Sociology Ch 11: Families and Intimate Relationships Flashcards
Family
An intimate group consisting of two or more people who
a. Live together in a committed relationship
b. Care for one another and any children
c. Share close emotional ties and functions
Families are universal, but is there any universal definition for family?
No
What are the six types of families?
Nuclear family Extended family Blended families Family of orientation Family of procreation Fictive Kin
Extended family
cousins, grandparents
Blended families
includes step-family
Family of orientation
mom, dad, sister (who you grew up with)
Family of procreation
daughter, son, husband (Your spouse and dependents)
Fictive Kin
Family members that don’t fit into any of the other definitions
What has changed about families in the past few years? (4)
Age at first marriage, cohabitation, divorce, same-sex marriage
Cohabitation
Two people living together in a sexual relationship with some sense of permanence, without being legally married to each other
Marriage
A socially and legally acknowledged and approved sexual relationship between individuals.
Nuclear family
A group consisting of one or more adults and their dependent children
Functionalists views the family as…?
A means of primary socialization and personality stabilization.
Criticisms of functionalist view of the family? (3)
Promoted domestic division of labor, neglects other modes of socialization, narrow definition
Costs of Cohabitation? (4)
few legal rights, increase risk of divorce, women do more chores when cohabiting than as wives, couples who cohabit tend to have fewer problem solving skills
