Families - General Notes Families - General Notes

Links will be added soon.
I. What is a family?
  • A. family - a social group of two or more people related by blood, marriage, or adoption who live together.
  • B. family of orientation
  • C. family of procreation
  • D. nuclear family
  • E. extended family
  • F. cohabitation

II. Societies are built on kinship - social relationships based on blood, marriage or adoption.

III. Historically, the nuclear family has predominated in American society.

IV. Marriage in the United States is monogamous. Most preindustrial societies permit V. Cross-culturally family patterns include VI. Structural-functional analysis - 4 major functions of the family: VII. Social-conflict theory draws attention to the fact that the family serves to perpetuate social inequality in terms of social classes, ethnic and racial groups, or gender.

VII. Symbolic-interaction analysis highlights the dynamic nature of family life. The reality of family living differs for different family members, and member's interactions shape and reshape the family over time.

VIII. The life course of the family: IX. sexual infidelity

X. Child Rearing - decrease in birth rate and family size Why? XI. Family in Later Life - marriage changes as children leave home to form families of their own. XII. Social class and family life - Wealth vs. poverty

XIII. Ethnicity and race. XIV. Gender - husband dominates, marriage provides more benefits to men than to women. XV. Divorce XVI. Family violence -


Links of Necessity

Return to Course Main Page:
Home Page: A list of all courses taught by Robin Brownfield