The Social Construction of Family Life Social Sciences Essay

The Social Construction of a Family Life
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The Social Construction of a Family Life
Option 1: Structural Functionalism
This paper will discuss the social construction of a family based on the theory of structural functionalism. The concept of a family is often perceived as social constructs that aggregate to form the whole community. Structural functionalism is a conceptual framework of the understanding community as an intricate system made of various units that enhance stability and interrelationships. This viewpoint paints the concept of family as a social construct that performs several functions, including socialization, protection, emotional support, the legitimization of sexual behavior, and reproduction, among others. The two most common typical family forms include nuclear and extended families.
According to functionalism theory, the family is regarded as a societal system comprising different components that show interdependence. Various institutions, such as the family's institution that are often grounded on marriage, perform specific community functions. Typical families such as nuclear and extended social building blocks are defined by the cultural norms, traditions, and customs of a given community. For instance, in many cultural settings, like the U.S and U.K, to mention a few, the family type has transformed the extended family units into nuclear social identities that fit contemporary industrial societies. However, nuclear families appear to have lesser functions than extended ones. Nuclear families function as center units for socialization, stabilizing adult personalities and acting as a unit for economic growth and development or sustainability. In one of the studies, findings showed that Americans often marry from families that would provide love, companionship, financial stability, and legal rights or benefits (Pew Research Center). Romance and love are a critical reason for underpinning families' formation (/watch?v=N7oWM07jA0c: Pew Research Center). It should be noted that it is from the idea of love that essential functions of family emerge, for instance, companionship, social stability, reproduction and procreation, and sex. Scholars such as Fletcher theorize the nuclear fa...