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The Family. The Family. The most universal social institution is the family Every society organizes its members into families What constitutes a family varies from culture to culture. Family Systems.
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The Family • The most universal social institution is the family • Every society organizes its members into families • What constitutes a family varies from culture to culture
Family Systems A family is a group of people who are related by marriage, blood, or adoption who often live together and share economic resources
Nuclear Family • A nuclear family consists of one or both parents and their children. • This is the most recognizable family unit in America. • There are two overlapping nuclear families: • Family of Orientation • Family of Procreation
Family of Orientation • An individual’s family of orientation is the nuclear family into which the person is born or adopted. • This family consists of his or her brother, sisters, and parents
Family of Procreation • When an individual marries, a new nuclear family is formed • This new family is now a family of procreation, consisting of the individual, his or her spouse and their children
Extended Family • An extended family consists of two or more generations • In an extended family, grandparents, parents, children, aunts & uncles and cousins may all live in one house or a grouping of houses
Kinship • Families are part of a much larger kinship system • Kinship is a network of people who are related by marriage, birth, or adoption
Marriage • The set of norms that establishes and characterizes the relationship between married individuals • There are no universal norms limiting the number of marriage partners an individual may have, where married couples reside, how they trace their decent, or who has authority in the family
Marriage Patterns • In most industrial societies, people are married to one person at a time, called monogamy • In pre-industrial societies, people are permitted to have multiple marriage partners at one time, called polygamy
Polygamy • Polygamy can take two forms: polygyny and polyandry • Polygyny is when a man is permitted to marry more than one woman at a time • Polyandry is whena woman is permitted to marry more than one man at a time
Residential Patterns • Once individuals are married, they must decide where to live. • Patrilocality, most commonly in the world, is when married couples are expected to live near the husband’s parents • Matrilocality is when married couples are expected to live near the wife’s parents
Descent Patterns • Societies trace kinship in different manners • Societies that trace descent through the father’s family is called patrilineal descent • Societies that trace descent through the mother’s family is called matrilineal descent • Societies that trace through both mother and father (industrial societies) are called bilateral descent
Authority Patterns • There are three possible patterns of authority in families: • Patriarchy: father holds the most authority • Matriarchy: mother holds the most authority • Egalitarian: mother & father share authority • Most societies in the world are patriarchial, although industrial societies like the USA are becoming more egalitarian.
Functions of the Family The most important functions of the family are: • Regulation of sexual activity: cannot marry or have sex with relatives • Reproduction: Allows societies to survive • Socialization: Children are taught the ways of the society • Economic & Emotional Security: labor is divided among members and needs of family members are met