Topic 1a: What is a family?

Key terms:

• Cohabitation - refers to unmarried couples who are living together as man and wife.
   
• Division of labour - refers to the organisation of work.
   
• Extended kin - refers to relations beyond the nuclear family, e.g. aunts, uncles & grandparents.
   
• Fiedelity - refers to being faithful in a relation, e.g. not cheating.
   
• Heterosexual - refers to being attracted to the opposite sex.
   
• Nuclear Family - refers to a family consisting of 2 parents and their children. 
   
• Nurturing - refers to the action of caring and looking after someone.
   
• Procreation - refers to having children.
   
• Social Policy - refers to the measures government rakes in order to address social issues.
   
• Social Integration - refers to the sense of belonging to society.

One of the most popular definitions of the term 'family' in modern UK society is that of the traditional nuclear family.

 The nuclear family is seen as the ideal family type in which individual members of society should aspire to. 

The nuclear family is very specific in many ways and has very clear and distinct…