FAD 2230 FSU LATEST VERSION EXAM PREP - VERIFIED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - COMPLETE COVERAGE
Q1. What is the functional definition of family?
ANSWER The functional definition focuses on what a family does — its
purpose and roles, such as raising children responsibly, providing economic
support, and offering emotional security.
Q2. What is the structural definition of family?
ANSWER The structural definition focuses on what a family is — the form it
takes, such as blood relations, marriage, or adoption.
Q3. What are the basic family functions?
ANSWER Raising children responsibly, providing economic and other practical
support, and offering emotional security.
Q4. Define "family of orientation."
ANSWER The family into which a person is born and in which they are
socialized; it orients the individual to society.
Q5. Define "family of procreation."
ANSWER The family a person forms through marriage or partnership, typically
to have or raise children.
Q6. What is the difference between a family and a household?
ANSWER A family is a group related by blood, marriage, or affection, while a
household is any group of people living together in the same dwelling unit,
regardless of relation.
Q7. What does "deinstitutionalization of marriage" mean?
ANSWER It refers to the weakening of social norms that define marriage as
the only acceptable context for intimate relationships, childbearing, and
cohabitation.
Q8. What percentage of U.S. households today are married-couple families?
ANSWER Approximately 48-50% (varies by year; historically higher).
,Q9. What is a "postmodern family"?
ANSWER A family form that is not bound by traditional structures; it is
diverse, fluid, and chosen rather than prescribed.
Q10. What is the "family decline" perspective?
ANSWER The view that changes in family structure (e.g., rising divorce, single
parenthood) have led to negative outcomes for individuals and society.
Q11. What is the "family change" perspective?
ANSWER The view that families are adapting to social changes rather than
declining; new family forms can be functional and supportive.
Q12. What is homogamy?
ANSWER The tendency to marry or partner with someone similar to oneself in
characteristics such as age, race, education, and social class.
Q13. What is heterogamy?
ANSWER Partnering with someone who is different from oneself in significant
characteristics.
Q14. What is a "nuclear family"?
ANSWER A family unit consisting of two parents (traditionally a mother and
father) and their children living together.
Q15. What is an "extended family"?
ANSWER A family that includes relatives beyond the nuclear family, such as
grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, often living in close proximity or
together.
Q16. What is a "binuclear family"?
ANSWER A family type after divorce where children belong to two households
— one with each parent.
Q17. What is a "blended" or "reconstituted" family?
ANSWER A family formed when one or both partners bring children from
previous relationships into a new union (also called a stepfamily).
Q18. What is the "second shift"?
ANSWER The unpaid domestic labor (childcare, housework) that employed
women often perform after their paid workday ends.
Q19. What is "intensive mothering"?
ANSWER An ideology that expects mothers to devote substantial time,
,energy, and resources to raising their children, often at the expense of
personal or career goals.
Q20. What is a "boomerang child"?
ANSWER An adult child who returns to live with their parents after a period of
independent living.
CHAPTER 2: EXPLORING RELATIONSHIPS AND FAMILIES – THEORIES &
RESEARCH
Q21. What is Family Systems Theory?
ANSWER A theory that views the family as a complex, interconnected system
where each member affects and is affected by the others; change in one part
affects the whole system.
Q22. What is a "subsystem" in Family Systems Theory?
ANSWER Smaller units within the family system, such as the marital
subsystem, sibling subsystem, or parent-child subsystem.
Q23. What is "boundaries" in Family Systems Theory?
ANSWER Emotional or physical barriers that define who is in or out of the
family system and regulate interaction between subsystems.
Q24. What is "homeostasis" in Family Systems Theory?
ANSWER The tendency of a family system to resist change and maintain
stability and equilibrium.
Q25. What is Social Exchange Theory?
ANSWER A theory that views relationships as exchanges of resources;
individuals seek to maximize rewards and minimize costs in relationships.
Q26. What are "rewards" and "costs" in Social Exchange Theory?
ANSWER Rewards are positive outcomes (love, support, companionship);
costs are negative outcomes (stress, conflict, time). People evaluate the profit
(rewards minus costs).
Q27. What is the "comparison level" (CL) in Social Exchange Theory?
ANSWER The standard by which individuals evaluate the rewards and costs of
a relationship based on past experiences and expectations.
, Q28. What is the "comparison level for alternatives" (CLalt)?
ANSWER The standard by which individuals evaluate whether they could get a
better deal in an alternative relationship or being single.
Q29. What is Family Life Course Development Theory?
ANSWER A theory that examines how families change over time through
developmental stages, transitions, and trajectories across the lifespan.
Q30. What is a "family transition"?
ANSWER A change in family roles or relationships, such as marriage, birth of a
child, or retirement.
Q31. What is a "family trajectory"?
ANSWER The long-term path or sequence of transitions and events in a
family's life.
Q32. What is "on-time" vs. "off-time" transition?
ANSWER On-time transitions occur at socially expected ages (e.g., marrying in
one's 20s); off-time transitions occur earlier or later than expected.
Q33. What is Symbolic Interaction Theory?
ANSWER A theory that focuses on how individuals create and interpret
meanings through social interaction; emphasizes symbols, roles, and
definitions of situations.
Q34. What is a "role" in Symbolic Interaction Theory?
ANSWER A set of expectations associated with a particular social position
(e.g., mother, father, child).
Q35. What is "role conflict"?
ANSWER When the demands of one role are incompatible with the demands
of another (e.g., work demands vs. family demands).
Q36. What is "role strain"?
ANSWER Difficulty in meeting the expectations of a single role.
Q37. What is Conflict Theory?
ANSWER A theory that views society and families as arenas of inequality and
power struggles, where resources are unevenly distributed.
Q38. What is Feminist Theory?
