Unit 1 Family & Marriage
Chapter 1- Family- Definitions of Family & Household;
Changing Structure of Family, change in size and
composition
Definition of Family
Family is a socially recognized group (usually joined by
blood, marriage, cohabitation, or adoption)
Forms an emotional connection and serves as an economic
unit of society.
Definition of Household
● A group of persons
● sharing a home or living space,
● who aggregate and share their incomes,
● Regularly take meals together-described as the ‘common
cooking pot’
Types of families based on how one enters into them.
● A family of orientation refers to the family into which a
person is born.
● A family of procreation describes one that is formed through
marriage.
Sociological Paradigms to explain family
Symbolic interactionism- micro-level theory that focuses on the relationships among
individuals within a society. Communication—the exchange of meaning through language
and symbols—is believed to be the way in which people make sense of their social worlds.
This perspective sees people as being active in shaping the social world rather than simply
being acted upon.
Functionalism- sees society as a structure with interrelated parts designed to meet the
biological and social needs of the individuals in that society. Similarities between society and
the human body; he argued that just as the various organs of the body work together to keep
the body functioning, the various parts of society work together to keep society functioning).
Specific Characteristics of Family
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Universality
Emotional Basis
Limited Size
Nuclear Position in a Social Structure
Social Regulations
Permanent and Temporary Nature
General Characteristics of Family
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Mating Relationship
Common Habitation
Decent
Economic System
Functions of a Family
1. Biological Functions
a.
b.
c.
Sexual Gratification
Giving Birth to children
Physical Protection
2. Economic Functions- Food clothing shelter; Work in various ways
3. Socialization of Children
4. Psychological Function
Types of Families
1. According to Residence
a. Patrilocal- staying in husband’s house
b. Matrilocal- staying in the wife’s house
c. Neolocal- sets up new home
Types of Families
2. Based on Authority
a. Patriarchal Family- father is the formal head
b. Matriarchal- Mother is the central person
Types of Families
3. Based on Size
a. Nuclear Family- husband wife and unmarried children
b. Joint or extended family- More than 3 generations, live
under one roof and authority
c. Extended family- addition of more nuclear families/blood
relatives
d. Polygamous families- More than one wife/husband
Joint Family in India
Main three criteria● Generation Depth,
● Right And Obligations,
● Property
Joint Family in India
Characteristics
● Authoritarian Structure
● Familistic Organization
● State of Members defined by Age & Relationship
● Blood Relationship gets preference over marital
relationship
● Family functions on idea of joint responsibility
● All family members get equal attention
Change in the family situation
Reasons
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Industrialization
Urbanization
Culture(western)
Modern Education
Legislative Measures
Quarrels in the family
Change in the family Structure-1
● Size of the family
● Rise of the Nuclear Families
● Young- no longer like to marry according to who parents
select
● Kinship and ties are not very strong
● Families have become child-centric
● Functions within the family reduced
● Family no longer unit of production
Change in the family Structure-2
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Family facing instability- divorce etc
Co-habitation
Childless couples
Kinship and ties are not very strong
Families have become child-centric
Functions within the family reduced
Family no longer unit of production
Change in Age of marriage
Change in the family Structure-3
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Change in Mortality
Participation of Women in Economic development
Emergence of same-sex couples
Single Parents