The Family

Question 1

What is an extended family?

Answer 1

A family that includes kin or relatives beyond the nuclear family. This can be vertical (3 or more generations included) or horizontal (relatives from same generation live together).

Question 2

What is a reconstituted family?

Answer 2

Where a couple come together and form a family including at least one child from a previous relationship of one of the couple.

Question 3

What does Murdock say about the nuclear family?

Answer 3

Studied 250 societies and found that some version of the nuclear family was universal. They serve 4 functions within society (economic, education, reproduction, sexual).

Question 4

What does Parsons say about the nuclear family?

Answer 4

• Nuclear family now serves 2 functions (socialisation of children and socialisation of adult personalities).
• Men and women are naturally suited to different complimentary roles (men instrumental as breadwinners, women expressive as child bearer).

Question 5

What does Popenoe say about the nuclear family?

Answer 5

Different gender roles match bio-social reality. Children brought up outside the nuclear family likely to be scarred as a result.

Question 6

What does Murray say about family?

Answer 6

• Lone parent families form significant part of underclass, children without father figures likely to do worse in education and commit crimes.
• Successive governments reward mothers having children outside of marriage by giving them benefits.
• Politicans don’t support institution of marriage enough which leads to marriage and children outside of marriage too socially acceptable.
• Children born outside of marriage better off in adopted families than be raised by a lone mother.

Question 7

What do Dennis and Erdo say about family?

Answer 7

Children raised by single mothers tend to have lower educational attainment and poorer health. Boys in particular develop into immature, irresponsible and anti-social young men.