1. Families in Society
© Alan S. Berger

2. 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

3. Copyright 2009 The McGraw Hill Compamies
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
Copyright 2009 The McGraw Hill Compamies

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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?

9. Ten Questions Couples Should Ask (or Wish They Had) Before Marrying
Source: New York Times 2006.

10. 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

11. 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

12. Romantic Love Not considered important for marriage until 20th century
Romantic loveAn important incentive to marry
Love provides a source of support
Strong commitment to each other
An 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 ??

13. Functions of the Family
What families do for society and for their members
Reproduction
Socialization
Protection
Regulation of sexual behavior
Affection and companionship
Provision of social status

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. Percentage of People Ages 20–24 Ever Married, Selected Countries
Source: United Nations Population Division 2005.

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. Domestic Violence Amount Class differences Stay or leave? Options
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

24. Functionalism and the Family The 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

25. 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

26. 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