extended families Flashcards
what is the extended family?
The extended family is when three or more generations live together in one household. The traditional make-up of this family type would be grandparents, parents and children.
what was the extended family replaced by?
nuclear family
Nickie Charles
Nickie Charles’ (2008) study of family types in Swansea:
The typical extended family is “all but now extinct”.
Except for in Bangladeshi communities.
Peter Willmot
Argues, the extended family still exists but it now just dispersed (it just looks different!)– rather than living in one house, they live separately but all maintain frequent contact with one another.
He calls this the ‘dispersed extended family’
Mary Chamberlain:
Study of Caribbean families.
Although families were dispersed they provided support for one another.
She describes them as ‘multiple nuclear families’
Chamberlain argues that the extended family still survives in a different form, because it provides important functions for its family members.
what does bell argue the functions of an extended family is?
Middle class extended families provide financial help from father to son.
Working class extended families have frequent contact as they tend to live closer, and there is more domestic help from mothers to daughters.
Bell’s findings suggest the importance of the ‘bean pole family’ – a new form of extended family.
what is the beanpole family?
A Beanpole family is a multi-generational family that is long and thin with few aunts, uncles and grandparents.
a new form of extended family
why does brannen describe the beanpole family as long and thin?
Extended vertically (up and down) through three or more generations of: grandparents, parents and children.
NOT extended horizontally – it does not include aunts, uncles, cousins etc.
Nickie Charles’ (2008) study of family types in Swansea:
Found the same level of contact between mother and daughters as in Bell’s 1960 research. However, there was little contact or support from brothers or sisters compared to earlier research. This suggests a bean pole structure!
why has the beanpole family developed?
Result of 2 demographic changes:
Increased life expectancy – more surviving grandparents and great-grandparents
Smaller family sizes – fewer siblings and thus fewer horizontal ties in the family tree. Smaller family sizes are also linked to divorce – people separate early on and do not have more children.
Finch and Mason
Finch and Mason (1993) – 90% of people give or receive financial support to extended family, and around 50% have cared for a sick relative. People believed this should be reciprocated (same action is given back).
Wider obligations to relatives
