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Family Structure and Legacies 4

The document discusses the definition and various structures of families, emphasizing that family is defined by social relationships rather than legal frameworks. It outlines different types of family structures, including nuclear, extended, step-families, single-parent families, and others, highlighting the diversity in modern family dynamics. Additionally, it stresses the importance of understanding one's genealogy and family history in the context of evolving family perceptions.

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21 views2 pages

Family Structure and Legacies 4

The document discusses the definition and various structures of families, emphasizing that family is defined by social relationships rather than legal frameworks. It outlines different types of family structures, including nuclear, extended, step-families, single-parent families, and others, highlighting the diversity in modern family dynamics. Additionally, it stresses the importance of understanding one's genealogy and family history in the context of evolving family perceptions.

Uploaded by

trixxxt.t
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Family Structure and Legacies

4
Understanding Family and Traditional Family Structure:

According to functionalist George Murdock, a family is defined as “a social group


characterized by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction. It includes
adults and both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual
relationship and one or more children, own and adopted of the sexually co-habiting
adults.”

The definition take note of the three points that:

a) The concept of family is not necessarily linked to the concept of marriage and it is the
social relationship between individuals that is important, not the legal framework to their
relationship.

b) Family groups can involve any number of adults who maintain socially-approve
sexual relationships. This means that families may involve a number of men related
to a single woman (or vice versa) and the "sexual relationship" does not necessarily have
to be heterosexual (between people of the opposite sex), since children may be adopted
into the family group.

c) The family group involves both adults and children. This means, presumably, that a
husband and wife, for example, who do not produce children are not considered to be a
family. Traditional Family Structure on the other hand is considered a family support
system which involves two married individuals providing care and stability for their
biological offspring.

There are various types of family that exist in todays’ society, and some of the more
common structures include:

1. Nuclear family: Basically, consists of two generations of family members living in the
same household.
2.Extended family: This type of family structure generally consists of three or more
generations living in the same household (or very close proximity). The usual name
for this type of family is a "vertically extended group" because the "extensions" to the
basic family group are inter-generational (that is, "between generations" - they involve
grandparents rather than uncles or aunts).
3. Step-families: One consequence of high rates of divorce and remarriage (or
cohabitation) is an increase in the number of families headed by step-mothers and step-
fathers. This type of family is usually nuclear in form and involves parents,
children of either spouse from a first marriage and (possibly) children from their
present marriage
4.Single parent family: This can be either a father or a mother who is individually
responsible for the raising of a child. The child can be by birth or adoption. They may be
a single parent by choice or by life circumstances.
5.Adoptive family: A family where one or more of the children has been adopted. Any
structure of family may also be an adoptive family.
6.Blended family: A family that consists of members from two (or more) previous
families.
7.Conditionally separated families: A family member is separated from the rest of
the family. This may be due to employment far away; military service; hospitalization;
etc.
8.Foster family: A family where one or more of the children is legally, a temporary
member of the household
9. Gay or Lesbian family;
10. Bi- racial or multi-racial family;
11.Trans –racial adoptive family;
12.Immigrant family; and
13.Migrant family

Acknowledging whatever family you have does not only provide connections but more of
a reminder of where you came from, and you may make an effort on becoming a better
person than who you were yesterday. It is of great importance
nowadays, that even young as you are, should know how to trace about your genealogy
or family history/genogram because of the changing perceptions of families or
households and how it evolved.

How families and households become more diverse?

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