FAMILY

THE FAMILY IS THE BASIC UNIT OF SOCIETY. IT VARIES ACROSS

CULTURES AND CHANGES OVER TIME. BECAUSE IT IS UNIVERSAL
OR IS PRESENT IN ALL KNOWN HUMAN SOCIETIES,
SOCIOLOGISTS AND ANTHROPOLOGISTS CLAIM THAT THE
FAMILY MUST BE IMPORTANT AND PERFORMS FUNCTIONS
VITAL TO HUMAN EXISTENCE.
SEVERAL VITAL FUNCTIONS;
SOCIALIZATION
• THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THE FAMILY IS SOCIALIZATION. CHILDREN LEARN WHO
THEY ARE, HOW THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BEHAVE TOWARDS OTHERS, AND WHAT
OTHERS EXPECT OF THEM TO FIT INTO SOCIETY.

• INA NUTSHELL, IT PROVIDES INITIAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT MAKE

CHILDREN UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN AND AN ESSENTIAL
MEMBER OF SOCIETY.
SEVERAL VITAL FUNCTIONS;
PROVIDE LOVE AND AFFECTION

• ANOTHER FUNCTION OF THE FAMILY IS TO PROVIDE LOVE AND

AFFECTION FOR ITS MEMBERS. IT IS WHERE PEOPLE FEEL LOVED,
CARED FOR AND ACCEPTED AND THAT THEY HAVE A SUPPORTED
ENVIRONMENT IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.
SEVERAL VITAL FUNCTIONS;

REPRODUCTION
• BECAUSE NEW MEMBERS ARE NEEDED IN ORDER FOR A SOCIETY TO SURVIVE, THE FAMILY HAS A REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION TO ENSURE THE CONTINUATION OF THE FAMILY LINE.
• IN EVERY SOCIETY AND CULTURE, THE FAMILY IS A LEGITIMATE SOURCE OF REPRODUCTION. THE INSTITUTION ASSIGNED BY SOCIETY TO HANDLE SEXUAL REGULATION IS THE FAMILY.
• COMPLETE SEXUAL FREEDOM IS NOT ALLOWED. IN EVERY CULTURE AND SOCIETY, RULES ON MATING, CHOICE OF SEXUAL AND LIFETIME PARTNERS ARE ESTABLISHED SUCH AS
PROHIBITIONS AGAINST SEXUAL RELATIONS BETWEEN CLOSE RELATIVES (INCEST, TABOOS). SEXUAL ACTIVITIES NEED TO BE REGULATED BECAUSE SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS HAVE
FURTHER CONSEQUENCES.
• INCEST IS HUMAN SEXUAL ACTIVITY BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS OR CLOSE RELATIVES.
 EXAMPLES OF TABOOS IN PH SOCIETY:

 CHEATING
 “PSSST HOY" IS RUDE.
 DON'T POINT AT PEOPLE/ POINTING
 NOT USING SERVING SPOONS
 NUMBER 13
SEVERAL VITAL FUNCTIONS;
ECONOMIC FUNCTION
• THE LAST FUNCTION THAT WE WILL PRESENT IN THIS TEXT IS THE ECONOMIC
FUNCTION OF THE FAMILY. THE MEMBERS FUNCTION AS A COOPERATIVE UNIT
FOR ECONOMIC PURSUITS THROUGH A DIVISION OF LABOR. IN CONTEMPORARY
PHILIPPINES, THE ROLE OF THE WIFE IS NO LONGER LIMITED TO DOMESTIC
WORK AND CHILDCARE. MANY WIVES ARE NOW ENGAGED IN ECONOMIC
ACTIVITIES TO AUGMENT THE INCOME OF THEIR HUSBAND. SONS AND
DAUGHTERS PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO HAVE FINISHED HIGHER EDUCATION
ALSO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CONTRIBUTING TO THE FAMILY INCOME.
FORMS OF FAMILY
1. NUCLEAR FAMILY
A) FAMILY OF ORIENTATION
B) FAMILY OF PROCREATION
2. BLENDED FAMILY
3. SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY
4. EXTENDED FAMILY
FORMS OF FAMILY
THE NUCLEAR FAMILY IS THE MOST COMMON
TYPE OF FAMILY IN INDUSTRIALIZED OR MODERN
SOCIETIES. A NUCLEAR FAMILY HOUSEHOLD
CONSISTS OF A HUSBAND, AND A WIFE AND
THEIR CHILDREN.
 FORMS OF FAMILY
THE FAMILY OF ORIENTATION AND THE FAMILY OF PROCREATION.

