TYPES OF FAMILY

FAMILY
• Family is one of the most important social institutions. Most of the
world’s population lives in family units; it is an important primary
group in the society. Family is the most pervasive and universal social
institution. It plays a vital role in the socialization of individuals.
• Family is regarded as the first society of human beings.
• It is known as the first school of citizenship. One is born in family,
grows in it, works for it and dies in it.
• family refers to the group comprising parents and children. It may also
refer, in some cases, to a group of relatives and their dependents
forming one household. All these refer to the compositional aspect of
this institution.
Nuclear Family
 Nuclear families, also known as elementary or traditional families, consist
of two parents (usually married or common law) and their children. Nuclear
families may have one or more children who are biological or adopted, but
the main idea is that the parents are raising their kids together in the family
home.
Strengths of Nuclear Families:
• Financially stable, both parents usually work now
• Children raised in a stable parenting situation
• Consistency
• Emphasis on health and education
• Focus on communication
Weaknesses of nuclear families
• Exclusion of extended family can lead to isolation and stress.
• Can struggle with conflict resolution.
• Nuclear families can become too child-focused, resulting in
self-centered children and families neglecting other important
things.
 Nuclearfamilies can be strong and successful, with both parents being
great examples for their kids. These kids often have many advantages
over other families with less, which can help them get ahead in life.
However, like any family, nuclear families have their struggles to face.
For example, if parents shut out grandparents and other extended family,
chances are their support system will not be strong and getting through
hard times can be challenging.
EXTENDED FAMILY
 An extended family can also be called a complex family, joint family, or
multi-generational family. In most cultures, the "core" of the family is the
nuclear family the parents and their children, while additional relatives are
considered "extended." This type of family unit has multiple relatives or
close friends other than just the parents and their children living in the
same household or keeping close ties and taking on responsibilities for that
household.
 Extended families consist of several generations of people and can include biological
parents and their children as well as in-laws, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Extended families are typical of collective cultures where all family members are
interdependent and share family responsibilities including childrearing roles.

 Extendedfamily members usually live in the same residence where they pool resources
and undertake familial responsibilities.
On the Basis of Authority:
• The family may be either patriarchal or matriarchal
on the basis of authority.
Patriarchal Family:
 Patriarchal family is a type of family in which all authority belongs to the
paternal side. In this family, the eldest male or the father is the head of the
family. He exercises his authority over the members of the family. He presides
over the religious rites of the household; he is the guardian of the family goods.

 There has been various forms of the patriarchal family. Sometimes it is

part of a joint family, as in India. Sometimes it is part of a ‘stem-family’,
with only one of the sons bringing his family within the paternal
household.
 Matriarchal Family:
 It is a form of family in which authority is centered in the wife or mother.
The matriarchal family system implies rule of the family by the mother, not
by the father. In this type of family women are entitled to perform religious
rites and husband lives in the house of wife.
 Matriarchal family is also called mother-right family or maternal family
under which the status, name and sometimes inheritance is transmitted
through the female line.
On the Basis of Residence:
In terms of residence, we find following types of
families:

Patrilocal Family:
 When the wife goes to live with the husband’s family, it is
called the patrilocal family.
Matrilocal Family:
 When the couple after marriage moves to live with the wife’s family, such
residence is called matrilocal. The husband has a secondary position in
the wife’s family where his children live.
Neolocal Residence:
 When the couple after marriage moves to settle in an independent
residence which is neither attached to the bride’s family of origin
nor bridegroom’s family of origin it is called neolocal residence.

Marti-Patri Local Family:

 In matri-patrilocal family, immediately after marriage the
bridegroom moves to the house of the bride and temporarily settles
there till the birth of the first child and then comes back to his
family of orientation, along with wife and child for permanent
settlement.
The Basis of Descent:
On the basis of descent, families may be divided into two types such as
patrilineal and matrilineal.
Patrilineal Family:
 When descent is traced through the father, it is called patrilineal family.
In this type of family inheritance of property takes place along the male
line of descent. The ancestry of such family is determined on the basis
of male line or the father. A patrilineal family is also patriarchal and
patrilocal. This is the common type of family prevalent today.
 Matrilineal Family:
 Inthis type of family descent is traced along the female line and
inheritance of property also takes place along the female line of
descent.
 Besides the above types, there are other two types of family based on
descent namely Bilateral and Ambilineal family. When the ancestry
or descent is traced through both father and mother, it is called
bilateral family. Ambilineal family is one in which one’s ancestry
may be traced through father’s line in one generation, but in the next
generation one’s son may trace his descent or ancestry through his
mother’s line.
On the basis of in-group and out-group affiliation:
 On the basis of in-group and out-group affiliation families
may be either endogamous or exogamous.
Endogamous Family:
 Endogamy is the practice of marrying someone within a group to which one
belongs. An endogamous family is one which consists of husband and wife who
belong to same group such as caste or tribe.
• For example, in a caste-ridden society like India a member of a particular caste has
to marry within his own caste. When a person marries within his caste group, it is
called endogamous family.
Exogamous Family:
 Endogamy means marriage within a group, while exogamy means marriage with
someone outside his group. For example a Hindu must marry outside his Kinship
group or gotra. When a family is consisted of husband and wife of different groups
such as gotra is called exogamous family.
Also a type of families:
SINGLE PARENT
 Single parent families consist of one parent with one or more kids.
 A mother, father, or parent raising kids alone is not that uncommon anymore,
and like any other family type, single parent homes have their pros and cons.
Weaknesses of Single-Parent Families:
• Families struggle to get by on one income; some are on social assistance
• It can be difficult for parents to work full-time and still afford quality
childcare
• Solo parents may also fall under the following categories:

(a) an unmarried mother or father who has preferred to keep and rear her
or his child/children instead of having others care for them;
(b) any other person who provides the sole parental care and support to a
child or children; or
(c) a family member who assumes the responsibility of being the head of
family as a result of the death, abandonment, disappearance or prolonged
absence of the parents or solo parent of the child
 Childless Family
• Childless families are families with two partners who cannot have or don't want kids. In
the world of family types and dynamics, these families are often forgotten or left out
(even though you can still have a family without children). In the past, growing up,
getting married, and having children was the norm, but in today's world, more people
are choosing to postpone having children or deciding not to have any.
Strengths of Childless families:
•Typically have more disposable income
•No dependents to take care of
•Have more freedom to travel, go on adventures, pursue different careers or
education
•Couples get to spend more time together

Weaknesses of Childless Families:

• Couples can feel isolated or left out when all their friends/family start having kids
• If you like kids, you can feel like something is missing
• Infertility can force a family to be childless, which can be hard for couples
 Grandparent Family:
 Thefinal family type is the grandparent family. A grandparent family is
when one or more grandparent is raising their grandchild or grandchildren.
While uncommon, according to the American Association for Marriage and
Family Therapy, grandparent-headed families are on the rise.

 Itcan be hard for grandparents to raise their grandchildren. In most cases, they
probably thought they were done raising kids and might not have the health
and energy to do so. Still, when needed, many grandparents step up and do
what's needed.