The Functionalist View of the FamilyThere is no doubt that functionalism has contributed to the general understanding of the family, even if you do not believe that the functionalist view is correct , it still plays an essential part of the sociology theme by simply being there to contradict the Marxist view of the family. The functionalist view of society assumes that every society has a range of basic needs. Functionalists would say that if these needs are met, then society functions and is more likely to survive over a longer period of time. The functionalist point of view is considered a consensus theory because it tends to emphasize the “need” for shared norms and values. Several functionalist sociologists have attempted to explain the importance of families in society and the reasons (other than the obvious biological reason) for their existence. One of these sociologists is the American Talcott Parsons (1955). Parsons based his view on a sample of "modern North American" families »....