THE FAMILY
Facilitator: Jasmina S
What is family?
• Family is universal organisation. Its structure
or forms vary from society to society.
• A variation is culture, social system, social
value, condition of life brings variation in the
forms of family.
Elements of a family
Presence of following elements of a family are essential:
• Mating Relationship
• Form of marriage
• System of nomenclature
• Economic Provision
• Common habitation
• Small, primary and more or less durable association
• Common culture
• Blood relation among family members.
Characteristics of a family
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
A mating relationship-Male and Female
A form of marriage- love or arranged
A system of nomenclature – uniqueness
An Economic ProvisionA common habitation
Universality- Found in every culture
Emotional basis- Relation between father- mother
Formative influence + influence on all its members, younger
ones are dependent on elders - emotionally
Limited size- bonds of blood, no. Is limited
Nuclear Position) Responsibilities of the members
Social regulations- customs , laws vary in different culture
Permanent and Temporary in Nature- temporary when one
partner dies association is over.
Functions of a Family
Biological Functions:
(i) Satisfaction of sexual desires : Sexual desires are basic
human instincts . Every society has social control over
an individual's sex desires in its own traditions.
(ii) Reproduction : It is essential for the survival of the
human beings. Though this function is possible outside
the family also but then it does not have social
approval. The reproductive function depends upon the
relation between husband and wife through the
marriage bonds and bears social approval. It also
provides stable nature to family.
(iii) Nurture of children : Since time immemorial family has
provided a security to children and environment for
their growth. This function of family has been tried out
to be performed by other social institutions at many
places, but the results are not fully satisfactory.
Psychological Functions
(i) Psychological security-The psychological security
provided by family gives them confidence to face
adversities of the world. It develops their total
personality- mental as well as physical.
(ii) Affection-The sentiment of love and affection
makes a family member to feel that he is wanted
in the world and is an important entity as others
are. This affects the personality he develops. The
people, who are denied such feelings by the
family, generally develop criminal tendencies or
unbalanced personalities.
Functions of Family (contd)
Traditional Functions
(a) Physical Functions:
• These functions refer to care of each and care of the weaker
members of the family.
(i) Physical care:
• It is the duty of the family to take physical care of the weaker
members of the family like children, ladies, old people and the
disabled.
(ii) Provision of shelter:
• The family provides a home or shelter for its members so that
they feel secure in it and are able carry out their day-to-day
work.
(iii) Provision of food and clothing:
Family provides nutritious and balanced food for its members.
On this depends the health and growth of its members.
Economic Functions
(i) Labour division:
• A family comprises of members of all ages, genders and capabilities –
work. Male members are the earning members who work outside
whereas the females have to look after the household duties.
• But this concept has considerably changed as more and more females
are working to earn for bettering the family's economic strength. The
children always contribute to the household work according to their
capacities.
(ii) Determination of inheritance:
• The family has its own money and property. The head of the family runs
and controls the family. The inheritance is handed over to the next
senior members according to the system prevalent in the particular
family. In the modern families, inheritance is the right of both daughters
and sons.
Economic Functions (contd)
(iii) Productive unit:
• Family is the center of productive activities as well as
being a consumer unit. The traditional work of the
family continues from one generation to the next.
Today however, this trend is not followed much.
(iv)Management of income:
• The family has to manage the total requirements of
food, clothing, shelter, health and education of all
members of the family within the family income. In the
modern times, all the members of the family try to
contribute towards the total family income.
Social Functions
(i) Determining social status:
Each family holds a definite place in the society. The
social status of the family determines the living
standard, socializing standard and marriage standard of
the family. The status of the family generally runs from
generation to generations. The family members,
functioning as a unit constantly strive to work
accordingly in the society to maintain and improve the
status.
(ii) Socialization:
A newborn child is not a social being. But by living in the
society (interacting through family), learns and
understands the rules of the society according to which
one has to speak, eat, behave and move around. All
this shapes the personality of the individual.
(iii) Social control:
Each person has to behave in society according to some social rules and
regulations which are taught to him by the family.
(iv) Perpetuation of human achievements from one generation to
other generation:
The elder members of family teach the younger generation about the
social values, traditions, customs and moral values of their particular
family. The achievements of the family are also passed on from senior
member to other members of the family.
(v) Helpful in selection of life partner:
The family in our society performs the duty of setting their children in
marriage. This is done according to the social status of the family and is
facilitated by the amount of socialization of family does. On the other
hand, in the western culture, the process of choosing life partners is
done by children themselves. This trend is being adopted gradually in
our country also.
Social Functions(contd)
(d) Religious Functions:
Every family follows the rituals of a particular religion.
The family teaches the child about God, the faith, its
teaching, etc.
(e) Political Functions:
The political functions of a family are important in smaller
societies where the head of the family has the power
to take decisions on behalf of other members regarding
social, religious and political matters.
(f) Cultural Functions:
The culture of the society is kept alive due to the family.
The family teaches its younger members regarding the
life style, traditions, moral values and social values
which the family follows. Family, thus, inculcates and
transfers the culture from one generation to next.
Functions (contd)
(g) Educational Functions:
Family is said to be the first school which a child attends.
