sociology gcse family

• What is the definition of a family in sociology?


  A family is a social institution consisting of a group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
• What are the key characteristics of a family?

  Families are characterized by shared living arrangements, economic cooperation, reproduction, and care for young.
• What are the different forms of families?

  • Nuclear family: Parents and their children
  • Extended family: Including grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.
  • Single-parent family
  • Same-sex parent family
  • Blended family: Stepfamilies formed after remarriage
  • Childless family: Couples without children
  • Foster family: Temporary care for non-biological children
• What are the key functions of families in society?


  Families perform functions such as socialization, economic support, reproduction, emotional support, and social control.
• What is the socialization function of families?


  Socialization is the process by which individuals learn and internalize the norms, values, and behaviors of their society.
• What is the economic function of families?


  The economic function involves the provision and management of resources to meet the needs of family members.
• What are some key aspects of the economic function of families?


  Key aspects include resource provision, division of labor, economic socialization, and consumption unit roles.
• How have family economic functions changed in recent decades?


  There has been a shift from single-breadwinner families to dual-income families, with more women entering the workforce.
• What is the reproductive function of families?


  The reproductive function involves biological reproduction and the nurturing and raising of children.
• How do families contribute to cultural reproduction?


  Families pass on cultural values, beliefs, and traditions to the next generation, maintaining cultural continuity.
• What is the significance of emotional support in families?


  Emotional support provides love, care, and psychological well-being for family members.
• Adolescence


  The period in an individual's life between childhood and adulthood
• Arranged marriage


  A marriage where the families of the prospective spouses take the leading role in finding a partner for them
• Beanpole family


  Multigenerational families that are long and thin in shape (not many siblings in a generation)
• Bigamy


  the offence (crime) of getting married to someone whilst already married to someone else
• Canalisation


  The way parents channel their children's interest into toys, games and other activities that are seen as gender appropriate
• Childrearing


  Bringing up children
• Childhood


  The period of time in a person's life between birth and becoming an adult
• Cohabitation


  Living with a partner outside of a marriage or civil partnership
• Conjugal relationships


  The relationship between a married or cohabiting couple
• Conjugal role


  The domestic roles of married or cohabiting partners
• Conventional family


  A traditional nuclear family containing a heterosexual married couple and their children who live together
• Crisis of masculinity


  The idea that males see their traditional masculine identity as under threat today. For example, they no longer have a clear cut role as the breadwinner within a family
• Dependent family members


  Family members who depend on others within a family due to their age, or lack of money. Dependent children are those 0-15 or 16-18 and in full-time education and living with their parents
• Discrimination


  Less favourable or unfair treatment based on an individual's gender, race, ethnicity or age
• Divorce


  The legal termination (ending) of a marriage
• Domestic division of labour


  The division of tasks such as housework, childcare and DIY between men and women in the home
• Double shift


  The idea that working women do two shifts by doing a paid job and most of the housework and caring for the family
• Dual career family


  A family in which two adults have careers
• Dual earner family


  A family in which two adults work in paid employment
• Dysfunctional families


  A family in which functions such as providing emotional support are not being carried out. Characterised by social problems such as domestic violent or child abuse.
• Economic function (functionalist)


  The function of the family carries out by providing its members with financial support, food and shelter.
• Economic function (Marxist)


  Under capitalism women, as housewives and mothers, carry out unpaid domestic labour which benefits the capitalist system.
• Economy


  A system by which good and services are produced, distributed and consumed. Examples include capitalism, socialism and communism.
• Egalitarian


  Based on the idea that people are equal
• Empty nest family


  A family containing a mature couple who live together after their children have left home
• Empty shell marriage


  A married in which the couple continue to live together (for example, for the sake of their children) even though the marriage has broken down.
• Expectations


  Hopes or beliefs, for example, about what a marriage will - or should - be like.
• Expressive role (functions of the family)


  The caring emotional and nurturing role within the family. Parsons (functionalist) sees this as the woman's natural role within the family.
• Extended family


  A group of relative extending beyond the nuclear family. The classic extended family involves 3 generations living under one roof.