Definitions of family

1. FamilyFamily

2. Lesson objectivesLesson objectives
•To have a working definition of Family and
Household and to be able to distinguish between
the two.
•To be able to identify the difficulties of defining the
Family.

3. Families: Yes/NoFamilies: Yes/No

4. Families: Yes/No?Families: Yes/No?

5. Families: Yes/No?Families: Yes/No?

6. Families: Yes/No?Families: Yes/No?

7. George MurdockGeorge Murdock
‘The family is a social group characterised by
common residence, economic co-operation and
reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at
least two of whom maintain a socially approved
sexual relationship, and one or more children, own
or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults’

8. Giddens: A modern Giddens: A modern
perspective:perspective:
•“A group of individuals related to each other other
by blood ties, marriage or adoption, who form an
economic unit, the adult members of which are
responsible for the upbringing of children”

9. An even more modern An even more modern
Giddens definition:Giddens definition:
•“A small group of closely related people who share
a distinct identity and responsibility for each other
that outweighs commitment to others. This group is
commonly, but not necessarily, based on marriage,
biological descent or adoption”

10. The Family and Households – The Family and Households –
Modern DefinitionsModern Definitions
•Family
• ‘ A family is a social unit made up of people who
support each other in one or several ways; for
example socially, economically or psychologically
(in providing love, care affection etc.) or whose
members identify with each other as a supportive
unit’ (Nik Jorgensen, 1994)

11. •‘A family is a group of people to whom we may be
biologically related and to whom we feel a sense
of kinship.’ (McNeill, Blundell and Griffiths, 2003.)
•[Kinship refers to a relationship based on ‘blood’ or
marriage.]

12. •Household
•‘A household consists of a person living alone, or
two or more people who share the same residence
– for example, a house or flat. Members of a
household also share housekeeping – for example,
sharing the rent and household chores. People who
live together in a household may or may not be
related.’ (Sociology in Focus for OCR AS Level’.)