Children are like wet cement; what ever falls upon
them leaves an impression. The family inculcates
preschool education in the child and provides a proper
environment for the child's education. Both of these
play very important role in achieving the future success
of an individual as a member of society.
(h) Recreational Functions:
The family provides relaxation through recreation to its
members. The personal interaction between various
members of a family, mutual jokes and playful activities
of children serve as recreation for other members of
the family.
Types of Family
On the basis of marriage
i) Monogamous Family:
• This type of family consists of one husband one wife. In
other words, a single husband and a single wife.
ii) Polygynous Family:
• When a man marries more than one wives and lives
along with their children the family is known as
polygynous family.
iii) Polyandrous Family:
• It is a kind of family, which allows a woman to marry
more than one man.
Polygynous
Monogamous
Family
Polyandrous
Endogamous and Exogamous
Types of Family (contd)
iv) Endogamous and Exogamous Family:
• The rules of endogamy and endogamy are strictly
followed while selecting life partner. The rules of
endogamy demands marriage outside the group.
As such, the family which follows the rules of
endogamy is known as endogamous family.
• On the other hand, an exogamous family is the
opposite of endogamous family. In other words,
in exogamous family a person is required to select
his life partner from outside his/her own group
Types of Family (contd)
On the basis of descent and authority
• Matriarchal : Mother holds the major
authority. Mother and her family stay together
and family name of mother’s side is given to
her children.
• Patriarchal Families : authority lies on father .
Wife goes to stay with her husband and his
relatives after their marriage. Father takes
major decisions.
Matriarchal
Patriarchal
Rural Family
Urban Family
Types of Family(contd)
On the basis of size:
• Nuclear or the single unit family-also called
primary family. It refers to such families in
which a husband, his wife and their children
stay together.
• Joint family- Also called an extended family.
Husband, wife, their children and husband’s
relatives stay together. Thus it is an
association or a group of two or more.
Types of family (contd)
• On the basis of community:
Rural Family : A group of person consultituting a
family which lives in an agricultural or open
country environment
Urban Family: dwell in cities. They are smaller in
number have higher age of marriage, secular
outlook, freedom of women and less
attachment to traditions.
Types of family (contd)
• On the basis of orientation and procreation:
Family of orientation: Family in which an
individual takes birth. Parents and sibling stay
together.
Family of procreation: Family which individual
establishes or adopt after marriage.
Individual, wife and children produced after
marriage.
Types of family(contd)
• On the basis of relationship
Consanguineous Family: Families in which blood
relations stay together. In addition to husband
and wife other blood relatives also reside and
live in the family.
Conjugal Family: Husband, wife and their
children . Smaller in size and less stable.
Emotion and affection bond are strong.
Types of family(contd)
• On the basis of religion:
Hindu Family: Marriage is considered to be
compulsory and important ritual. Generally it is a
monogamous family with in joint family system.
Culture and traditions have important roles to
play in day to day life.
Muslim Family: Marriage is compulsory, mostly a
polygamous trend is seen in Muslim families .
They are quite orthodox and women are strictly
kept in veil and granted very little or no freedom.
Christian Family: monogamous families are a
tradition in this community also. Generally ,
nuclear families are found and boys and girls are
given equal importance and freedom
Types of family(contd)
• On the basis of culture:
Western Culture: It gives equal status to men and
women. The work, the responsibilities and the
rights are equally shared between husband and
wife .The families have a nuclear set up in most
cases.
Eastern Culture: Mostly joint or extended families
are found in this culture. Rural Families are
common. Parents in old age are looked after by
the family. They are closely bond to their culture
and traditions.
Change in Family
• Change in Types: Activity and changes are never ending
universal facts of life. It makes society and its members
progressive.
• Change in Pattern: Women has started earningindependent- economic freedom- divorce, lower stability in
the family.
• Functions of Families- attitude.
• Functions- attitude- little or no religious education is
imparted and approach has changed , desires , satisfaction ,
economic – luxury . Formal education is must. Health
problems – careful attention referred to doctors,
Recreation attitudes have changed – more physical
oriented to more mentally oriented.
Changes in the primary functions
• Modern Family in most of the societies fails to
exercise its traditional control in regulating
sexual behavior. With the development of
science and more particularly genetic
engineering test tubes babies are born as a
result bringing changes in the traditional
reproduction function of family.
Changes in Secondary Functions
• Change in the attitudes
• Satisfaction of sexual desire has less importance.
• Physical work in old days was more whereas today majority work is
done by maid or helpers
• Attitude towards religion has taken a turn
• Education is given more imp.
• Joint family management was in the hands of the head of the family
. Nuclear family decisions are shared equally
• Traditional Families – Health problems were taken care by older
ladies. Today health problems are given attention by private
doctors.
• Recreation in olden times was not considered – Medium was folk,
music animal fights. Today it is fashion shows, TV , clubs, radio
Reasons for Change
• Economic Reasons
Industrialization:the families have changed from
producer-consumer entity to only a consumer
unit.
Material standard of living: more materialistic and
the things which were considered luxury at one
time; have now become a necessity for day-today living.