ANSWER A perspective that examines how gender shapes family experiences,
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - COMPLETE COVERAGE
Q1. What is the functional definition of family?
ANSWER The functional definition focuses on what a family does — its
purpose and roles, such as raising children responsibly, providing economic
support, and offering emotional security.
Q2. What is the structural definition of family?
ANSWER The structural definition focuses on what a family is — the form it
takes, such as blood relations, marriage, or adoption.
Q3. What are the basic family functions?
ANSWER Raising children responsibly, providing economic and other practical
support, and offering emotional security.
Q4. Define "family of orientation."
ANSWER The family into which a person is born and in which they are
socialized; it orients the individual to society.
Q5. Define "family of procreation."
ANSWER The family a person forms through marriage or partnership, typically
to have or raise children.
Q6. What is the difference between a family and a household?
ANSWER A family is a group related by blood, marriage, or affection, while a
household is any group of people living together in the same dwelling unit,
regardless of relation.
Q7. What does "deinstitutionalization of marriage" mean?
ANSWER It refers to the weakening of social norms that define marriage as
the only acceptable context for intimate relationships, childbearing, and
cohabitation.
Q8. What percentage of U.S. households today are married-couple families?
ANSWER Approximately 48-50% (varies by year; historically higher).
,Q9. What is a "postmodern family"?
ANSWER A family form that is not bound by traditional structures; it is
diverse, fluid, and chosen rather than prescribed.
Q10. What is the "family decline" perspective?
ANSWER The view that changes in family structure (e.g., rising divorce, single
parenthood) have led to negative outcomes for individuals and society.
Q11. What is the "family change" perspective?
ANSWER The view that families are adapting to social changes rather than
declining; new family forms can be functional and supportive.
Q12. What is homogamy?
ANSWER The tendency to marry or partner with someone similar to oneself in
characteristics such as age, race, education, and social class.
Q13. What is heterogamy?
ANSWER Partnering with someone who is different from oneself in significant
characteristics.
Q14. What is a "nuclear family"?
ANSWER A family unit consisting of two parents (traditionally a mother and
father) and their children living together.
Q15. What is an "extended family"?
ANSWER A family that includes relatives beyond the nuclear family, such as
grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, often living in close proximity or
together.
Q16. What is a "binuclear family"?
ANSWER A family type after divorce where children belong to two households
— one with each parent.
Q17. What is a "blended" or "reconstituted" family?
ANSWER A family formed when one or both partners bring children from
previous relationships into a new union (also called a stepfamily).
Q18. What is the "second shift"?
ANSWER The unpaid domestic labor (childcare, housework) that employed
women often perform after their paid workday ends.
Q19. What is "intensive mothering"?
ANSWER An ideology that expects mothers to devote substantial time,
,energy, and resources to raising their children, often at the expense of
personal or career goals.
Q20. What is a "boomerang child"?
ANSWER An adult child who returns to live with their parents after a period of
independent living.
CHAPTER 2: EXPLORING RELATIONSHIPS AND FAMILIES – THEORIES &
RESEARCH
Q21. What is Family Systems Theory?
ANSWER A theory that views the family as a complex, interconnected system
where each member affects and is affected by the others; change in one part
affects the whole system.
Q22. What is a "subsystem" in Family Systems Theory?
ANSWER Smaller units within the family system, such as the marital
subsystem, sibling subsystem, or parent-child subsystem.
Q23. What is "boundaries" in Family Systems Theory?
ANSWER Emotional or physical barriers that define who is in or out of the
family system and regulate interaction between subsystems.
Q24. What is "homeostasis" in Family Systems Theory?
ANSWER The tendency of a family system to resist change and maintain
stability and equilibrium.
Q25. What is Social Exchange Theory?
ANSWER A theory that views relationships as exchanges of resources;
individuals seek to maximize rewards and minimize costs in relationships.
Q26. What are "rewards" and "costs" in Social Exchange Theory?
ANSWER Rewards are positive outcomes (love, support, companionship);
costs are negative outcomes (stress, conflict, time). People evaluate the profit
(rewards minus costs).
Q27. What is the "comparison level" (CL) in Social Exchange Theory?
ANSWER The standard by which individuals evaluate the rewards and costs of
a relationship based on past experiences and expectations.
, Q28. What is the "comparison level for alternatives" (CLalt)?
ANSWER The standard by which individuals evaluate whether they could get a
better deal in an alternative relationship or being single.
Q29. What is Family Life Course Development Theory?
ANSWER A theory that examines how families change over time through
developmental stages, transitions, and trajectories across the lifespan.
Q30. What is a "family transition"?
ANSWER A change in family roles or relationships, such as marriage, birth of a
child, or retirement.
Q31. What is a "family trajectory"?
ANSWER The long-term path or sequence of transitions and events in a
family's life.
Q32. What is "on-time" vs. "off-time" transition?
ANSWER On-time transitions occur at socially expected ages (e.g., marrying in
one's 20s); off-time transitions occur earlier or later than expected.
Q33. What is Symbolic Interaction Theory?
ANSWER A theory that focuses on how individuals create and interpret
meanings through social interaction; emphasizes symbols, roles, and
definitions of situations.
Q34. What is a "role" in Symbolic Interaction Theory?
ANSWER A set of expectations associated with a particular social position
(e.g., mother, father, child).
Q35. What is "role conflict"?
ANSWER When the demands of one role are incompatible with the demands
of another (e.g., work demands vs. family demands).
Q36. What is "role strain"?
ANSWER Difficulty in meeting the expectations of a single role.
Q37. What is Conflict Theory?
ANSWER A theory that views society and families as arenas of inequality and
power struggles, where resources are unevenly distributed.
Q38. What is Feminist Theory?
ANSWER A perspective that examines how gender shapes family experiences,
