The document discusses different perspectives on the family and its role in society. It begins by noting that until the 1960s, the family was widely seen as beneficial and evolving to suit social changes. However, questions then emerged about whether the family was truly beneficial. Social changes like rising divorce and single-parent families challenged the traditional nuclear family model. The document also examines cross-cultural research finding common family structures but variations. Functionalism views the family as fulfilling key roles like socialization, reproduction and economics that contribute to social stability. However, functionalist perspectives have also received criticism from other theorists.