Family Structures, Theories, and Research Methods in Sociology

Family

A sexually expressive, parent-child, or kin relationship where members form an economic unit, care for dependents, attach their identity to the group, and commit to maintaining that group over time.

Household

Any group of people residing together; according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a family household must be related by blood, marriage, or adoption.

Three Major Family Functions

1) Raising children responsibly, 2) providing economic and practical support, and 3) offering emotional security.

Nuclear Family

A family structure consisting of a husband, wife, and children.

Extended Family

Includes parents, children, grandparents, and other relatives like aunts and uncles.

Postmodern Family

Contemporary families not necessarily bound by legal marriage, blood, or adoption, such as roommates living together.

Deciding vs. Sliding

'Deciding' involves making informed, conscious choices, while 'sliding' refers to falling into situations without conscious thought.

Race vs. Ethnicity

Race is a social construction regarding social groups; Ethnicity refers to cultural distinctions based on language, religion, or history and has no biological connotations.

Theory

A set of ideas that explains how and why families and relationships function; it helps researchers develop questions and interpret data.

Family Systems Theory

Views families as interconnected systems where each person affects the whole; focuses on roles, boundaries, and communication.

Social Exchange Theory

Analyzes relationships based on costs and rewards, focusing on satisfaction, commitment, and why partners stay or leave.

Symbolic Interactionism

Focuses on how meaning and identity are created through interaction, such as defining 'good parenting'.

Conflict Theory

Examines power, inequality, and access to resources within families, often focusing on gender, income, or authority.

Structural-Functional Theory

Views families as performing important social functions to maintain stability and socialization.

Finitist Theory

Investigates how gender roles and unequal divisions of labor (like caregiving) affect family life.

Ecological Systems Theory

Suggests families are shaped by their surrounding environments, including community, culture, and policy.

Life Course Perspective

Focuses on how families change and develop over time through various transitions.

Cross-Sectional Research

A study that observes people at a single point in time.

Longitudinal Research

A study that tracks the same people over a long period to observe changes.

Deductive Reasoning

A top-down approach moving from a general theory to specific data.

Inductive Reasoning

A bottom-up approach moving from specific data to a general theory.

Quantitative Research

Uses numbers, statistics, and surveys to gather data.

Qualitative Research

Uses interviews and observations to capture personal stories and depth.

Naturalistic Observation

Watching families interact in their real-world settings rather than a lab.

Blinders of Personal Experience

The concept that one's own family experience can limit the ability to study families fairly; science provides norms to transcend these blinders.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee that reviews all research to ensure it meets ethical standards.

Informed Consent

The requirement that participants understand the study and voluntarily agree to participate without pressure.

Confidentiality

Protecting the privacy of participants by ensuring their personal information is not shared.

Protection from Harm

Ensuring the physical and emotional safety of all research participants.

Sex vs. Gender

Sex is biological, while gender refers to the social and psychological identities and expectations associated with being masculine or feminine.

Gender Identity

An individual's internal, self-defined sense of being a man, woman, or fluid.

Intersectionality

The lens used to see how gender is influenced by other variables like race, ethnicity, class, and immigration status.

Socialization

The process by which individuals learn gender expectations through interaction with family, school, and other environments.