Transcript Chapter 20, Family and Household

Family and Household
Lecture Outline
What is the family?
 What is the difference between family
and household?
 What are some of the challenges of
family and household organization?

Family
In 1950, 60% of all U.S. households
conformed to the nuclear family model.
 Today, only 26% of U.S. households
conform to the independent nuclear
family ideal.
 In the U.S. 28% of women have
experienced domestic violence, and 10
are killed by their batterers every day.

Diagram: Independent
Nuclear Family
Functions of the Family
Nurturance of children.
 Economic cooperation.
 Provide child with models from whom
they can learn gender appropriate roles.

Definition of the Family
A group composed of a woman and her
dependent children, with at least one
adult man joined through marriage or
blood relationship.
 In most societies, families constitute
households or households are built
around families.

Forms of the Family
Conjugal family – formed on the basis
of marital ties
Consanguineal family – consists of
related women, their brothers, and the
women’s offsprings
Households
Basic residential units that implement:
 Economic production
 Consumption
 Inheritance
 Child rearing
 Shelter
Five Basic Residence
Patterns
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


Patrilocal
Matrilocal
Ambilocal
Neolocal
Avunculocal
Diagram: Patrilocal
Extended Family
Diagram: Avunculocal
Residence
Family Organization and
Problems
Polygamous families - potential conflict
among spouses of the individual to
whom they are married.
 Polyandrous families - older husbands
are apt to dominate the younger ones.

Family Organization and
Problems

Extended families - decisions are made
by an older individual whose views may
not coincide with those of the younger
family members.
Female-Headed
Households
1970’s
 45% households were nuclear families.
 4.7% households were single parent
families.
1998
 26% households were nuclear families.
 18.2% households were single parent
families.
 Nuclear families - husbands and wives
must work out their own solutions to
Homework
1.
Read Chapter 10 – Haviland
Kinship and Descent
2. Study Household and Domestic
Organization:
http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/
anthropology/tutor/residence/toc.html