Economic independence of women: girls got higher
education , women started working- change in
outlook, attitude and form of family as a unit.
Reason for change (contd)
Social Reason:
• Urbanization
• Mobility of population
• Education of women
• New sexual morality
• New direction of recreation
Political Reason
• Change in authority
• Women Right’s
Philosophical Reasons
• Marriage was fixed in heaven. One had to adjust
with the life partner. It was a religious binding.
• Close ties with blood relation , even one from the
village was considered one among them.
• Individuals are becoming more self centered
>Replaced with I and Mine.
•
Family and Society
• A family is unit of society
• Society has an influence on each ind family
• Man alone cannot perform all the functions – needs
help from others
• So he lives in groups and communities
• Protection, comfort, education.
• Living together forms a society – perfect to imperfect
society intervenes
• Components of society are – family, clan, community
and nation
• A child learns from the family- limited scope when he
moves out – lead to imperfection
• To achieve the goal- society establishes schools, college
cultural organisation etc
Religion
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Crucial role- deep rooted
Culture and tradition are directly linked with religion
Cannot separate – culture and religious bond
Occupations are hereditary
Influence of religion- dress, marriage, education, birth
and birthday celebration.
Impact and influence is very deep – cannot escape
Religious thinking and attitude- people are adopting
scientific and logical attitudes.
Norms and standard are being modified.
Inculcate values – religion plays a very imp role.
School
• In olden days students – stay in schools , work
and received education – various disciplines.
• Change in social structure, scientific approachchange in education system.
• Earlier education- moral values & adopt family
trades.
• Industrialization- education – job oriented, more
materialistic
• Overall change in attitude-individuals do not care
for honesty and truth- pride of having big house,
car, expensive gadgets- affecting family relation
School (contd)
• Educational institutions – very imp role
• Balance between moral values and materialistic
• Life style is more scientific – new gadgets are getting
place in the family-very convenient – scientific
background.
• Educations has great influence on individual and family.
Earlier it was oral now it is knowledge based.
• Better understanding of man’s diff needs.
• Food, nutrition, care, security , living std, love affection
are analysed systematically and logically.
• Modern education- overall deve of an individual.
• Education – enlightens a persons life. Approach,
thinking and attitude is modified – faith in religion and
values in life.
Position of child in family and
socialization
• Child takes birth in the family- three stages
• Infancy, Childhood + Adolescence
• Earlier period- very crucial- knowledge only from
family. Child is completely dependent on the
family . Infant sleeps for most of the time.
all the needs are taken care by the mother or
care taker.
Care, affection , attention provided by the family
develops confidence , capability and affection.
Family and Growth
• Mother , father & children.
• Father’s parents, brothers and sisters live
together- joint family- all contribute for G & D
of the child.
• Physical Care & Protection- basic needs
• Emotional Needs –love, affection
• Socialization- tradition, values, beliefs,
custom, rituals, respect elders, truth, honesty.
Reward and Punishment- upbringing
Growth
• Increase in size and progress in natural skills –
eating, sitting, walking etc
• Earlier- irregular and imbalance
• Gradually – sit, stand, walk, run
• Dancing and swimming – few motor skills is
achieved after a particular age .
Effect of Family Size on Welfare of
Members
• The numbers of children are less. Therefore, parents are able to pay
more attention to them and their needs.
• The parents are more conscious of their children's health. Not only
they care seriously about various preventive vaccines, but also their
general health, weight, height etc.
• Due to less number of children, the overall economic burden on
parents is less.
• Higher education is expensive and middle class cannot afford –
family has to be small.
• Smaller family size has been a boon for the women of the family.
Repeatedly bearing children used to affect their health to a poor
state.
• With the smaller family size, higher standard of living is easier to
maintain.
• Closer bonds between parents and children.
Disadvantage
•
•
•
•
•
Children are self centred
Elders feel insecure and lonely
Emergency – less emotional support
Both parents are working- no time to interact
Know less of religion, customs and values
Community and Role of family
• Family a social unit of any community- sole
basis of a society
• Family starts the development and progress.
• Childs birth takes place in the family –
emotions are introduced – love , security
Women and Child Welfare
• Role of Women-Women play multi dimensional role in
the family – all resp and comfort to all family members.
• As a wife- Necessary environment with her partnersocially, spiritually, intellectually and economically
• Home Manager/Leader-Co-ordinates for smooth
functioning and achievements
• Mother- First teacher to the child –Shapes the
personality , nutritious food, secured , comfortable –
overall G & D
• Artist – Manages home , beauty and belongingness
among the members
Empower Women
• Education- widens the horizon and outlook
• Uplifts the economic condition
• Makes aware of the constitutional , legal and
human rights
• Self employed- increase efficiency, capabilities
and better economic condition
• Mass Media- information with better life,
change attitude of family member and society
Eradication of Child labour
• Children are exploited and forced into labour
• Poor families need money to survive
• Attitude of parents – Children should work in
garage, small scale industries- no education
• Drop outs from school- no care from the family
leads to child labour
• Eradication- Poverty , proper implementation of
Right to Education , compulsory and free
education with free food and fund
• Govt policies + NGO’s _ eradicate child labour