Families - SOC AQA GCSE

Which term describes a family containing two parents and their dependent children living together?

• Nuclear family
• Extended family
• Re-constituted family
• Lone-parent family

Answer explanation

A nuclear family is just parents + dependent children in the same household.

Murdock (1949) identified four universal functions of the family. Which of the following is not one of them?

• Reproduction
• Sexual function

• Economic support
• Political socialisation

Answer explanation

Murdock listed sexual, reproductive, economic and educational (socialising) functions – political socialisation was not included.

Which sociological perspective argues that the family serves to transmit ruling-class ideology?

• Functionalism
• Marxism
• New Right
• Post-modernism

Answer explanation

Marxists see the family as an agency of ideological control benefiting capitalism.

The idea of the “symmetrical family,” with more equal conjugal roles, is associated with which sociologists?

• Parsons
• Young & Willmott
• Oakley
• Dobash & Dobash

Answer explanation

Young and Willmott (1973) coined the term in The Symmetrical Family.

Rapoport & Rapoport (1982) outlined five types of family diversity. Which one refers to differences in income and occupation?

• Organisational
• Social class
• Cultural
• Cohort

Answer explanation

‘Social-class diversity’ is based on parents’ class positions.

What label is given to families consisting of multiple generations but few horizontal ties (uncles/aunts)?

• Beanpole family
• Re-constituted family
• Household
• Empty-nest family

Answer explanation

A beanpole family is long and thin, with more vertical than horizontal links.

Which UK Act made divorce easier by introducing “irretrievable breakdown” as the sole ground?

• Matrimonial Causes Act 1857
• Divorce Reform Act 1969
• Child Support Act 1991
• Civil Partnership Act 2004

Answer explanation

The 1969 Divorce Reform Act liberalised divorce with irretrievable breakdown.

The New Right blames many social problems on the growth of which family type?

• Dual-earner
• Same-sex
• Lone-parent
• Beanpole

Answer explanation

New Right writers (e.g., Murray) see lone-parent families as problematic.

According to Parsons, the “warm bath” function of the family mainly benefits:

• Children’s cognitive skills
• Capitalist profit
• Adult personalities
• Government policy

Answer explanation

Parsons said the family stabilises adult personalities – like a warm bath.

An arrangement where a divorced or widowed parent remarries, bringing children from previous relationships, is a …

• Extended family
• Re-constituted (step) family
• Nuclear family
• Cohabiting couple

Answer explanation

Re-constituted/step families combine children from earlier unions.