The extended family today

Question 1

The existence of extended family among minority ethnic groups raises what question ?

Answer 1

how widespread extended families are in the UK today?

Question 2

Which functionalist believes that extended families were the dominant family type in pre-industrial, times but now it is replaced by the nuclear family

Answer 2

Parsons

Question 3

Parsons

Answer 3

the extended family is the dominant family type in pre-industrial society, but modern industrial society is replaced by the nuclear family

Question 4

Who did the study of Swansea?

Answer 4

Nickie Charles (2005)

Question 5

Nickie Charles (2005)

Answer 5

-did study of Swansea

found that the classic 3-generation family all living together under one roof is now ‘all but extinct’

Question 6

Extended family trend

Answer 6

-may have declined
-not entirely disappeared

Question 7

Who can you refer to when discussing the trend of extended families ?

Answer 7

Peter Willmot (1999)

Question 8

Peter Willmot (1999)

Answer 8

argues that extended families, continue to exist as a ‘dispersed extended family’

where relatives are geographically separated but maintain frequent contact through visits and phone calls

Question 9

Who did the study on the Caribbean families in Britain ?

Answer 9

Mary chamberlain (1999)

Question 10

Mary Chamberlain (1999)

Answer 10

-did study on caribbean families in Britain

found that:
-despite extended families being geographically dispersed, they continue to provide support

-she describes them as as ‘multiple nuclear families’
w/ close and frequent contact between siblings, uncles, aunt and cousins who often make a big contribution to child rearing

Question 11

Which sociologist stated that contact remains high between mothers and daughters ?

Answer 11

Nickie Charles

Question 12

Nickie Charles -s

Answer 12

-found that contact remains high between mothers and daughters

-between brothers and sisters, there had been a sharp decline in both support and contact

Question 13

Who does Nickie Charles say is affected by the decline in contact and support between siblings?

Answer 13

affected who counts as ‘family’
-those who do not keep in touch or provide support may cease to be denied as family

-‘friends may become family

Question 14

What does Charles show?

Answer 14

-there is some variability in what can be expected of different relatives

Question 15

Supporting evidence of Charles in the sense that there is some variability in what can be expected of different relatives?

Answer 15

Finch and Mason (1993)

-found that more is expected from women than males
-however people do continue to feel some sort of obligation towards their extended kin

Question 16

Finch and Mason’s study statistics

Answer 16

over 90% had given or received financial support, and about half had cared for a sick relative

Question 17

Overall what does the evidence show?

Answer 17

that extended family continues to play an important role for many people today, providing both practical and emotional support when called upon

Question 18

The Overall view and Parsons

Answer 18

this is very different from Parsons classic extended family, whose members lived and worked together and bound by strong mutual obligation

nevertheless
-some sense of obligation remains
-at least to some kin and as a last resort in times of crisis