Marriage and Family
What is the nuclear family -
✅ In the past, family was usually defined in terms of a nuclear family. This is a family
consisting of heterosexual parents and their children who are linked by blood, adoption or law.
However, this definition no longer fits with society, as the modern definition of family considers the
emotional links between family members
What is kinshup -
✅ The patterns of relationships and the sense of duty people feel towards those they see as
family. For exanple a step father who has divorced tour mother is still part of your life and this is
called kinship.
What is a household -
✅ This refers to people who share a house and its facilities. These people may or may not
be related. For example, a servant may be part of your household but not your family. This also
includes university households
What is extended family -
✅ Extended family refers to people who surround the parents and children. For example
grandparents cousins aunts uncles etc. some extended family may share a home with each other or
live close by
What are some criticisms of the functionalist view of the family -
✅ - it is ideological. This is a set of ideas that attempts to explain why society is organised
how it is based on a view or how it should be organised. It promotes a view of the family that was
popular at the time and states that because the nuclear family exists, it's the best family form
- it ignores the dark side of family life. Many nuclear families aren't safe for women or children.
There's evidence that there are high rates of domestic violence in nuclear families
- it ignores diversity within families. It overlooks alternative sexualities, forcing those who aren't
heterosexual into family roles that don't allow them to express themselves
- it is sexist towards females and suggests that they should have less power and be less respected
Are traditional views of the family still relevant today -
✅ Family structure debates argue that there's an increasing variety in family and
household types and far more tolerance of people who don't fit traditional patterns. For example
same sex parents aren't uncommon. Theoretical debates look at family in terms of emotions and
organisation. They aren't as interested in what a family looks like but discuss the roles of the family.
Marxists view the family as a source of social inequality. The inequality between genders and the
adults and children in the family socialised people into the idea that some people will have more
power than others in society. Families feel that they must buy goods that are often not essential. For
example computer games. This is because of capitalism so families contribute to capitalism.
Feminists view the family as a tool of patriarchy as they oppress women who support the family
without pay or recognition. Wallace says that women are expected to do a triple shift in the family,
so the emotional work, paid work and housework. Oakley points to the way that families socialise
children into traditional gender patterns. Interactionists view the family in terms of roles and
behaviours. It looks at what family means in terms of emotional bonding and how we develop our
identity from our family. They look at how families have special things that form their relationship.
Postmodernists refer to families as a choice, where friendships may be more significant than blood
1
, relatives. Paul describes the way that people have become more socially and geographically mobile
so the role once taken by family members is filled by others such as friends
How has the family changed -
✅ The traditional nuclear family with a male breadwinner and female housewife is
declining. Despite it being viewed as the best family type by parsons and other sociologists, most
people agree that it's in the past. There are many reasons for this. There is less well paid work for
males and women have become more significant in the workforce and want careers. Changes in the
workforce have influenced family life and changes in men and women's expectations of work has
influenced society.
What is demography -
✅ Demography is the study of population and population change. They're interested in
patterns of social structure which describe what's happening at the time. They also predict trends
and look into the past to see how things are changing so they can make predictions about future
population patterns
Why is the demography of the UK changing -
✅ - people are living for longer and remain healthier for longer. Increasing numbers of
older people are widowed, never married and live alone
- Women tend to have fewer children. The average number of children per family is below 2. The
average age of mothers is much higher than in the past. Approximately 20% of women don't have
children
- Although many children live in a traditional nuclear family, there's an increasing number of
children living in families where one or both parents aren't related to them or when they only have
one parent taking care of them
- people can now openly be in same sex families
meaning that people can express their sexuality
- people may prefer to live on their own and this is now accepted even if they're in a relationship.
This is known as elective singlehood. Some people may experience forced singlehood
- Adult children are likely to remain in the family home much longer than in the past. This is due to
higher prices, a lack of work for young people and the cost of living crisis. Some adult children may
move out and move back in. These are known as
boomerang children
- migration is changing family patterns, so traditional nuclear and extended family patterns may be
more typical of those that have migrated and have different cultures
Define cohabitation -
✅ This is when people who aren't married live together. For example university students
may cohabit with each other. This also includes boyfriends and girlfriends who live togetehr
Define elective singlehood -
✅ This is when a person chooses to be single
Define forced singlehood -
✅ This is when a person becomes single not through choice. For example through death
of a partner
Define lone parent families -
✅ This is when one parent is the main care giver for children in a family
2
What is the nuclear family -
✅ In the past, family was usually defined in terms of a nuclear family. This is a family
consisting of heterosexual parents and their children who are linked by blood, adoption or law.
