• What is family?– Family is universal, all

groups organize members into families, different definitions around the world

– Western world family is husband, wife, children

– Other cultures more than one wife (polygamy), more than one husband (polyandry)

• Broad definition is people that consider themselves related by blood, marriage or adoption

Family classifications• Nuclear- husband wife children• Extended- includes aunts, uncles, grandparents• Family of orientation- family that person grows up in• Family of procreation- formed when couple has their first

child• Marriage- groups approved mating arrangements, usually

marked by ritual (wedding), that indicates new status

Common Cultural Themes• Each group establishes norms of who

marries whom• Endogamy- members must marry

within groups, sometimes written into law

• Exogamy- must marry outside of group– Incest taboo example of exogamy

• All societies have system of descent (how you are related to others)

• Bilateral Family used in our culture (trace through mother and father)

• Other types patrilineal (trace through father), matrilineal (trace through mother)

• Incest taboo- helps families avoid role confusion– Forces people to look outside of family for

marriage partners– Isolation and overload are dysfunctions

• Isolation of nuclear family, extended family becomes less important– Not as many people to rely on for material and

emotional support, stresses spread among fewer people (causes emotional overload, makes family vulnerable to more dysfunction)

• Conflict Theory- power of wives increasing– Women contribute

more to income and decision making

– Seen in power struggle over housework (called second shift, creates discontent among wives)

• Symbolic Interactionist perspective deals with gender roles

• Childbirth and Childrearing

– Parents spend more time with kids today than 30 years ago (mothers and fathers)

– Single mothers rely on daycare and grandparents more to raise children

– Marital satisfaction drops after birth of child, adding third person means interaction must be shared

• Childbirth and Childrearing• Social class makes difference how

children are raised– Working class children develop

naturally, place limits on children and let them choose their activities

– Children expected to follow rules, concern with outward conformity, more likely to use physical punishment

– Middle class- children need nurturing, pick activities they think will develop child’s thinking and social skills

– Concern that children develop curiosity and self expression, withdraw privileges or affection for punishment

Family Transitions in Later Life• Empty nest- when children

leave home new domestic situation that arises

• Boomerang kids- Children leaving home later, more return home after college (causes problems in home between children and parents)

• Widowhood- women more likely to become widows (live longer on average), living spouse needs to reassess life

• Culture, socioeconomic status major factors in determining family but there is an element of racial diversity

• African American families- likely to marry later, more likely to be headed by women

• Fictive kin- people who help out seen as relatives, stretching of kinship, owe obligations to those that help

• African American women tend to marry men with less education (women on average more educated in this racial group

Latino Families• Longer they are in US the more

families resemble American family

• Strong family orientation, disapproval of divorce

• Loyalty to extended family• Machismo used to be big part

of family culture (strength of male important), declining in recent years

• Husband-father plays bigger role than other ethnic groups

Asian American Families• Family life reflects cultures

where they are from, changes the more time they are in America

• More permissive in child rearing

• Punishment centers on shame and guilt

• Tend to be have more respect for the elderly, family obligation

• Success of child brings respect to family

One Parent Families• Increase in number recently• More likely to live in poverty,

primary source of strain• Women usually head of one

parent families• Children more likely to do

poorly in school, have emotional problems and economic hardships

Families without children• Childlessness has grown over past

20 years• Common reason is sense of

freedom• More education for women,

acceptance of contraception, high cost of raising children cited as reasons

Blended Families• Significantly increasing because of

divorce• Creates complicated family

relationships

Gay and lesbian families

• More common in European countries

• 2004 Mass. First state to legalize gay marriage

• Most couples with children located in larger cities

• 1/5 previously married, have children from heterosexual marriage

• Same sex couples more likely to breakup