To a conflict theorist, marriage and families are fascinating because:
A. All married men and women fight every single day of their lives.
B. No one ever gets what they want, so everyone compromises.
C. All teenagers always fight with their parents.
D. Within the family are social standings and power struggles.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is:
D. Within the family are social standings and power struggles.
Explanation:
Conflict theory is a sociological perspective that focuses on the ways in which social structures and relationships involve power dynamics, inequality, and struggles over resources. When applied to marriage and families, conflict theorists examine how power and control are distributed and contested within these intimate social units.
Why D is correct:
Conflict theorists see families not just as loving and supportive units but as arenas where individuals may compete for power, influence, and resources. This perspective highlights how family roles, responsibilities, and decision-making often reflect and reproduce larger social inequalities — such as gender, class, and age hierarchies. For example, in many traditional families, men may hold more decision-making power or control over financial resources, while women may have less autonomy. Conflict theory draws attention to these imbalances and the tensions they create.
Why the other options are incorrect:
- A. All married men and women fight every single day of their lives.
This is an overgeneralization and not a focus of conflict theory. While conflict theorists acknowledge struggles for power, they do not claim constant fighting. - B. No one ever gets what they want, so everyone compromises.
This describes more of a functionalist or consensus-based view of families, emphasizing harmony and compromise rather than conflict. - C. All teenagers always fight with their parents.
While adolescent-parent conflict can occur, this is a simplistic view and not central to conflict theory’s broader analysis of social power and inequality within families.
Additional insights:
Conflict theory encourages us to see families as microcosms of society’s inequalities. It raises important questions about whose interests are served by family norms, roles, and institutions. For example, why do some family members have more say in decisions? How do economic pressures and cultural expectations shape family power dynamics? This perspective is valuable for understanding issues such as domestic violence, gender roles, and the distribution of labor and resources within households.
In summary, from a conflict theorist’s viewpoint, marriage and family life are key sites of social conflict and power struggles, making option D the best answer.