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Sociology and the Purpose of Family

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Sociology as we know it today began to emerge during the period of European Enlightenment in the 17th and 18th Centuries. Prior to this, to define, direct and explain behaviors of individuals with myths and superstitions most often having a religious base. In the 17th Century the emergence of thinkers such as Descartes and Newton brought a critical and rational perspective to theories. However, the concept that individuals exist within groups that have a profound impact upon them had yet to be embraced. This appears to have developed with the advent of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, where large-scale migration from rural areas (together with considerable immigration) to the newly emerging cities and towns in search of work, resulted in the emergence of a new group, or class of individuals, referred to as the Working Classes. Whilst this period brought extreme wealth and prestige to some, to the majority it brought mass poverty and other social problems previously unseen, which gave rise to theorists such as Georg Hegel, Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Comte invented the word “Sociology” in 1839 (Fulcher and Scott, 2011) re-enforcing the belief that theory could only be of value if it followed the example set by other sciences following rational and scientific thought processes. Other social sciences such as Psychology, History, Political Science, Economics, Criminology, Anthropology and Sociology deal with different aspects of human life. However, Sociology focuses specifically on social structure and our place within that structure. Central to Sociology is an emphasis on learned behavior. British Philosopher John Locke advanced in his “Essay Concerning Human Understanding” (1690) that at birth the human mind was a blank state which is filled throughout life as a result of experiences. American Philosopher George Herbert Mead’s theory builds on this, suggesting we develop our sense of self through social interactions beginning in childhood and continuing throughout life. Through this process we become socialized, society becomes shaped and cultures formed. However, the nature verses nurture debate has a long history, with early philosophers such as Plato and Descartes suggesting that certain aspects are “inborn” and that our characteristics and behaviors are the result of the evolutionary process, handed down through the generations (Fulcher and Scott, 2011). Learned behavior is well demonstrated in the environment of the family. The Functionalist perspective of the family is highlighted by the model known as the Nuclear family. Most popular in post WW II America, Functionalism is often seen as a legacy of the changes brought about by the Industrial Revolu

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