The Caribbean Family

Vocabulary flashcards covering definitions, functions, unions, authority structures, residence patterns, and roles within the Caribbean family.

Family

A group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption.

Reconstituted Family / Blended Family

A family structure that occurs when a child has a step-mother or step-father.

Unit of Procreation

A function of the family in which humans produce offspring, ensuring the population continues to replace those who die and preventing extinction.

Social Unit

A function of the family that fulfills basic emotional and psychological needs so members feel loved, wanted, and protected.

Basic Unit of Socialization

A function of the family that provides socialization for all members, helping young people learn values, attitudes, basic skills, and social roles to become useful contributing members of society.

Economic Unit

A function of the family wherein members work to satisfy basic needs, reducing the need for government financial assistance and contributing through taxes.

Family Union

The different forms of relationships or arrangements through which families are formed.

Marriage

A legal union between two consenting adults (man and woman).

Common-law Union

A family arrangement where a man and a woman live together under some form of intimacy, but are not married.

Visiting Union

An ongoing relationship where two people do not live together, visit irregularly or seasonally, may have children together, and maintain separate households (with the possibility of one living overseas).

Monogamy

A form of marriage in which a person has only one wife or husband at a time.

Polygamy

The state or practice of having more than one wife or husband.

Polygyny

A form of polygamy where a man has more than one wife.

Polyandry

A form of polygamy where a woman has more than one husband.

Bigamy

The act of going against a law or policy stating that an individual can only marry one person at a time by marrying another.

Conjugal Relationship

A relationship built around the connection between husband and wife (partners) and their children.

Consanguinity

A blood relationship, such as the relationship between a mother and her child.

Patriarchal

An authority pattern in a society where men have a dominant role in social organization and the man is seen as the head of the house.

Matriarchal

An authority pattern where a woman is the head of the house.

Patrifocal

A family structure where the father has responsibility for the family.

Matrifocal

A family structure where the mother has responsibility for the family.

Matrilocal

A residence pattern in which a couple lives with the wife's parents.

Patrilocal

A residence pattern in which a couple lives with the husband's parents.

Neolocal

A residence pattern in which a couple establishes their own residence.

Matrilineal

A lineage system where rights and duties follow the mother's lineage.

Patrilineal

A lineage system where rights and duties follow the father's lineage.

Bilineal

A lineage system where both parents have rights and duties.

Status

A person's position, rank, or standing in a family.

Role

The part a person has indicating the function they should fulfill in their position, accompanied by the responsibilities and duties needed to carry it out.

The 4 Ps in Preparation for Parenting

Key areas of preparation for parenting listed as: Guidance, Finance, Provision, and Positive Guidance.