Families are one of the agents of socialization that over sees the rearing and raising of children and a very important one at that. Families are composed of kinship ( related by blood common ancestry), marriage, families of affinity ( people who are not related but think of themselves as family). There are two levels of families; extended ( children, parents, and other kin) nuclear (only parents and children), and blended (children, biological and step parents). Patterns consist of endogamy (same social class) exogamy (out of social class), monogamy (1 man ,1 woman), and polygamy (two or more spouses) which can be further broken down into polygyny (one man multiple wives) and polyandry (one woman multiple husbands. In addition to these there are residential patterns patrilocality (live with husbands family), matrilocality (live with wives family) and neocality (live apart from both families. One can trace kinship through the men (patrilineal), women (matrilineal) or both (bilater). Families perform tasks such as socialization, social placement, regulation of sexual activity and material/ emotional security.If there is inequality in the family it can cause issues in terms of property and inheritance, patriarchy, and race/ethnicity. There are stages in the family life cycle. First is courtship which can be split into arranged (alliances between extended families) this is more stable and romantic love (an affection and sexual passion between two people) less stable and culturally celebrated. Second is Settling into a marriage that is ideal and real. Then next is child rearing. Industrialization has caused problems with changing the view of children as assets to liabilities and trends to smaller families. Lastly the family can cause an empty nest, middle-age care giving, and loneliness. In the US the social classes determines family security and range of opportunities. Also every marriage is two different relationships that benefits men more than women. Divorce is a big issue in recent times the causes include rising individualism, subsiding romantic love, less female dependence on men, more stressful marriages, higher social acceptance, and more easily acquired. Risks include young spouse, unexpected pregnancy, less religious/education, divorced parents/once, and low paying jobs. It can cause family violence. There are several alternative family forms like one parent families (limited opportunities, increase poverty), cohabitation (unmarried couples in same household; more common among more independent- minded individuals), gay/ lesbian, single hood, and extended family homes. In vitro fertilization has helped many alternative families especially those that are gay/lesbian. In the future the divorce rate will remain high, family life will be more diverse, men will play limited role in child rearing, feel effects of economic changes, and importance of new reproductive technologies will increase.
Links
http://www.appliedsoc.org/family/
http://www.appliedsoc.org/family/
http://www.tutor2u.net/sociology/family-approaches.html
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