... their offspring as being ideal to satisfy the needs of both family members and society as a whole. Although the family has become more specialized to satisfy it's industrial requirements, institutions such as schools and health service providers are increasingly carrying out roles that the family once provided in pre-industrial society, it is still responsible for what Parsons describes as a few 'essential functions'. He states these to be the primary socialisation of children, and the stabilization of adult personalities. Firstly, it is the role of the family to rear their offspring to fit in, and meet, their societal needs and culture. This is necessary for the existence of a society, as without the norms and values of a particular culture being passed on to subsequent generations, it would cease to exist. For example, as Haralambos (2000) points out, in the case of America these values manifest themselves as 'independence' ...

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