gcse sociology family- essential vocabulary

• nuclear family


  family group consisting of married parents (man and woman) and their children, typically living together in one home
• extended family


  group of relatives extending beyond the nuclear family (but have regular contact)
• reconstituted family


  a blended/stepfamily where one or both partners have child/ren from previous relationships
• social stigma


  disapproval of a person based on perceived characteristics
• patriarchy


  social system in which men have a privileged/dominating position in society
• household


  made up of people who live in one unit
• double shift


  when a woman takes on a career AND housework
• triple shift


  when women perform the double shift (career + housework) plus emotional support
• primary socialisation


  where a child is taught the norms and values of society (eg. the family, childhood friends, the educational system)
• monogamy


  being married to one person
• cohabiting


  people who live together but are not married
• dysfunctional families

  families that have conflict, emotional distress, and potential abuse (used to criticise functionalism as it tends to ignore it)