The Extended Family Today

Question 1

Describe a study that shows the extended family has declined

Answer 1

Charles found that the classic 3 generation family all living under 1 rood is now ‘all but extinct’. The only significant exceptions she found were among the Bangladeshi community

Question 2

Describe an argument that shows that the extended family hasn’t entirely disappeared

Answer 2

Willmott argues, it continues to exist as a ‘dispersed extended family’, where relatives are geographically separated but maintain frequent contact through visits and calls

Question 3

Describe a study that supports the ‘dispersed extended family’

Answer 3

Chamberlain’s study of Caribbean families in Britain found, despite being geographically separated, they still provide supports
- She describes them as ‘multiple nuclear families’ with frequent contract between siblings and cousins, who make a big contribution to childrearing

Question 4

Describe a study that shows how the extended family provides support

Answer 4

• Bell found that WC and MC families had emotional bonds with kin and relied on them for support
• Among the MC, there was more financial help from father to son
• Among the WC, there was more domestic help from mothers to daughters

Question 5

What is a ‘beanpole’ family?

Answer 5

A type of extended family that is extended vertically through 3 generations or more (grandparents, parents and children) but it isn’t extended horizontally as it doesn’t involve aunts, cousins etc

Question 6

Describe a study that supports the beanpole family

Answer 6

Charles found a high level of contact between mothers and adult daughters, but there was a decline in support and contact between brothers and sisters

Question 7

What are 2 demographic changes that encourages the beanpole family?

Answer 7

• Increased life expectancy means more surviving grandparents
• Smaller family sizes mean people have fewer sibling so fewer horizontal ties

Question 8

Describe support for obligations to relatives

Answer 8

• Despite the rise of the beanpole family , many people still feel a sense of obligation to help their wider kin
• Finch and Mason found that over 90% of people had given or received financial help, and half had cared for a sick relative

Question 9

Describe support for the variability in what can be expected of different relatives

Answer 9

• Cheal notes that where personal care for an elderly women is needed, a daughter or daughter-in-law is preferred if the husband isn’t available.
• Sons are rarely chosen as caregivers for elderly women while daughters are rarely chosen as appropriate people to provide money.