Family Types

What is the definition of a family?

a couple (married, civil partners, or cohabiting) with or without dependent children, or a lone parent with their child(ren)

What is the definition of a household?

one person living alone or a group of people living together at the same address

What facilities may members of a household share?

• a kitchen

• a bathroom

Why do sociologists use the term "families" rather than "family"?

to reflect the range of types of families, relationships, and household arrangements

Why is there no single definition of the family?

the family exists in diverse forms

What is the nuclear family?

a father, a mother, and their child(ren) where the parents are married or cohabiting

How many generations live together in a nuclear family?

two generations

What is an extended family?

relatives beyond the nuclear family often spanning three generations in one household

What is a modified extended family?

relatives live apart but maintain regular contact and mutual support

What is a beanpole family?

• a multi-generational family

• extends vertically through three or more generations - grandparents, parents, and children

• not extended horizontally - does not involve aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.

What factors are linked to the increase in beanpole families?

• longer life expectancy

• lower birth rates

What is a reconstituted family?

a family formed when one or both partners bring children from a previous relationship into a new family unit

What are the other names for reconstituted families?

• stepfamilies

• blended families

What is an empty nest family?

families where the children have grown up and moved out, leaving only the parent(s) in the home

What social changes have increased acceptance of alternative family forms?

• changing social attitudes

• the changing economic position of women

• improved contraception

• developments in reproductive technology

• changes in divorce laws

What is secularisation?

decline in religious influence

How does secularisation influence family diversity?

marriage is no longer seen as sacred

How have legal changes affected family diversity?

• relaxed divorce laws

• same-sex marriages have been legalised

How has the improved position of women contributed to family diversity?

better education and career opportunities have made women financially independent

How has migration contributed to family diversity?

cultural traditions brought by migrant communities have contributed to extended families

How does cultural diversity influence family formation?

different patterns of family formation develop among groups

What pattern exists in Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Indian households?

households tend to be larger and include three generations

What did Qureshi et al (2015) say about British Asian families?

they are often perceived as traditional with low divorce rates

What percentage of Bangladeshi and Pakistani homes had extended families in 2001?

10%

What percentage of Black Caribbean homes had extended families in 2001?

3%

What percentage of white British and mixed households had extended families in 2001?

2%

What practical reason supported extended families among migrants?

the need for mutual assistance during early migration

What did Ballard (1982) find about Asian migrant families in the 1950s and 1960s?

extended family ties provided crucial support in the 1950s and 1960s

What living arrangement did many Asian migrant families have?

multiple generations sharing a single house

What type of extended family exists today?

modified or dispersed extended family where relatives live apart but maintain close contact and support networks