• THE FAMILY OF ORIENTATION IS THE NUCLEAR FAMILY INTO WHICH

YOU ARE BORN AND WHERE THE MAJOR PART OF SOCIALIZATION
OCCURS. SIMPLY PUT, YOUR FAMILY OF ORIENTATION IS THE FAMILY
THAT YOU WERE BORN INTO INVOLUNTARILY AND RAISED IN.

• ON THE OTHER HAND, THE FAMILY OF PROCREATION IS THE

NUCLEAR FAMILY YOU CREATE WHEN YOU MARRY AND HAVE OR
ADOPT CHILDREN. WHEN MARRIED, YOU CAN INFLUENCE YOUR
CHILDREN’S SOCIALIZATION. YOU TEACH THEM THE VALUES AND
NORMS OF SOCIETY; YOU CAN INFLUENCE THEIR PERSONALITY AND
YOU CAN WITNESS HOW THEY DEVELOP AND LEARN SOCIALLY
ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIORS
 FORMS OF FAMILY
• A VARIATION ON THE NUCLEAR FAMILY IS KNOWN AS BLENDED
FAMILY, ONE WHICH IS CREATED FROM EARLIER SEPARATIONS
EXPERIENCED BY ONE OR BOTH SPOUSES. IN A BLENDED FAMILY,
SPOUSES AND THEIR CHILDREN FROM FORMER MARRIAGES LIVE
TOGETHER AS A SINGLE NUCLEAR UNIT. THE BLENDED FAMILY IS,
THEREFORE, USUALLY A RESULT OF REMARRIAGE.

• SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY IS ALSO A VARIATION OF THE NUCLEAR

FAMILY. IT IS A UNIT COMPOSED OF ONE PARENT AND HIS OR HER
CHILDREN.
 FORMS OF FAMILY
EXTENDED FAMILY
• AN EXTENDED FAMILY HOUSEHOLD CONSISTS OF TWO OR MORE GENERATIONS
OF KIN OR ONE OR MORE NUCLEAR FAMILIES LIVING TOGETHER AND
FUNCTIONING AS A SOCIAL UNIT.

• IN THE PHILIPPINES, WE HOLD THIS ARRANGEMENT BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE

CERTAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO ONE ANOTHER. WE VALUE OUR
EXTENDED FAMILY BECAUSE AS PART OF OUR CULTURE, WE HAVE A MORAL
OBLIGATION TO OUR ELDERS, SIBLINGS, AND RELATIVES PARTICULARLY THOSE
WHO ARE IN NEED.
FORMS OF FAMILY
AUTHORITY BASE FAMILY/ TYPES OF FAMILY ACCORDING TO AUTHORITY AND POWER STRUCTURE

PATRIARCHAL – DOMINATED BY MEN

• AUTHORITY AND POWER LIES IN THE HANDS OF THE MAN
• MALE HEADED HOUSEHOLDS ARE OBTAINABLE IN MOST SOCIETIES;
AND IN ABSENCE OF THE MAN, THE ELDEST SON BECOMES THE
LEADER OF THE HOUSEHOLD.
 FORMS OF FAMILY
AUTHORITY BASE FAMILY/ TYPES OF FAMILY ACCORDING TO AUTHORITY AND POWER STRUCTURE

MATRIARCHAL – FAMILY RULED BY A WOMAN SUCH AS A MOTHER,

GRANDMOTHER, OR AUNT.
• MATRIARCHAL FAMILY IS SOMETIMES CALLED “MATRIFOCAL‟ FAMILY
• AUTHORITY IS VESTED ON THE WOMAN, RESULTING ESPECIALLY
WHERE THE MAN OR HUSBAND OF A WOMAN HAS DIED, OR WHEN
THE MEN DESERT THEIR WIVES.
 FORMS OF FAMILY
AUTHORITY BASE FAMILY/ TYPES OF FAMILY ACCORDING TO AUTHORITY AND POWER STRUCTURE

EGALITARIAN – FAMILY WHERE AUTHORITY IS EQUALLY

DIVIDED

•THIS DESCRIBES AN ARRANGEMENT IN THE FAMILY WHERE

POWER AND DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY ARE EQUALLY
DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN THE HUSBAND AND WIFE.