The Family: Concepts

Objective:

Explain and use correctly concepts and terms associated with the family as listed in content

Concepts of a Family

Family Types

A Single Parent family is a family in which there is one person, whether mother or father, who has sole responsibility for his/her children.

A family is a social institution found in all societies that unite people into cooperative groups to oversee the bearing and rearing of children.

A family tree is the system by which members of a society trace kinship over generations.

A blended family is a type of family organisation in which several generations of blood relatives live together.

A Extended family unit that includes parents, step-parents and children. 

A Nuclear family unit composed of parents and their children.

Marriage practices

Polygamy-Marriage between more than two persons.

Endogamy-A marriage restriction that requires a person to marry someone outside his or her immediate family, clan, village or tribe.

Marriage-A legally sanctioned relationship, entered into most times because of 'love', usually involving economic cooperation, as well as sexual activity and childbearing that people expect to endure.

Arranged marriage-For this type of marriage to occur, parents select marriage partners for their children.

Exogamy-A marriage restriction that requires a person to marry someone within the tribe, race, social class, religion, etc.

Tracing descent in the family

Matrilineal- the privileges and duties of descent are traced through the female line. 

Patrilineal-the privileges and duties of descent are traced through the male line.

Bilineal- the privileges and duties of descent are traced through both lines.

Where do you live?

Patrilocal-A residential pattern in which a married couple lives with the husband's family. 

Matrilocal-A residential pattern in which a married couple lives with the wife's family. 

Neolocal-No in-laws for me, I want to live with my husband alone; I want to be in charge of my house. I am starting out in my own home.

Types of relationship

Monogamy-Marriage uniting one man and one woman.

Polyandry-Marriage uniting one female and two or more males.

Polygyny-Marriage uniting one male and two or more females.

Polygamy-Marriage among more than two persons.

Don't leave me

Separation-In marriage, a situation in which one spouse abandons the other. 

Divorce-The legal dissolution of an officially recognised marriage. 

Legal separation-The court allows individuals to live apart while sorting out marital relationship.

Behave yourself

Incest-Sexual intercourse between very close relatives. 

Puberty-The stage at which a person is capable of producing children.

Bigamy-The crime of being married to two women at the same time. 

Abortion-The killing of the foetus. 

Delinquency-Lack of parental guidance may lead to such among youth.  

Annulment-Declaration by a religious group or church or court that a marriage is invalid.

Author: Mr. D. Gooden

What is a Family?

The family is a group of individuals who are intimately related, living under the same roof, supporting and maintaining each other socially, economically and emotionally (Ramsawak & Umraw, 2003).

Reference:

Gooden, D. (2009). Social Studies Notes and Revision. Retrieved from https://highereducationcentrett.weebly.com/csec.html

Ramsawak, R., & Umraw, R. (2001) Modules in social studies: with SBA guide & CXC questions. 3rd Ed. Caribbean Educational Publishers-Trinidad