Scribd
Upload
107 views3 pages

Sociology Lecture No 8 Family and Its Types Selfhandouts

The document discusses different types of families. It defines the nuclear family as a married couple living with their children, with clear gender roles and responsibilities. The extended family is described as including three or more generations living together, either vertically with parents and grandparents or horizontally across aunts, uncles and cousins. Advantages of the extended family include division of tasks and security, while disadvantages include lack of responsibility and privacy. The nuclear family provides independence and privacy but lacks economic sharing and family support. Other family types discussed include symmetrical, matrifocal, patrifocal, cohabitating, grandparent-led, and empty nest families.

Uploaded by

Safiullah mirza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
107 views3 pages

Sociology Lecture No 8 Family and Its Types Selfhandouts

The document discusses different types of families. It defines the nuclear family as a married couple living with their children, with clear gender roles and responsibilities. The extended family is described as including three or more generations living together, either vertically with parents and grandparents or horizontally across aunts, uncles and cousins. Advantages of the extended family include division of tasks and security, while disadvantages include lack of responsibility and privacy. The nuclear family provides independence and privacy but lacks economic sharing and family support. Other family types discussed include symmetrical, matrifocal, patrifocal, cohabitating, grandparent-led, and empty nest families.

Uploaded by

Safiullah mirza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Family and Its Types

According to sociologist, the family is an intimate domestic group of related to


one another by bonds of blood or legal ties for mating. It has been very important
social unit that has survived and adapted through time.

Types of Family
Some important types of family are:

a) Extended Family
b) Nuclear Family

Extended Family
The family where three or more generations live together in one household. Such
as you, your siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, etc. this is
called extended family.

The extended family household can be either:

a) Vertical: Multiple generations living together. It relates to family tree. Such


as parents, grandparents and great grand-parents.
b) Horizontal: a household made up of aunts, uncles and cousins. It extended
horizontally across the same generation rather than vertical.

Advantages of extended families are as follow:

1. Division of tasks
2. Sharing
3. Security
4. Counselling

Disadvantages of extended family are as follow:

1. Lack of responsibility
2. Jealousy
3. Risks
4. No independent decision
5. No privacy

Nuclear Family
Nuclear family is also called elementary family in sociology. A family where a
married couple live in a house with their children’s. Such as (you, your siblings and
your parents) where husband goes to work and wife looks after most of the
domestic duties with clear segrated rules.

Advantages of the nuclear family are as follow:

1. Free in decisions
2. Independent
3. Privacy
4. Time for family
5. Love & Care

Disadvantages of the nuclear family are as follow:

1. Insecurity
2. No economics sharing
3. Different in socialization
4. No corporation
5. No gathering

Subtypes of Families
1. Symmetrical Family
2. Matrifocal Family
3. Patrifocal Family
4. Cohabitation
5. Grand parenting
6. Empty-Nest Family
Symmetrical Family
According to Willmott & Young the symmetrical family is where all family
members are doing work economically. Such as husband and wife both are doing
jobs and performing their responsibilities equally.

Matrifocal Family
A Matrifocal family is one where mother is the head of the family and all decisions
are done by mother and father plays a less important role in the home and
bringing up children.

Patrifocal Family
A Patrifocal family is one in which father takes the lead role in raising children’s.
He is the head of the family and all decisions are taken by him and mother plays a
less important role in the bringing up children.

Cohabitation
It is an arrangement where two people live together without the bonding of
marriage. This accounts for approximately 10% of UK adult.

Grand parenting
This is a term for when children are brought up by their grand-parents rather than
parents.

Empty-Nest Family
It is a kind of family in which the children are not living close to elderly and they
are left living alone in the family home.

You might also like