Which is a commonly cited criticism of Parsons' view on the family?

• A. It presents an idealised view of family life and ignores dysfunction
• B. It overemphasises the influence of external institutions
• C. It ignores the child's own role in shaping their personality
• D. It fails to consider economic factors in family life

Answer: (C)

Parsons sees the family as a crucial site for social order, with the family’s role in primary socialisation shaping individuals to fit societal norms. A key criticism of this view is that it treats children as passive recipients of parental influence, ignoring the child’s own active role in shaping their personality. In reality, children interpret, resist, and negotiate parental expectations, and their own temperament, interests, and peer experiences contribute significantly to how they develop. So, the idea that personality is simply molded by the family understates how much agency children have in their own development and how family dynamics can be influenced by the child’s responses. This focus on child agency is a central, widely cited critique of Parsons’ framework.

While some argue Parsons idealises the family and overlooks dysfunction, and others point to economic and structural factors he may not fully address, the emphasis on the child’s active role directly challenges the notion of a one-way socialisation process and helps explain why his picture can feel too neat to be true.