Overview of the Changing Functions and Views of the Family

Sociology has long been a subject of research on the family, and the role of the family in society has been defined as family function. Even in today's world, where families are said to be diversifying, there is still a need to discuss what a family is and what family function is. Here is a brief overview of the changes that have taken place over time　

• What is family functioning?
• Theories about family function (family function abridgement, four-function theory, two-function theory, subjective view of family)
• Thinking about family functioning: Where we are today

What is family functioning?

Family functioning refers to the roles that families should play, and sociology has long focused on families as its research subject, forming the field of family sociology. This field has defined families and positioned their roles in society as family functioning.

Starting in the late 1960s, a subjective view of family was proposed in the United States, and coupled with the increasing diversity of families, doubts arose as to whether an objective definition of family was possible. Japan was also greatly influenced by this.

However, families still exist today, and the number of families that require support has increased. Given this current situation, there is still a need to discuss what a family is (definition) and what family functioning is.

Theories about family functioning

Source: Compiled by the author

Novels about family dysfunction

It is said that William Ogburn (1886-1959), famous for his theory of cultural lag (when spiritual culture lags behind material civilization, it causes social change), was the first to systematically explain family functions (The Family and Its Function, 1933). Ogburn listed seven family functions before the modern era (love, economy, education, religion, entertainment, protection, and status-giving), and argued that with the industrialization of society, all functions except love came to be carried out by society (government, business, and schools). This is a condensed version of family functions

Nuclear family theory = four functions theory

After World War II, George Peter Murdoch (1897-1985) emphasized the universality of the nuclear family (The Structure of Society, original work, 1949). However, because his explanation for its universality was somewhat forceful, Murdoch's nuclear family theory came to be understood as an ideal type (a way of thinking that understands a concept as a standard model). Murdoch also distinguished between four family functions: sexual, economic, reproductive, and educational. This theory, known as the four-function theory, is considered less idealistic and more realistic than other theories, so we will explain it in detail.

Sexuality refers to the fact that sexual relations between husband and wife are the only socially acceptable sexual relationship between men and women, and that this allows society to control men's sexual desires.
Economic refers to the economic cooperation between men and women according to their respective characteristics (feminism criticizes this as accepting sexual role division).
Reproductive refers to the rationality of having children within the family framework.
-Educational means that it is desirable for children's socialization (becoming an independent adult) to be primarily carried out by the family.

Dual function theory

Although he is a descendant of novels that focus on family function, it was the leading figure in functionalist sociology, Talcott Parsons (1902-79), who advocated the dual-function theory, stating that there are family functions that cannot be replaced by other social organizations ( Family, Socialization, and Interaction Process 1956). These are: 1) the stability of adult personality, and 2) the primary socialization of children. He

argued that adults achieve psychological stability by forming families and having family relationships (assuming that family relationships are good), and that the family is the only place where children can learn basic social habits such as greetings (secondary socialization takes place at school).

The emergence of a subjective view of family

According to Rokuro Tabuchi (1996), the subjective view of family, which holds that family should be determined by the subjective views of its members, was pioneered by Peter Berger's (1929-2017) (1966) The Social Construction of Reality (Sociologos No. 20, 1996), famous for his work The Sacred Canopy. Berger applied Alfred Schutz's (1899-1959) phenomenology to family and advocated a view of family that emphasizes the subjective views of its members.

In Japan, Masahiro Yamada (2005), famous for coining the term "parasite single," and others have developed this view of family. Yamada (1992) emphasized that there are diverse opinions about family, such as those who consider pets to be family, and that family differs based on the subjective views of its members.

Marxist feminist Chizuko Ueno (1994) introduced the concept of family identity in a feminist style (1991), stating that while a husband may consider his wife and all children to be family, it is also possible that a wife may consider only herself and her children to be family. She threatened that the female perspective might remove the ladder from the male perspective.

Thinking about family functioning: Where we are today

What is the current state of thinking about family function? While theories seem to be heavily influenced by gender theory, in practice, textbooks for social workers providing family welfare support introduce Murdoch's theory of sexual, economic, reproductive, and educational family functions, followed by Parsons's two-function theory ("New Social Worker Training Course: Social Theory and Social Systems," Chuohoki, 3rd edition, 2015).

This suggests that, regardless of theory, Murdoch's four-function theory is useful when actually providing family support. A similar trend can be seen

in the sexual division of labor between men and women (men work, women do housework and childcare), which feminism has often criticized. Yamada points out that, in contrast to the decline in Western societies, the number of people who desire a modern family centered on sexual division of labor is increasing in Japan. At the same time, there is also an increase in people who value family ("Sociological Review" 64-4:2013). However, these people are blessed with a certain degree of economic affluence, while those who are not find it difficult to start a family, and it is said that polarization is increasing. It is interesting to note that

despite feminism's extensive criticism of the sexual division of labor, one pole of Japanese society has not fallen into this category.

(This article was revised and expanded from the August 2023 issue of EN-ICHI FORUM.)

References

• 森岡清美、1993、『現代家族変動論』、ミネルヴァ書房。
• Ogburn, W. 1933, The family and its function.
• ジョージ・ピーター・マードック、1949, Social Structure－1978，内藤莞爾監訳、『社会構造－核家族の社会人類学－』、新泉社。
• タルコット・パーソンズ他、1956、Family, Socialization, and Interaction Process－橋爪貞夫その他訳、2001、『家族－核家族と子どもの社会化』、ミネルヴァ書房。
• 田淵六郎、1996「主観的家族論－その意義と問題－」、『ソシオロゴスNo.20』、1996。
• ピーター・バーガー他、1966、The Social Construction of Reality－山口節郎訳、1977，『日常世界の構成』、新曜社。
• 山田昌弘、1994、『近代家族のゆくえ－家族と愛情のパラドックス』 新曜社。
• 上野千鶴子、1994、『近代家族の成立と終焉』、岩波書店。
• 山田昌弘、2005、『迷走する家族』、有斐閣。
• 山田昌弘、2013、「日本家族のこれから－社会の構造転換が日本家族に与えたインパクト」、『社会学評論64(4)』。

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