Social Institutions

“The Family”
 So, what exactly is a family?
The Debate over Family Definitions:
• a group of people related by either blood, marriage, or
adoption
• a social institution that unites individuals into cooperative
groups that care for one another, including any children
• people with or without legal or blood ties who feel they
belong together
- definition varies from society to society
- definition can change over time
Family of Orientation: family that one is born into
∞ Gives name identity
∞ Give heritage
∞ Gives ascribed status
∞ Grants orientation to the world

Family of Procreation: established upon marriage

∞ Legal to have children
∞ Gives name
∞ Becomes ones family of orientation
∞ Grants orientation to the world
 Basic Types of Families
Nuclear Family: family structure
comprised of parent(s) and children

Extended Family: family structure comprised of two

or more generations of adults who live in the
same household & share economic resources
Which Sitcom Represents Which?

Family Matters The Simpsons

 Additions to Family Types
Blended Family: family structure formed
when at least partner in a marriage has
been married before and has children
from the previous marriage

Single Parent Family: family structure in

which one parent is head of household
raising children without other parent
 Additions to Family Types
Childless Family: family structure in which
the married couple choose to or cannot
have children

Same Sex Family: family structure composed

of a homosexual couple living together as
a family with or without children
Which Sitcom Represents Which?
Modern Family

King of Queens

The Brady
Bunch

Full House
 Family Structure
Head of Family Patrilineal Matrilineal Bilateral
For Descent & Male Line Female Line Both Equally
Inheritance
Example Iran & Iraq Pueblo People United States

Authority In Patriarchy Matriarchy Equalitarian

Family:
Who Oldest Male Oldest Female Shared By Both
Example Iraq & China Rare/Obsolete United States
 Marriage
Two Basic Forms of Marriage
℗ Monogamy: marriage between one man & one women
℗ Polygamy: marriage of man/women to more than one person

Two Types of Marriage

℗ Exogamy: marriage to person outside kind or group
℗ Result: Heterogamy (different)
℗ Ex: outside blood line
℗ Endogamy: marriage to person inside kind or group
℗ Result: Homogamy (similar)
℗ Ex: within race/age/caste
 Reasons for Marriage
o Love
o Arrangement
o Economic Benefit
o Social Class
o Companionship
 Reasons for Divorce
o Personal Factors
- age - years -quality
o Societal Factors
- economic changes
- generational change
- independence
- values/attitudes of
society

10% of American
adults over age 15
are divorced!

Divorce rate is ten

times what it was
a century ago!
 Recent Family Trends
Ways in which American families are changing:
℗ Cohabitation: people living together without marrying
• 500,000 in 1970 to 5.6 million in 2005 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006)
• 9% of all couples (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005)
℗ Postponing Marriage: people are delaying marriage
• 1950 average median age for marriage was 20.3 (women) & 22.8 (men)
• 2003 average median age jumped to 25.3 (women) & 27.1 (men) (U.S.
Census Bureau, 2004)
℗ Single Parents: children being raised by just one parent
℗ 2005 1 in 3 families with children under 18 had just one parent
in the household 9 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006)
℗ Since 1970 the number has more than doubled
℗ Same-Sex Families: movement to win the right to marry
℗ 25% of same-sex couples are raising children (U.S. Census
Bureau, 2002)
℗ Mothers Joining the Workforce:
℗ 18% of young children are spending time in child-care
programs (Urban Institute, 2004)