Family Flashcards
What is Family?
Family can be defined as a group of people related by marriage, blood , relationship or adoption.
Types Of Family
Nuclear family
Extended family
Kinship
Single- parent/ One parent family
Reconstituted/ Step family
Matrifocal family
Same-sex family
What is the nuclear family?
Nuclear family is made up of an adult man and and adult women who are married, or in a relationship, and living together with dependent children.
What is the extended family?
Extended family is a nuclear family living with other relatives such as grandparents or aunts ,uncles , cousins etc.
What is kinship family?
Kinship family is when the ties between people are related by descent(having a common ancestor) by marriage and by adoption.
One parent/Single-parent family
Single parent family is when one parent and their dependent children are living together.
Reconstituted/Step family
Step family is after the death of a partner or a divorce, a new family that is created by someone remarrying or after remarriage a step parent shares. with their new partner parental responsibility for children from previous marriages.
Matrifocal Family
Matrifocal family is when one in which the mother heads the family and the father has a less important role in the family and in bringing up children.
Same-sex Family
Same- sex family is when the two adults are of the same sex; that is, a male or female gay couple, usually raising their own or adopted children.
Grandparents
Importances of grandparents include:
Emotional Support and Guidance
Socialisation & Role Modeling
Transmission of Family values and Traditions
Strengthening Family Bonds
Buffering Stress and Trauma
Emotional Support and Guidance
Grandparents often provide a sense of stability and unconditional love for their grandchildren, offering a safe haven during challenging times. They can be trusted confidants, offering advice and support without judgement. This emotional connection can be a source of strength and resilience for grandchildren, helping them navigate the ups and downs of life
Socialisation& Role Modeling
Grandparents play an important role in socialising their grandchildren, teaching them social norms, values and behaviours. They can model positive interactions, conflict resolution skills and empathy, helping grandchildren develop into well rounded individuals.
Transmission Of Family Values
Grandparents serve as living links to the past, preserving and transmitting family values, traditions, and cultural heritage. They can share stories and artifacts that connect their grandchildren to their roots.
Strengthening Family Bonds
Grandparents act as anchors for extended families, fostering connections and strengthening bonds between generations. they can organise family gathering helping t maintain a sense of unity and cohesion within the family.
Buffering Stress and Trauma
Grandparents can play a crucial role in buffering the effects of stress and trauma on their grandchildren. Their unconditional love, support, and stability can provide a safe haven for their grandchildren who have experiences difficult situations.
Functions Of Family
Care Of Children
Socialisation
Regulation of Sexual behaviour
Social Control
Status
Care of children
Children need to be fed, clothed, sheltered and nurtured intellectually and emotionally.In the family people are given responsibility to ensure that this happens.Children need to be guided and shown the things they need to do.
Socialisation
Children need to learn the norms and values of their society, and this happens through primary socialisation in their families.Families transmit the culture of the society to the next generation; they are vital and teach children how to socialise and interact with people.
Regulation Of Sexual Behaviour
All societies seem to set rules about what kind of sexual behaviour is accepted, with whom and in what circumstances. Although sex outside marriage is often tolerated, most societies insist that children are born to people in a socially approved sexual relationship.
Social Control
Closely related to socialisation, this. refers to how the behaviour of children is controlled so that they conform to norms. For example, they may be punished for being ‘naughty’ or rewarded for behaviour their parents defined as good.
Status
Families provide status for children, they involve children in a web of interpersonal and group relationships.
Extended family types
Vertically Extended
Horizontally extended
Modified Extended
Vertically Extended Family
this is where the extended family includes more relatives than the mother, father and children unit of the nuclear family. if they are two generations this is called the vertically extended family.
Horizontal Extended Family
If there are aunts, uncles and cousins ( this is people of the same generation as the parents and children)
Modified Extended Family
These are families that live relatively close and are better able to stay in contact regularly.
Marxist,Functionalist, Feminist View on family functions
Marxist agree with functionalist that families are important because they carry out functions that are vital for individuals and society.
Functionalist View
Functionalists argue that in order for societies to survive and work, certain essential tasks or functions must be performed.
Feminists View
Feminists take the view that the nuclear family is functional for patriarchial society. The institution of the family gives men a powerful and privileged role, so it is a patriachal institution.
