Functionalists see the family as an important social institution, functioning for the good of society and the individual.
Parsons (1955) stated that families are "personality factories" where children are socialised into the culture of society by being taught the shared norms and values of their community. They are given a strong sense of belonging and the family is seen as central to consensus and order. This is also shown when functionalists' state that family controls its members through marriage, as sexual relationships within a marriage is seen as acceptable. …
