Unit 1 Sociology: Family Types

Nuclear Family
1. Most common form of family.
2. Consist of a mother, father and dependant children.
3. Most people experience this type at one point in their lives.
4. People have the ability to move around the country easier.
  1. For example move closer to better schools or with parents work.
  2. This keeps the family together
Extended Family
1. Where the generations of one family live together.
2. This is most popular among the working class as grandparents are used for childcare.
3. Brings down the bills as there are more people paying into the 'kitty'.
4. Women are more involved
  1. Looking after the home
  2. Looking after elderly relatives
  3. Looking after the Children
5. Tend to live on the same street or in the same household.
  1. Popular in Asian culture
Beanpole Family
1. Nuclear Family where the children often share a relationship with their grandparents.
2. In the past a set of grandparents could have 20+ grandchildren.
3. As family size shrinks the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren gets stronger.
4. Life expectancy is increasing so grandparents are seeing their children grow up.
5. Grandparents are seen as a main form of childcare.
Single Parent Families (SPF's)
1. Tripled since the 70's
2. 90% headed by women
3. UK has one of the highest rates in Europe.
4. In the past a SPF was the result of the death of the male.
  1. Now result of divorce
    1. Divorce is easier and cheaper.
  2. Choosing to have children alone
5. Easier finically to be a SPF because of the welfare state.
6. Attitude to marriage have changed
  1. In the past people got married young and never divorced.
  2. Careers and other things are more important.
7. Women and SPF
  1. Women are more likely to get custordy.
  2. Matrifocal Family
  3. Seen as the women's role to care for the family.
8. Popular in the Afro-Caribbean culture
Singletons
1. Someone who live by themselves
2. 3 in 10 people
3. Increased
  1. More people can afford to live by themselves.
  2. There is less stigma
  3. Women not tied down to marriage or children.
    1. More career minded
  4. Divorce is easier/ cheaper / more socially acceptable.
Same-Sex Famililes
1. Increased recently
2. Civil Ceremonie
3. No longer illegal
4. Church role has decreased in society
5. Science has increased
  1. IVF
  2. Surrogacy
Reconstituted Family
1. Made up of an adult couple, either married or unmarried who have at least one child from a previous relationship.
  1. Children may not get on with step siblings
  2. Children may feel like they are being pulled in different directions
2. The two-part families join together
3. Often called a step or blended family

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Unit 1 Sociology: Family Types

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	Created by ArcticCourtney almost 11 years ago