However, this definition no longer fits with society, as the modern definition of family considers the
emotional links between family members
What is kinshup -
✅ The patterns of relationships and the sense of duty people feel towards those they see as
family. For exanple a step father who has divorced tour mother is still part of your life and this is
called kinship.
What is a household -
✅ This refers to people who share a house and its facilities. These people may or may not
be related. For example, a servant may be part of your household but not your family. This also
includes university households
What is extended family -
✅ Extended family refers to people who surround the parents and children. For example
grandparents cousins aunts uncles etc. some extended family may share a home with each other or
live close by
What are some criticisms of the functionalist view of the family -
✅ - it is ideological. This is a set of ideas that attempts to explain why society is organised
how it is based on a view or how it should be organised. It promotes a view of the family that was
popular at the time and states that because the nuclear family exists, it's the best family form
- it ignores the dark side of family life. Many nuclear families aren't safe for women or children.
There's evidence that there are high rates of domestic violence in nuclear families
- it ignores diversity within families. It overlooks alternative sexualities, forcing those who aren't
heterosexual into family roles that don't allow them to express themselves
- it is sexist towards females and suggests that they should have less power and be less respected
Are traditional views of the family still relevant today -
✅ Family structure debates argue that there's an increasing variety in family and
household types and far more tolerance of people who don't fit traditional patterns. For example
same sex parents aren't uncommon. Theoretical debates look at family in terms of emotions and
organisation. They aren't as interested in what a family looks like but discuss the roles of the family.
Marxists view the family as a source of social inequality. The inequality between genders and the
adults and children in the family socialised people into the idea that some people will have more
power than others in society. Families feel that they must buy goods that are often not essential. For
example computer games. This is because of capitalism so families contribute to capitalism.
Feminists view the family as a tool of patriarchy as they oppress women who support the family
without pay or recognition. Wallace says that women are expected to do a triple shift in the family,
so the emotional work, paid work and housework. Oakley points to the way that families socialise
children into traditional gender patterns. Interactionists view the family in terms of roles and
behaviours. It looks at what family means in terms of emotional bonding and how we develop our
identity from our family. They look at how families have special things that form their relationship.
Postmodernists refer to families as a choice, where friendships may be more significant than blood
1
, relatives. Paul describes the way that people have become more socially and geographically mobile
so the role once taken by family members is filled by others such as friends
How has the family changed -
✅ The traditional nuclear family with a male breadwinner and female housewife is
declining. Despite it being viewed as the best family type by parsons and other sociologists, most
people agree that it's in the past. There are many reasons for this. There is less well paid work for
males and women have become more significant in the workforce and want careers. Changes in the
workforce have influenced family life and changes in men and women's expectations of work has
influenced society.
What is demography -
✅ Demography is the study of population and population change. They're interested in
patterns of social structure which describe what's happening at the time. They also predict trends
and look into the past to see how things are changing so they can make predictions about future
population patterns
Why is the demography of the UK changing -
✅ - people are living for longer and remain healthier for longer. Increasing numbers of
older people are widowed, never married and live alone
- Women tend to have fewer children. The average number of children per family is below 2. The
average age of mothers is much higher than in the past. Approximately 20% of women don't have
children
- Although many children live in a traditional nuclear family, there's an increasing number of
children living in families where one or both parents aren't related to them or when they only have
one parent taking care of them
- people can now openly be in same sex families
meaning that people can express their sexuality
- people may prefer to live on their own and this is now accepted even if they're in a relationship.
This is known as elective singlehood. Some people may experience forced singlehood
- Adult children are likely to remain in the family home much longer than in the past. This is due to
higher prices, a lack of work for young people and the cost of living crisis. Some adult children may
move out and move back in. These are known as
boomerang children
- migration is changing family patterns, so traditional nuclear and extended family patterns may be
more typical of those that have migrated and have different cultures
Define cohabitation -
✅ This is when people who aren't married live together. For example university students
may cohabit with each other. This also includes boyfriends and girlfriends who live togetehr
Define elective singlehood -
✅ This is when a person chooses to be single
Define forced singlehood -
✅ This is when a person becomes single not through choice. For example through death
of a partner
Define lone parent families -
✅ This is when one parent is the main care giver for children in a family
2
