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Families and Households

What defines a family? It's a difficult question! Families have changed gradually over time; they are all unique, and neither is the same. Families and households are important topics for sociologists as they look at how they've changed over time.

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Families and Households

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What defines a family? It's a difficult question! Families have changed gradually over time; they are all unique, and neither is the same. Families and households are important topics for sociologists as they look at how they've changed over time.

In this explanation, we will provide a brief overview of the sections within the "Families and households" topic in A-level Sociology. We will be looking at:

  • The definition of families, households, and childhood in sociology
  • The different types of families, and the difference between families and households
  • Sociological perspectives on the family
  • Social trends and changing patterns in the family
  • Evaluations of the symmetrical family
  • Demographic trends in the UK

Families and households in sociology

When discussing families and households, it is important to define these terms. Equally, we must have a working definition for 'childhood', before we look at theoretical perspectives. After that, we can consider changes to family structure, households, and childhood.

All sociologists do not agree on what an accurate definition is for any of the above terms.

What is a family?

The Collins Dictionary defines a family as “a group of people who are related to each other, especially parents and their children”.1

You will see how this definition changes according to the sociological perspective being used. Generally, functionalists tend to view the family in the traditional sense, namely, a married heterosexual couple with children. Postmodernists disagree and prefer much broader definitions of the family that include civil partnerships, cohabitation, and even family friends and pets.

Families and Households, Image of large group of people on the beach at sunset, StudySmarterFig. 1 - There are many ideas and conceptualisations of family.

Different types of families

Regardless of theoretical perspective, there are different types of families in modern society.

Nuclear family

A nuclear family consists of two married parents living with their biological children in one household. It is considered a 'traditional' family arrangement.

Reconstituted family

A reconstituted family consists of two partners caring for one or more children in one household, but only one partner is biologically related to the child or children. This includes families with a step-parent.

Single-parent family

A single-parent family consists of a child or children with one parent in one household.

Extended family

An extended family consists of a 'nuclear family' living with relatives from outside the nuclear family. Extended families can be either vertical (with grandparents and great-grandparents) or horizontal (with uncles, aunts, or cousins) in one household.

Empty-nest family

An empty nest family consists of two partners in one household whose children have 'flown the nest' (moved out).

Empty-shell family

An empty shell family consists of two partners who have no emotional or sexual ties with one another but live with their child or children in one household.

Same-sex family

A same-sex family consists of two partners of the same sex with a child or children living in one household.

Cohabiting family

A cohabiting family consists of two partners living together and unmarried in one household.

What is a household?

The Collins Dictionary defines a household as “all the people in a family or group who live together in a house”.2

A household is broader than a family; it simply means a group of people living in the same house and sharing communal spaces, meals, and bills. A good example of a household is one with university students living together under one roof. It may sometimes be easier to use 'household' instead of 'family' to describe family arrangements.

The difference between family and household

As you can probably tell, families and households are not the same. The difference is the relationship between the people in the household or family.

A family is a group of people living together who are related to each other, usually parents and children; there might also be other family members involved, such as grandparents.

A household is a group of people living together who may not be related to each other but share common living spaces, meals, and bills; an example is a student household. Families can also be split across different households.

What is family and household diversity?

In the topic of families and households, a key area of study is family and household diversity. This refers to the changes and variations in family structure and types of household due to various factors such as age, gender and sexuality, race, marital history, rising living costs, and legal changes. Family and household diversity can also refer to the organisation of the family, for example through changes in the division of labour.

We will be studying demographics and patterns in the UK that illustrate how families and households have changed in recent years.

What is childhood?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines childhood as "the state or period of being a child".3

In many countries, it is legally and socially accepted that an individual is a child until the age of 18. However, this has not always been the case. It is important to understand the varying definitions of childhood across society and history as well as theories on what childhood should look like. (Check out Children and Childhood for more information.)

Sociological perspectives on families and households

We will be studying several sociological perspectives on families and households, including what sociologists believe the role of the family is and how family structures fit into wider society. These include the views of:

Further explanations will look at what the approaches below have to say, specifically about families and households. (Visit each page for a better understanding.)

Changing patterns: social trends in families and households

The explanations that follow will be looking at changing patterns across various factors in recent years; these have changed the structures of families and households in the UK.

We will be considering changes in not only marriage and divorce rates but also the increase in diverse family types and how they have helped shape modern UK society as we know it.

The symmetrical family

We will be describing and evaluating the symmetrical family. This is a sort of family structure that consists of equal responsibilities and roles in the family, such as between two partners. The idea of a symmetrical family was theorised by Peter Wilmott and Michael Young in 1973.

They suggested that as society changed, the symmetrical family type emerged due to the fact that men's and women's roles were not as segregated as earlier. Both men and women could work and share household responsibilities. The gendered division of labour was decreasing and time was shared more equally.

Wilmott and Young described the symmetrical family as the third stage of family development as characterised by modern society.

Demographic trends in the UK

In our other 'families and households' articles, we will also be considering demographic trends in the UK and how they have affected family structures and wider society. We will also, where suitable, evaluate sociological explanations for:

  • Why have these trends taken place?

  • What impact do they have on current and future society?

The trends we will look at include birth rates, death rates, the ageing population, migration, and globalisation.

Social policy: families and households

Family formation and the composition of households are not purely private matters - social policy also impacts families and households in society.

Various laws and policies over the years have, for example, made divorce easier, recognised same-sex marriages and civil partnerships, introduced child benefits, established financial support for lone parents, etc.

Families and Households - Key takeaways

  • A family is a group of people who are related to each other, especially parents and their children. There are many different types of families.
  • A household consists of all the people in a family or group who live together in a house. Families can be split across multiple households. Households can also include unrelated individuals living together.
  • Childhood is the state or period of being a child.
  • Sociological perspectives on families and households theorise the role of the family, and how family structures fit into broader society.
  • There are changing patterns amongst families and households in contemporary society. Demographic trends have also affected the composition of families and households.

References

  1. Collins Dictionary. (n.d.). Definition of “family.” In collinsdictionary.com. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/family
  2. Collins Dictionary. (n.d.). Definition of “household.” In collinsdictionary.com. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/household
  3. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (n.d.). Definition of “childhood.” In merriam-webster.com. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/childhood

Frequently Asked Questions about Families and Households

The difference between households and families is the relationship between the people in the household or family. A family is a group of people living together who are related to each other, usually parents and children; there might also be other family members involved, such as grandparents. A household is a group of people living together who may not be related to each other but share common living spaces, meals, and bills; an example is a student household. Families can also be split across different households.

The structure and composition of families and households affect many aspects of society, including business. This is because families and households are units of consumption. For example, nuclear families consist of mothers, fathers and children, and they get certain goods and services marketed to them on the basis of that, e.g. toys, household wares, and family vacations. 


When there is a decline in the number of nuclear families, companies must change what they produce and who they market to. 

This refers to the changes and variations in family structure and types of household due to various factors such as age, gender and sexuality, race, marital history, rising living costs, and legal changes. Family and household diversity can also refer to the organisation of the family, for example through changes in the division of labour. 

A household is a group of people living together who may not be related to each other but share common living spaces, meals, and bills. There are many types of households - university students sharing a house, friends living together, unmarried and cohabiting couples, nuclear families, and so on.

No, all households are not families.

Test your knowledge with multiple choice flashcards

Which of the following types of family consists of two partners who have no emotional or sexual ties with one another but live with their child or children in one household?

Fill in the blank: Wilmott and Young suggested that as society changed, the symmetrical family emerged due to the fact that men's and women's roles were ______.

Fill in the blank: Functionalists believe the ideal family structure is the ____.

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