Candidates should show an awareness of the various ways that nuclear
families are the best type of family to live in today. Functionalist and New
Right views may be referred to in the answer. Feminism may be considered in
evaluation.
Possible answers:
FOR
• nuclear family is the best – criticisms by functionalists/New Right of single
parent families/same sex families as not being the best place to instill
children with societies norms and values through primary socialisation;
• we now live in a global age, meaning that international travel and
employment are increasingly normalised. This would be difficult to
combine if you were not living in a nuclear family;
• it is the nuclear family that functionalists claim is the best fit for modern
society as it performs the essential functions such as reproduction, social
control, stabilisation of adult personalities and primary socialisation;
• other types of family do not allow for the privacy and autonomy that
individuals expect and want in a privatised contemporary society, only
the nuclear family can do this;
• the nuclear family is based on marriage or a long-term stable
relationship which promotes good, strong values to its members;
• the nuclear family has a mother and a father to bring the children up,
many people believe that it is important to have both role models to
successfully socialise children;
• clearly defined gender roles in the nuclear family are thought by
functionalists to be the best for the family members and society –
mother performs the expressive role and father the instrumental;
• for religious people nuclear families may be seen to be the best as they
value marriage and monogamy;
• nuclear families can be expensive – with the rising cost of living,
extended families are often the best option in terms of sharing
household and holiday costs;
• other reasonable response.
AGAINST
• some people believe that the intensity of the nuclear family structure is
stifling for its members and does not allow them to develop as well as
they could in other family structures;
• feminists are critical of the segregated gender roles and unequal power
relations that can often typify nuclear families;
• in some cultures the nuclear family is not seen as a norm and instead
other forms of family such as the extended family are a sign of a
successful family life e.g. South Asian communities;
• extended families not nuclear families can offer extensive financial
support to their members through loans and monetary gifts as well as
practical support such as childcare;
• Leach claims that nuclear families can be dysfunctional for the
members as it places too much pressure upon them – the cereal packet
family seen in the media is nor realistic;
• functions of the family once performed in nuclear families can now be
performed by other institutions e.g. nurseries;
with rising secularisation marriage is no longer valued therefore nuclear
families are today seen as unfashionable – family diversity may be
more typical;
• other reasonable response.
Band 0 [0 marks]
No creditworthy response.
Band 1 [1–4 marks]
Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense
showing limited knowledge of the extent to which nuclear families are the
best type of family to live in today. Use of sociological terms or concepts is
very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one-sided. E.g.
nuclear families perform family functions etc. Lower in the band (1–2
marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks)
candidates may offer more than two points or provide a weak definition of
key terms, e.g. the nuclear family is a small family with a married man and
woman with children.
Band 2 [5–8 marks]
In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of the extent to
which nuclear families are the best type of family to live in today. Alternatively,
they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real
attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be
limited/some use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be
underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two-sided
responses are unlikely e.g. ‘Nuclear families perform essential family
functions such as social control and primary socialisation’ etc. Lower in the
band, the response will be rather narrow in the points covered and there will
be little development. Higher in the band, more points will be covered and there
will be limited development of some points. Alternatively, a list-like answer
with little development covering both sides of the argument may score up to
8 marks.
A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks.
Band 3 [9–12 marks]
Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and
understanding of the extent to which nuclear families are the best type of
family to live in today. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with
greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well
developed, focused on the question and there will be a range of points
presented. Candidates may say that e.g. ‘Despite nuclear families
performing a range of family functions such as reproduction and social
control and being thought by functionalists to be the best type of family to do
this, other types of families clearly offer many practical and emotional
advantages to family members today. Extended families for example often
offer practical, financial and emotional support. Same sex and single parent
families may be preferred by feminists as they offer greater freedom to
women’. There will be a two-sided response but this may be unbalanced. At
the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of well
developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of points and
clear focus on the question.
Band 4 [13–15 marks]
Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of
the extent to which nuclear families are the best type of family to live in
today. There will be a strong grasp of the argument as well as accurate and
frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well
developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points.
Responses will be two-sided and balanced. At the bottom of the band (13
marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there
will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent.?’ part
of the question through a focused conclusion. Candidates should show
consideration of points for and against the idea of nuclear families being the
best option, citing some of the examples given.