Family and Household

Question 1

Definitions of Family and Household:

Answer 1

• Family: A group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption, typically sharing emotional and financial support.
• Household: People who live together in the same residence, not necessarily related by family ties.

Question 2

Types of Family Structures:

Answer 2

• Nuclear Family: A two-generation family consisting of parents and their children.
• Extended Family: Includes relatives beyond the immediate family, like grandparents, aunts, or uncles.
• Single-Parent Family: One parent living with their children.
• Reconstituted (Blended) Family: Formed when parents from previous relationships marry or cohabit and combine their children.
• Same-Sex Family: Families headed by same-sex couples, increasingly recognised due to changes in laws and social attitudes.

Question 3

Sociological Perspectives on the Family:

Answer 3

• Functionalism: Sees family as a key institution that provides socialisation, emotional support, and stability. Talcott Parsons argued the family has essential functions, like the primary socialisation of children and the stabilisation of adult personalities.
• Marxism: Views family as a way to support capitalism, reinforcing class inequality through inheritance and supporting the workforce’s reproduction.
• Feminism: Critiques the family for perpetuating gender inequalities, with radical feminists viewing it as a site of patriarchy. Liberal feminists advocate for changes in laws to achieve equality, while Marxist feminists focus on economic exploitation of women in families.
• New Right: Supports traditional family structures, particularly the nuclear family, arguing that it is vital for a stable society. The New Right views family breakdown as leading to social problems, such as increased crime and educational failure.

Question 4

Changes in Family Structure and Diversity:

Answer 4

• Factors like secularisation, increased divorce rates, and more women in the workforce have contributed to family diversity.
• Rapoport and Rapoport identified five types of family diversity: organisational, cultural, social class, life stage, and generational diversity.

Increasing cohabitation, same-sex parenting, and single-person households reflect these diverse family structures.

Question 5

Marriage, Cohabitation, and Divorce:

Answer 5

• Marriage rates have declined, while cohabitation and divorce rates have increased due to factors such as changes in social attitudes, secularisation, and legal reforms (like the 1969 Divorce Reform Act).
• Sociologists debate the impact of these trends, with some seeing them as evidence of family decline and others viewing them as positive shifts toward individual choice and equality.

Question 6

Childhood and Family Life:

Answer 6

• Sociologists like Philippe Ariès argue that childhood is a social construct, with attitudes toward children varying over time.
• The family’s role in childhood socialisation is crucial, though child-centeredness in modern families has increased, with more attention given to children’s needs and rights.

Question 7

Demographic Changes and Family:

Answer 7

• The aging population affects family structures, as there’s a rise in beanpole families (long, thin family trees with multiple generations but fewer members per generation).
• Declining birth rates and increasing life expectancy impact family dynamics, care-giving roles, and inter-generational relationships.