people marry within their own social group or category. In the US, for example, most people practice endogamy: They marry people who come from the same social class, racial-ethnic group, religious affiliation, and other categories considered important within their own social group. Exogamy refers to cultural norms prescribing that people marry outside their own social group or category. However, certain types of exogamy may result in social ridicule or ostracism from group, such as marriage outside one’s own racial-ethnic group or religion. For example, although the number of interracial marriages in the US has more than doubled since 1970, they are viewed negatively by members of some groups.

Perspectives on families

The sociology of family is the subdiscipline of sociology that attempts to describe and explain patterns of family life and variations in family structure. Functionalist perspectives emphasize the functions that families perform at the macrolevel of society while conflict and feminist perspectives focus on families as a primary source of social inequality. By contrast, interactionists examine microlevel interactions that are integral to the roles of different family members.

Functionalist perspectives

Functionalists emphasize the importance of the family in maintaining the stability of society and well-being of individuals. According to Contemporary functionalist perspectives in advanced industrial societies, families serve four key functions:

1. Sexual regulation. Families are expected to regulate the sexual activity of their members and thus control reproduction so that it occurs within specific boundaries. At the macrolevel, incest taboos prohibit sexual contact or marriage between certain relatives. For example, virtually all societies prohibit sexual relations between parents and their children and between brothers and sisters.

2. Socialization. Parents and other relatives are responsible for teaching children the necessary knowledge and skills to survive. Their smallness and intimacy makes families best suited for providing children with the initial learning experiences they need.

3. Economic and physical support. Families are responsible for providing economic and psychological support for members. In preindustrial societies, families are economic production units; in industrial societies, the economic security of families is tied to the workplace and to macrolevel economic systems. In recent years, psychological support and emotional security have been increasingly important functions of the family (Chafetz, 1989).

4. Provision of social status. Families confer social status and reputation on their members. These statuses include the ascribed statuses with which individuals are born, such as race/ethnicity, nationality, social class, and sometimes religious affiliation. One of the most significant and compelling forms of social placement is the family’s class position and the opportunities (or lack thereof) resulting from that position. Examples of class-related opportunities include access to quality health care, higher education, and a safe place to live.

Functionalist explanations of family problems examine the relationship between family problems examine the relationship between family troubles and decline in other social institutions. Changes in the economy, in religion, in the educational system, and in the law or government programs all can contribute to family problems.