Family Definition Study Notes

January 7, 2025 Check-In

  • Overview of the session agenda and key topics for discussion.

Family as a System

  • Discussion of the family dynamics and structures.

  • Blood relationships, chosen families, legal adoptions, and the impact of divorce were analyzed.

  • Key aspects included:

    • Location

    • Marriage

    • Sexual orientation

    • Generational influences

Importance of Family Context

  • Emphasis on family as a support system.

  • Families provide:

    • Safe space

    • Sharing of emotional and physical burdens

    • Cultural sharing and caregiving roles

Defining Family

  • Course Code: HDFS 341: Family Studies

  • Presenter: Kelly D. Chandler

  • Date: January 7, 2026

Overview of Presentation Topics

I. Defining family
II. Biases in defining family
III. Creating an inclusive definition of family

I. Defining Family

Key Questions

  • How do you define family?

Family Form vs. Function

  • Important distinction: Family form does not equal family function.

Who Counts as a Family?

Nuclear Family

  • Defined as the core household unit, referred to as the “traditional family.”

  • Comprises:

    • Two parents who are a married, heterosexual couple.

    • Their biological or adopted children living together, often separate from extended family (e.g., grandparents).

Three Ways to Define U.S. Families

I. The Family as a Social Institution
II. The Legal Family
III. The Personal Family

I. Family as a Social Institution

Definition of Institution

  • A social place characterized by relations between people in common positions governed by accepted rules of actions.

  • Identified as one of the 5 major social institutions:

    1. Government

    2. Economy

    3. Education

    4. Religion

    5. Family

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

  • Key quote: "The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State." (Article 16)

Family Functions

  • Functions as identified by Bogenschneider (2014):

    1. Family formation and membership

    2. Partner relationships

    3. Economic support

    4. Child rearing

    5. Caregiving

II. The Legal Family

U.S. Federal Government’s Definition

  • Defined as a group of two or more people (one of whom is the householder) related by birth, marriage, or adoption residing together.

  • All individuals, including related subfamily members, considered part of the family.

Historical Definition Changes

  • The definition of family has evolved since 1860.

U.S. Census Definition of Family Over the Years:

  • 1860: Family includes:

    • One person living alone or several persons living together providing common means of support.

  • 1870: Family defined by communal living under one roof, regardless of numbers.

  • 1900: Family may refer to a group occupying a dwelling or an individual living alone.

  • 1920: Family signifies individuals living together, related or not, sharing a household.

  • 1930: Persons related to the head of the family by blood, marriage, or adoption counted as part of the family.

  • 1960: Household defined as a group who sleep in the same dwelling, often related, but may include non-relatives too.

Census Relationship Assessment

  • Various relationship options listed for the 2020 US Census:

    • Opposite-sex spouse, same-sex spouse, biological child, adopted child, foster child, etc.

Family Impact Lens

  • Definition and implications regarding policies and programs affecting families.

Challenges to Legal Definition

  • Increasing complexity in family structures prompts reassessment of legal definitions.

Marriage Legislation Examples

  • Obergefell vs. Hodges: June 26, 2015 ruling legalizing same-gender marriage in the U.S.

  • Loving vs. Virginia: June 12, 1967 ruling outlawing interracial marriage legislation under the 14th Amendment.

Family Privilege

  • Definition: Benefits received by belonging to family systems often recognized by the law while excluding others.

III. The Personal Family

Subjective Definition

  • Groups of people mutually defining themselves as family, known as chosen family or found family.

  • Key features:

    1. Residence and family are different.

    2. Family membership is asymmetrical.

    3. Members are not restricted to blood, marriage, or legal ties.

Fictive Kin

  • Individuals emotionally significant to family members but not related by blood, marriage, or legal adoption.

Inclusive Definitions

  • Emphasis on shifting understanding to match lived realities:

    • Dr. Paul Amato's Quote: "Accepting people’s subjective definitions of families moves us closer to the lived reality of people’s lives."

Variability of Family Definitions

  • Individual Variation: "Family" definitions differ among individuals.

  • Family Variation: Definitions differ across different family structures.

  • Cultural Variation: Definitions may vary between different geographical locations.

  • Temporal Variation: Concepts of family evolve over time.

  • Purpose-driven Variations: Needs and purposes can influence how family is defined.

Creating an Inclusive Definition of Family

Proposed Definition

  • An intimate group comprising two or more individuals who:

    1. Live together in a committed relationship,

    2. Care for each other and any children,

    3. Engage in shared activities and maintain close emotional ties (Benokraitis & Buehler, 2019).

More Inclusive Definitions

  • Recognition of relationships based on:

    • Biological ties

    • Legal ties

    • Emotional connections (Cohen, 2019).

Textbook Definition of Family

  • An interdependent group of individuals who:

    1. Share a sense of history,

    2. Maintain emotional ties,

    3. Devise strategies for meeting the needs of individuals and the group (Adamsons & Sabatelli, 2025).

II. Biases in Defining Family

Author Insights

  • Nostalgia Trap: The ideal family structure notion from the past may mislead current understandings (Stephanie Coontz).

Bias Implications

  • Personal backgrounds and experiences influence one’s perception of family.

  • Comparing diverse families to a perceived “gold standard” can undermine the understanding of family well-being.

Potential Bias Categories

  • S.N.A.F.: Standard North American Family.

  • W.E.I.R.D.: Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic.

  • Ethnocentrism: Evaluation of other cultures through one’s cultural lens.

  • Cultural Relativism: Understanding that cultural values and practices differ, with no single culture deemed superior.

Family Privilege Definition

  • Defined as invisible benefits received by being part of family systems regarded as superior in society (Badgett, 2001).

Key Points

  • Various definitions of family exist, influenced by biases and experiences.

  • Important to support research that acknowledges diverse family experiences for better policy and program development.

  • Family form does not equate to family dysfunction—function should be emphasized.

Key Terms

  • Nuclear family

  • Family as a social institution

  • Legal family

  • Personal family

  • Fictive kin

  • Subjective definitions of family

  • Nostalgia trap

  • S.N.A.F.

  • W.E.I.R.D.

  • Ethnocentrism

  • Cultural relativism

  • Family privilege

References

  • Benokraitis, N. V., Buehler, C. (2019). Marriages & Families: Changes, Choices, and Constraints (9th ed.). Pearson.

  • Bogenschneider, K. (2014). Family Policy Matters: How Policymaking Affects Families and What Professionals Can Do (3rd ed.). Routledge.

  • Cohen, P. N. (2015). The Family: Diversity, Inequality, and Social Change. W. W. Norton & Company.

  • Coontz, S. (1992). The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap. Basic Books.

  • Letiecq, B., & Landor, A. (2021, May 11). Toward Dismantling Family Privilege and White Supremacy in Family Science [Webinar]. National Council on Family Relations.

  • Smith, D. E. (1993). The Standard North American Family: SNAF as an Ideological Code. Journal of Family Issues, 14(1), 50-65.

  • U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Subject Definitions.