© 2006 Alan S. Berger 1

Families in Society

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What Is a Family?

• A social unit of some number of people who are linked intimately– Related in some way– Usually living together– Engaging in sex– Having responsibility for rearing children– Functioning as an economic unit

Copyright 2009 The McGraw Hill Compamies

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What is a Family

• Definition of the family: shared genetic heritage, and law, meaning social recognition and affirmation of the bond– Boundaries are clear– Enables tracking of who is related to whom

over time

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Types of Families

• Nuclear Family: a social unit composed of a husband, a wife, and their children– Family of orientation: family to which one was born– Family of procreation: a person, spouse, and their children– Blended family: spouses and their children from former

marriages live as a single nuclear family– Binuclear family: divorced parents form separate households;

children divide their time with each

• Extended Family– Composed of two or more generations of kin that functions as

an independent social and economic unit

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Kinship• A network of people who are related by

marriage, blood, or social practice or the state of being related to others culturally learned, not necessarily determined by biological ties– Kinship is a means by which societies can

socialize children and transmit culture from one generation to the next

– Kinship creates complex social bonds

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Marriage

• Two individuals involved in a socially approved relationship– Intimate, mutual long-term obligations– Fulfilled customary ceremonial or legal

requirements– Limits on who can marry– A legal tie, determined by state– Who can perform a marriage

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Types of Marriage• Monogamy: form of marriage in which one woman and

one man are married only to each other• Serial monogamy: when a person has several spouses

in his or her lifetime, but only one spouse at a time• Polygamy: when an individual has several husbands or

wives simultaneously• Polygyny: marriage of a man to more than one wife at a

time• Polyandry: marriage of a woman to more than one

husband at the same time

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Courtship and Mate Selection• Internet is new meeting place• More people marrying later• Endogamy: restriction of mate selection

to people within the same group• Exogamy: requires mate selection outside

certain groups, usually one’s own family or certain kin

• What is the difference between dating and courting?

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Ten Questions Couples Should Ask (or Wish They Had) Before Marrying

Source: New York Times 2006.

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Courtship

• The relationship between two people who are preparing for marriage to each other– Endogamy: people marry within their own group– Exogamy: people marry outside of their own group– Propinquity: people meet only when they are not apart– Ethnicity and race: people tend to marry within their

own groups– Values: endogamy is reinforced by cultural values

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Courtship and Mate Selection• What are criteria for a potential mate? • Incest taboo: social norm common to virtually

all societies prohibiting sexual relationships between certain culturally specified relatives

• Homogamy: conscious or unconscious tendency to select mate with personal characteristics similar to one’s own

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Romantic Love• Romantic loveAn important incentive to marry

– Love provides a source of support– Strong commitment to each otherAn emotional identification between two individuals – Intense– Convinced they cannot live without each other

• Not considered important for marriage until 20th century

• Other Basis for marriage? – Arranged Marriages ?

• Economic Basis• Political basis

– Other ??

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Functions of the Family

• What families do for society and for their members1. Reproduction2. Socialization3. Protection4. Regulation of sexual behavior5. Affection and companionship6. Provision of social status

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Authority Patterns: Who Rules?

• Patriarchy: society in which men dominate in family decision making

• Matriarchy: society in which women dominate in family decision making

• Egalitarian family: authority pattern in which spouses are regarded as equals

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Authority Patterns:Who Rules?

• Historically, family has legitimized and perpetuated male dominance

• Social class of parents significantly influences children’s socialization– Socioeconomic status of a child’s family will

have marked influence on his or her life chances as an adult

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Marriage and Family

• Over 95 percent of U.S. men and women will marry at least once

• Our social positions shape our choices when picking partners

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Percentage of People Ages 20–24Ever Married, Selected Countries

Source: United Nations Population Division 2005.

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Dimensions of Marriage and Family

• Residence – Norms related to where married couples should

reside• Matrilocal arrangement: kin lives with wife’s mother• Patrilocal arrangement: kin lives with husband’s mother• Neolocal arrangement: kin set up independent household• Bilocal arrangement: each spouse maintains a separate

residence

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Dimensions of Marriage and Family

• Descent– The system by which

kinship is traced over generations

• Patrilineal: kinship is traced through male

• Matrilineal: kinship is traced through female

• Bilineal: kinship is traced through both sides of the family

• Power – The system by which

power is assigned• Patriarchy: male has

most power• Matriarchy: female has

most power– Matricentric: females

have some power

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Alternative Family Forms• Serial monogamy

– More than one spouse but not at same time• Single parent

– Mostly result of divorce• Gay and lesbian

– Legal issues debated• Cohabitation

– A household without marriage• Independent living

– Men or women who live alone

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Marital Dissolution

• Divorce– Dissolution of legal ties that bind a marriage– Legal separation

• Couples agree to take up separate residences• Informal separation: one spouse temporarily moves out

– Desertion• One spouse leaves the other for a prolonged period of time

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Explaining Marital Dissolution

• Society– Nuclear family is subject to many stresses but

has limited resources– Lower social classes more vulnerable

• Falling out of love– Passion yields to reality

• Women’s changing roles– Less economic dependency

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Domestic Violence• Amount

– 1/5 of women abused• Class differences

– Type of violence and reporting patterns• Stay or leave?

– Retribution and psychological dependence• Options

– Shelters and legal system• Global patterns

– National tolerance level– Stress from rapid social change

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Functionalism and the FamilyThe Family Satisfies Common Social Functions

• Socialization– Family is responsible for primary care and early learning

• Birth; regulates sexual activity– Choosing mates and perpetuating population

• Economic– Assigning assets– Important economic production and consumption unit

• Support and comfort– Help with problems

• Social placement– Children inherit status and class of parents

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Family: Conflict Perspective

• Power relationships– Men control wealth– Norms require women to do most domestic

chores• Perpetuation of social inequality

– Family is a model of patriarchy that dominates society

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Family: Symbolic Interactionism• People construct their own families

– No two families are alike• Family is source of major roles and identity

– As new roles are learned– New concepts of reality are created