family

Question 1

Family

Answer 1

A group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption.

Question 2

Household

Answer 2

A group of people living at the same house, not necessarily related.

Question 2

Nuclear family

Answer 2

Two parents and their children living together.

Question 3

Extended family

Answer 3

A family that includes relatives beyond the nuclear family, e.g., grandparents.

Question 4

Lone-parent family

Answer 4

One parent living with their children.

Question 5

Beanpole family

Answer 5

A family with a small number of children and multiple generations, often with long, thin family trees—like grandparents, parents, and children, but not many siblings, aunts, or uncles.A family with fewer children but living longer, leading to a tall and thin family structure (more generations, fewer people in each).

Question 6

Same-sex family

Answer 6

A family consisting of two people of the same sex in a relationshpi

Question 7

📈 Changes in Family Structure

Answer 7

Increase in divorce (due to changes in law, secularisation, etc.)

More cohabitation (living together without marriage)

More lone-parent families

More same-sex families

More people living alone

More reconstituted families

More symmetrical families – roles more equal between men and women (Young & Willmott)

Question 8

Reasons for Family Changes

Answer 8

Legal changes – e.g., Divorce Reform Act (1969), Civil Partnership Act (2004), Same-Sex Marriage Act (2013)

Secularisation – religion less influential

Changing gender roles – more women working, feminist influence

Individualism – people prioritise themselves over traditional family duties

Welfare state – support for lone parents, less financial pressure to stay married

Question 9

Functionalist view (e.g., Murdock, Parsons):

Answer 9

Reproduction

Socialisation

Economic support

Emotional support

Stabilisation of adult personalities (Parsons)

Question 10

Criticisms Functionalist view (e.g., Murdock, Parsons):

Answer 10

Criticisms:

Ignores negative aspects (e.g., abuse, conflict)

Based on nuclear family ideal

Outdated – assumes traditional roles

Question 11

🏠 Marxist View of the Family

Answer 11

Family supports capitalism:

Inheritance of private property

Socialises children into accepting hierarchy

Consumes capitalist goods (unit of consumption)

Question 12

Criticisms 🏠 Marxist View of the Family

Answer 12

Criticisms:

Too focused on class

Ignores family diversity

Ignores positive aspects of family

Question 13

♀️ Feminist View of the Family

Answer 13

Family reinforces patriarchy:

Women do unpaid domestic work (Oakley)

Dual burden/triple shift (Duncombe & Marsden)

Men benefit more from marriage

Liberal feminists – society is improving for women

Radical feminists – family is a source of oppression

Marxist feminists – family oppresses women to benefit capitalism

Question 14

Functionalist vs Marxist vs Feminist – Compare/Contrast

Answer 14

Functionalist – Positive, family helps society function

Marxist – Negative, family supports capitalism

Feminist – Negative, family supports male dominance

Question 15

🛠️ Conjugal Roles (Roles of Husband & Wife)

Answer 15

Joint conjugal roles – Shared roles (modern/symmetrical family)

Segregated conjugal roles – Traditional separate roles (man = breadwinner, woman = homemaker)

Young & Willmott – Symmetrical family is increasing

Oakley – Criticised this, said roles are still unequal

Question 15

Socialisation in the Family

Answer 15

Primary socialisation – Happens in early childhood within the family

Teaches norms, values, gender roles

Feminists say gender roles are reinforced through toys, clothes, chores

Question 16

📉 Marriage & Divorce Trends

Answer 16

Marriage rates declining

People marrying later

More cohabitation

More remarriage

Divorce increasing (but has levelled off)

Question 17

Reasons for divorce increase:

Answer 17

Reasons for divorce increase

Legal changes

Secularisation

Changing expectations

Women’s independence

Question 18

👩‍👦 How are most Lone Parent Families

Answer 18

Mostly female-headed

Often working-class

Often stigmatised

New Right blames them for social problems (e.g., Charles Murra

Question 19

Critics of New Right Lone Parent Families

Answer 19

Blame single mothers unfairly

Ignores reasons like abuse, poverty

Question 20

Blame single mothers unfairly

Ignores reasons like abuse, poverty

🧓 Role of Grandparents

Answer 20

Important for childcare

Provide emotional and financial support

Especially important in extended and beanpole families

Question 21

🌐 Family Diversity

Answer 21

Increasing diversity:

Ethnic diversity

Class diversity

Sexuality

Structure (nuclear, lone-parent, etc.)

Question 22

Rapoports

Answer 22

Five types of diversity:

Organisational

Cultural

Class

Life-stage

Generational

Question 23

Modified Extended Family

Answer 23

Extended family members don’t live together but stay in regular contact and support each other. Common today because people often move for work/study.

Question 23

Childless Family

Answer 23

A couple without children.

Question 24

Cohabiting Family

Answer 24

A family where the couple live together without being married. Can be with or without children. Increasingly common in the UK.

Question 25

Symmetrical Family

Answer 25

Roles of men and women are more equal and shared. Joint conjugal roles – both do paid work and domestic chores. Young & Willmott say this is more common now.

Question 26

Beanpole Family

Answer 26

A family with more generations (e.g., grandparents, parents, children) but fewer people in each generation. Happens because people are living longer and having fewer children. Tall and narrow family tree.

Question 27

Lone-Parent Family

Answer 27

One parent raising children on their own. Most are headed by women. Often linked to divorce, separation, or choice (e.g., single mothers by choice).