FAMILY SRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

JI UMAR, RIHANNE M.

WHAT IS FAMILY?

• SOCIOLOGIC VIEWPOINT- enduring social form in which a person is incorporated

• BIOLOGIC VIEWPOINT- genetic transmission unit

• PSYCHOLOGICAL VIEWPOINT- matrix of personality development and the most intimate emotional unit of society

WHAT IS FAMILY?• In terms of affinity (UNITED NATIONS) - a family is a

group of people related by blood, marriages or adoption, who live together in one household

• TERKELSON AND CO-WORKERS, 1980- a family is a small social system made up of individuals related to each other, biologically or by reason of strong affections and loyalty that comprises a permanent household and persists over decades. Members enter through birth, marriage, or adoption and leave by death; roles of members change over time and through the history of the group

THE FILIPINO FAMILY

• The family in the Filipino mind is a defense against hunger and old age, an eternal source of food, clothing and shelter, an environment where a Filipino can be oneself. In the hierarchy of needs, the family comes first.

Filipino characteristics:• Closely knit• Bilaterally extended• Strong family orientation• Authority based on age• Externally patriarchal, internally matriarchal• High value on education• Predominantly catholic (80%)• Child-centered• Average number of children is 5 ( NEDA statistics)• Exposed to environmental stresses: economic, political,

urbanization, industrialization, health problems

Family as a special unit of care:

• Membership is a lifelong involvement• Shared attributes– Genetics- physical and psychological– Developmental- shared home, lifestyle and social

activities

• Sense of belonging- Security/defense against a potentially hostile environment- Companionship

Family as a special unit of care:

• Social expectations-Sense of responsibility towards members-Sense of responsibility towards others-Basis of affection/care

• Built-in problems-Generation gap-Dependence of members-Emotional attachment/involvement

Family as a special unit of care:

• The family endures inspite of problems-Resource utilization-Authority-Individual sense of responsibility

FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTIC OF HEALTHY FAMILY:

• Shared power • flexible organization• adaptive problem solving capable of seeking

different solutions• active coping mechanisms• high levels of interaction• multiple and varied contacts within and without

the family system• support for personal growth• encouragement of a high degree of autonomy

FAMILY STRUCTURE

• It is the patterned sequence of behaviours that are the observable interactions between two or more members (haley, 1973)

• It is made up of set patterned sequences of behaviours that respond to the combined and interacting needs of family members

CLASSIFICATION OF FAMILIES ACCORDING TO INTERNAL STRUCTURES

I. NUCLEAR FAMILYII. EXTENDED FAMILYIII. COMMUNAL OR CORPORATE FAMILYIV. SINGLE- PARENT FAMILYV. BLENDED FAMILYVI. EMPTY SHELL FAMILYVII. CLOSED TYPE FAMILYVIII.OPEN TYPE FAMILYIX. RANDOM TYPE FAMILY

NUCLEAR FAMILY

- Composed of husband and wife and their children in a union of recognized by the other members of the society

- (Parson and bales, 1955): the members, consisting of parents and their still dependent children

NUCLEAR FAMILY

(Murdock 1949) - every normal adult in every society belongs to two kinds of nuclear families:

1. The family of orientation- family into which one is born, and where one is reared or socialized. It consists of a father, a mother, brothers and sisters

2. The family of procreation- family established by the person by his marriage and consists of a husband, a wife, sons and daughters

Main points of interaction in the family:

Husband – wife relation• Conjugal bond- the internal sense of obligation and

privilege, respect, affection, or sexual attraction existing in the mind and heart of each spouse

• Social pressure- the community expects the husband and wife to be loving and faithful to each other and to have a lasting and permanent marriage

• Economic cooperation- the husband is the main breadwinner while the wife takes care primarily of the domestic needs of the family

Main points of interaction in the family:

Parent child relation• Very strong filial bond between parents and

children • Parents:- Loving, caring and protective of their children- work hard and even plunge into debt to provide

for their children- train and discipline their children early in life with

high hopes for their bright future- aspire to have their children attain a high level of

education

Main points of interaction in the family:Parent child relation• Children– Love, respect and obey their parents

• Parents and children are also bound together by the need for economic cooperation

• Rural areas- division of labor based on age and sex provides each family member a special work- role– Sons are trained in farm work so that they may take

over the father’s responsibilities someday– Daughters help their mother take care of the home

Main points of interaction in the family:

Siblings relations• Mutual love, protection and respect• Brothers are expects to look after their sisters

and protect them from harm• Older siblings are given the responsibility to

take care of the younger ones especially when the parents are away

• Younger siblings are turn to obey their elders and look up to them with respect

Main points of interaction in the family:

Siblings relations• Strength of the sibling bond is seen when an

older brother or sister stops schooling or postpones marriage to be able to help support or educate the younger ones

• Sibling unity is carried over even after everyone is already married

EXTENDED FAMILY

• includes three generations family centered, live together as a group, and through its kinship network provides supportive functions to all members

• Composed of two or more nuclear families economically and socially related to each other

EXTENDED FAMILY

Linton (Murdock, 1939) distinguishes two types of family structure corresponding to the nuclear and extended families. He refers to them as:

• Conjugal family- considers spouses and their offsprings as of prime importance and which has a fringe of comparatively unimportant relatives. Marriage bond is emphasized

• Consanguinal family- considers the nucleus of blood relatives as more important than the spouses. The relationships of the person with the blood kin formed during childhood is emphasized.

COMMUNAL OR CORPORATE FAMILY

• these communities of persons are formed for specific ideological or societal purposes and frequently considered an alternative lifestyle for people who feel alienated from a predominantly economically oriented society

SINGLE- PARENT FAMILY- children 17 years old or younger living in a family with single parent, another relative or non-relative

BLENDED FAMILY- includes step parents, and step children, separation, divorce and remarriage may cause it

EMPTY SHELL FAMILY- less effective interaction- Lacks the basic family function- Living alone together (doctors, businessmen)

• CLOSED TYPE FAMILY- tightly structural- Parents closely monitor the schedule of the

members- Member is assigned a particular task with

corresponding punishments with non-compliance

• OPEN TYPE FAMILY- interaction with community is encouraged

- Independence is encouraged, no distinct external boundaries

• RANDOM TYPE FAMILY- “do your own thing” is the family motto

- recurring problems by individual are solved by itself/themselves

- “kanya-kanya”

BASED ON DESCENT

1. Patrilineal descent- affiliates a person with a group of relatives who are related to him through his father. The child has also well defined relationships with his mother’s kin, but when he finds it to seek aid he turns to his father’s kin

2. Matrilineal descent- affiliates a person with a group of relatives related to him through his mother

3. Bilateral descent- affiliates ah person with a group of

kinsmen related to him through both his parents

BASED ON RESIDENCES

1. Patrilocal residence- newly married couple live with or near the domicile of the parents of the bridegroom

2. Matrilocal residence- newly married couple

live with or near the domicile of the parents of the bride

BASED ON RESIDENCES

3. Bilocal residence- gives the couple a choice of staying with either the groom’s parents or the bride parents, depending on certain factors like the relative wealth of the families or their status, and wishes of the parents, or certain personal preferences of the bride and the groom

4. Neolocal residence- permits the newly married couple to reside independently of the parents of either groom or bride

BASED ON RESIDENCES:

5. Avunculocal residence- prescribes that the newly married couple resides with or near the maternal uncle of the groom. This type of residence is very rare.

BASED ON AUTHORITY

1. Patriarchal family- authority is vested in the oldest male in the family, often the father

- the sons especially the eldest, enjoy prestige and privileges

2. Matriarchal family- authority is vested in the mother

or the mother’s kin 3. Equaltarian/egalitarian family- husband and wife

exercise a more or less equal amount of authority

BASED ON AUTHORITY:

4. Matricentric family- father’s prolonged absence gives the mother a dominant position in the family. However he father also shares with the mother in decision making

(Burgess and locke, 1963)- attribute its emergence to the fact that in suburban families, the father commute and therefore are absent for the greater part of the day.

5 BASIC AREAS OF FAMILY FUNCTION

I. BIOLOGIC II. ECONOMIC III. EDUCATIONIV. PSYCHOLOGICAL/AFFECTION V. SOCIO-CULTURAL OR SOCIALIZATION

BASIC AREAS OF FAMILY FUNCTIONI. BIOLOGIC• Reproduction- within the marriage bond, sex expression is

usually sanctioned. Thus the perpetuation and continuity of the group are assured

• Care and rearing of children- human infant is born helpless

and the parents fill the roles of protectors, providers, and guardians

- From the family, the infant and later the child, draws security, affection, and guidance and learns tenderness sympathy, understanding and generalized love

• Nutrition• Health maintenance• Recreation

BASIC AREAS OF FAMILY FUNCTION

II. ECONOMIC- provide adequate financial resources

• determine allocation of resources• ensure financial security of members

III. EDUCATION- teach skills, attitudes and knowledge relating to other functions

BASIC AREAS OF FAMILY FUNCTION

IV. PSYCHOLOGICAL/AFFECTION- promote the natural development of personalities

• Offer optimum psychological function• Promote ability to form relationships with people

outside the family circle V. SOCIO-CULTURAL OR SOCIALIZATION-

socialization of children• Promotion of social status and legitimacy