Sociology of Family Study Guide
What is family and why can defining it be problematic?
Family is 2 or more persons who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together as ONE (no matter the how the relation)
Family is a SOCIAL INSTITUTION
Family can serve as an agent of social placement, helps build relationships outside your family (social networks)
Can have an economic effect (gov’t benefits)
The problem can be that it varies between cultures and even different families, varies from being so diverse to so specific
Problematic social institution of family serves different roles
Looking at family can differ between its public family and private family
Western Family
Nonwestern
Public Family :
Married couple, cohabitating couple, or single parent with children
Single person caring for ailing parent
Gay person caring for sick partner
Functions:
Raising the next generation
Caring for elderly
Caring for the ill or disabled
Primary Challenge:
Free-rider Dilemma
Private Family:
Married or cohabitating couples with or without children
Gay or lesbian couples with or without children
Functions:
Providing love and intimacy
Providing emotional support
Primary Challenge: Boundary Ambiguity
Externalities
Cost/benefits to others when a business/individual processes something
Positive Externalities (Public Family)
Benefits received by others when business/individuals produce something, but the producer is not fully compensated
Negative Externalities (Public Family)
The cost imposed on others when business/individuals produce something of value to itself
Public Goods
Positive externalities that benefit people who don’t produce them.
Almost impossible to stop people who don’t produce them from enjoying them (Ex. Cedar River)
Public goods produced by family =Children (which can have an impact on society)
Abuse children to get benefits
Kin
People related to you through descent or marriage
Assigned Kinship – ties people “automatically” through birth
Family is 2 or more persons who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together as ONE (no matter the how the relation)
Family is a SOCIAL INSTITUTION
Family can serve as an agent of social placement, helps build relationships outside your family (social networks)
Can have an economic effect (gov’t benefits)
The problem can be that it varies between cultures and even different families, varies from being so diverse to so specific
Problematic social institution of family serves different roles
Looking at family can differ between its public family and private family
Western Family
Nonwestern
Public Family :
Married couple, cohabitating couple, or single parent with children
Single person caring for ailing parent
Gay person caring for sick partner
Functions:
Raising the next generation
Caring for elderly
Caring for the ill or disabled
Primary Challenge:
Free-rider Dilemma
Private Family:
Married or cohabitating couples with or without children
Gay or lesbian couples with or without children
Functions:
Providing love and intimacy
Providing emotional support
Primary Challenge: Boundary Ambiguity
Externalities
Cost/benefits to others when a business/individual processes something
Positive Externalities (Public Family)
Benefits received by others when business/individuals produce something, but the producer is not fully compensated
Negative Externalities (Public Family)
The cost imposed on others when business/individuals produce something of value to itself
Public Goods
Positive externalities that benefit people who don’t produce them.
Almost impossible to stop people who don’t produce them from enjoying them (Ex. Cedar River)
Public goods produced by family =Children (which can have an impact on society)
Abuse children to get benefits
Kin
People related to you through descent or marriage
Assigned Kinship – ties people “automatically” through birth