lecture 2. family

Introduction to Sociology

FAMILY

There are five social institutions namely, family institution, education

institution religion institution, political institution, economic

institution .So all these institutions are inter related and inter linked

with each other as the part of human body. As for as the family

institution is concerned. Family as the social institution performs

several functions.

Kingsly Davis, Specks the four main functions of the family.

i. Reproduction. ii. Maintenance. iii. Placement. iv. Socialization. Family is the most important primary group in society. It is the

simplest and the most elementary form of society. It is outstanding

primary group because child develops its basic attitudes with in family.

The family is the first group in which we found ourselves.

The family as an institution is universal. It is the most permanent and

the most pervasive of all social institutions. Family is a small group

consisting ordinary of father, mother, one or more children and some

times near or distant relatives.

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MEANING OF FAMILY.

The word ‘Family’ has been taken over from Latin word ‘Famulus’

which means servants. Thus originally family consisted of a man and

women with a child or children and servants.

The meaning of family can be explained better by the following

definition’s.

Merrill.

“Family is the biological social unit composed of husband, wife and

children”.

M.F. nimkoff.

Says that “family is a more or less durable association of husband and

wife with or without child or of a man or women alone with children”.

Ogburn.

“Family is more or less durable association of husband and wife and

children”.

Clare.

“Family is a system of relationship existing between parents and

children”.

TYPE OF FAMILY:

TYPE OF FAMILY BY AUTHORITY:

Patriarchal Family.

Matriarchal Family.

Democratic Family.

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TYPE OF FAMILY BY STRUCTURE

Joint family system /Extended family

Nuclear family.

TYPE OF FAMILY BY SETTLEMENT:

Patrilocal Family.

Matrilocal Family.

Neo local Family.

TYPE OF FAMILY BY LINEAGE.

Patrilenial Family.

Matrilenial Family.

Bilateral Family.

TYPE OF FAMILY BY AUTHORITY:

Patriarchal Family.

Patriarchal family is also known as father- centered or father

dominated family. With is family he exercises authority and he is the

owner and administrator of the family property. In the whole family

matters he is the final voice and opinion. He is all in all and the all

family members subordinate to him. All the major decisions pertaining

to family affairs are taken by him only. No body has the authority to

question to him. But typical patriarchal families are not found today in

the modern industrial families.

Matriarchal Family.

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Matriarchal family is also known as mother- centerd or mother

dominated family. She is the head of the family and she exercises

authority. She is the owner of the property and the manager of the

house hold. All the members subordinate to her. She is all in all and the

social thinker says that matriarchal family has been the earliest type of

the family.

Democratic Family.

In democratic family father and mother enjoy the equal status and

opportunities have emerged. These types of family exist in industrial

societies. We can call them equalitarian family. They also called

modern families.

TYPE OF FAMILY BY STRUCTURE

Joint family system /Extended family:

The joint family system is also known as “undivided” family and some

times extended family. It normally consists of members who at least

belong to three generations, husband, and wife, their unmarried and

married children as well as unmarried grand children. Joint family

system mostly exists in our rural Pakistani areas.

Husband + wife + Married & Unmarried Children + Married &

Unmarried grand children

Definition of Joint Family:

i. The joint family is a mode of combining smaller families into

larger family units through the extension of three or more

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generations including at least grand parents, parents and

children’.

ii. Joint family may be defined as “A group of people who

generally live under one roof, who use common kitchen, who

hold common property”.

CHARACTERISTICS OF JOINT FAMILY SYSTEM:

Depth of generations.

The joint family system consists of people of three or more generations

including at least grand parents, parents and children. Sometimes

other kith and kin such as uncles, aunts, cousins and great grandsons

also live in the joint family itself.

Common roof.

Members of the joint family normally reside to gather under the same

house hold. Due to scarcity of accommodation or due to educational

and employment problems, members of the joint family may reside

separately. Still, they try to retain regular contacts and the feeling of

belonging to the same family.

Common kitchen.

Members eat the food prepared jointly at the common kitchen.

Normally the eldest female member of the family supervises the work

at the kitchen.

Common property.

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The members hold a common property. The head of the family

manages the family property like a trustee. The total earnings of the

members are pooled in to a family treasury and family expenses are

met without that.

Arranged marriages.

In the joint family, the head considers it as his privilege to arrange the

marriages of the members. The individual’s right to select his/ her life

partner is undermined. The younger members rarely challenge their

decisions and arrangements. But now a -days, the feelings of younger

ones are being given due to weight age.

Procreation

The size of the joint family is by nature bigger. It is found to be

associated with higher rate of production. It is so because in the past

procreation was regarded as a religious duty. Members rarely practiced

birth control measures. But today the situation has changed.

Merits & Demerits of the Joint Family System:

Merits of Joint family Demerits of Joint family

Stable and durable. Retards the development of

personality

Ensure the economic progress. Damages individual initiative

Serves as a social insurance

company.

Narrows down loyalties.

Provides social security. Promotes idleness.

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Provides psychological security. Not favorable for saving and

investment

Helps social control. Denies privacy

Promotes cooperative virtue. Undetermined the status of

women.

Causes for the changes in the joint family system

1. Influence of Education

Modern system of education introduced by the British Government

affected joint family in several ways. It has brought about a change

in the attitudes, beliefs, values and ideologies of the people.

Education which is spreading even amongst the females has

created and aroused the individualistic feelings. Education in this

way brining changes in relations in the family. As the level of

education rises, the percentage of those in favor of nuclear families

increases and the percentage of those supporting joint family living

decreases.

2. Impact of Industrialization

Factory system of production, new system of organization and

management and new style of life has also affected the joint family.

It has made young men and women leave their joint family to far

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away places in search of better prospects and employment. Mostly

we see that educated person in urban areas are less in favor of joint

family norms.

3. Influence of Urbanization

Cities provide opportunities to women also for gainful employment

and when women start earning; she seeks freedom in many

spheres. She tries to break away more and more from her

husband’s family of orientations.

4. Change in Marriage System

Change in the age at marriage, freedom in mate-selection and

change in the attitude towards marriage have also affected our

family system. Modern young men and women not only marry at a

late age but also take personal decision in this matter. They do not

wait for parental permission. Parent’s role in mate-selection

5. Influence of Western Values

The western values relating to modern science, rationalism,

individualism, equality, democracy, freedom of women etc. The

modern educated youths who came under the influence of these

values took the earliest opportunity to become free from the tight

grip of the joint family.

6. Awareness among women.

Increasing female education, employment opportunities for women

created awareness among women particularly in the middle and upper

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class. They also sought chances of becoming “free” from the

authoritarian hold of the joint family.

Nuclear family.

It can be defines as “a small group composed of husband and wife and

immature children”. In simple words nuclear family is one which

consists of the husband, wife and their children. Soon after their

marriage, the children leave their parental home and establish their

separate household. Hence nuclear family is an autonomous unit free

from the control of the elders. Since there is physical distance between

parents and their married children, there is minimum interdependence

between them. Thus nuclear family is mostly independent. The

American family is a typical example of the modern independent

nuclear family. The nuclear family is a characteristic of all the modern

industrial societies.

TYPE OF FAMILY BY SETTLEMENT:

Patrilocal Family.

After the marriage the wife may reside in husband’s parental home.

Matrilocal Family.

She may stay her parental home to which the husband pays occasional

visits to her.

Neo local Family.

Both of them may establish a separate home of their own.

Husband + wife + unmarried children

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TYPE OF FAMILY BY LINEAGE.

Patrilenial Family.

The decent may be traced through the male lines / husband lines.

Matrilenial Family.

The decent may be traced through the female lines/ mother line.

Bilateral Family.

Descent may be traced through both lines.

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lecture 2. family

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