LESSON 1

MEANING, NATURE,
FUNCTIONS AND
CLASSIFICATIONS OF
FAMILY

FAMILY

OVERVIEW
The family is the oldest and most universal
institution established on earth.
The family is the basic social institution
that provides support, love and affection to its
member.
The family stands at the center of social
life linking the individual to the different
social institutions.

MEANING OF FAMILY
A family is a social group characterized by common
residence, economic cooperation and reproduction.
The family is a relatively permanent group of persons
linked together is social roles by ties of blood, marriage
or adoption, who live together and cooperate
economically and in the rearing of the children.
The family is further defines as a group of people
who are related through marriage, blood or adoption,
interact with one another in their designated roles of
husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, brother,

CHARACTERISTICS OF FAMILY
1.It is composed of people united by ties of
marriage, blood or adoption;
2.The member of a family usually live
together under one roof and they constitute
a single housekeeping unit;
3.The family members are associated with
one another with specific social roles; and

FUNCTIONS OF A FAMILY
1.It provides for the continuity of mankind
through reproduction.
2.It regulates sexual behavior.
3.It provides the necessary care, training, and
protection of every member.
4.It is responsible for socializing the child.
5.It provides the means by which an

FUNCTIONS OF A FAMILY
6.It is an important mechanism for social
control.
7.It performs the function of biological
maintenance.
8.It has an educational function.
9.It has a religious function.
10.It has political function.

IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY

1. The strong or weak mental and physical aspects
of the organism inherited from the parents can
be developed in the family;
2. In the family, the child learns the meaning of
social responsibility and the necessity for
cooperation. It plays a significant role in
socializing persons;
3. The family is transmitter of culture;

CLASSIFICATIONS OF FAMILY

1.According
2.According
3.According
4.According
5.According

to
to
to
to
to

organization
place of residence
descent
authority
form of marriage

1. ACCORDING TO
ORGANIZATION
This is composed of husband and

1.1 Conjugal family

wife. This kind of family is best exemplified by: a newly
wed couples and/or couples with no children.

1.2 Nuclear family Consist of husband, wife and their

dependent children.
1.3 Extended family This is composed of two or more
nuclear family related to each economically and socially.
This family usually exists when wife-husband pair and their
children live with other kin and share economic and child

2. ACCORDING TO PLACE OF
RESIDENCE

2.1 Neolocal This occurs when norms of

residence require that a newly wed couple take up
away from their parents. The husband and wife
decide the place of their resident.
2.2 Patrilocal This occurs when norms of
residence require a newly wed couple to take up
residence with the husbands kin.
2.3 Matrilocal This occurs when norms of
residence require newly wed couple to take up

3. ACCORDING TO DESCENT
3.1 Patrilineal This is a family that traces its
ancestry from the paternal or fathers side.
3.2 Matrilineal This is a family that traces its
roots from the maternal or mothers side.
3.3 Bilineal This is a family that traces its
ancestry from both the paternal and maternal

4. ACCORDING TO
AUTHORITY
4.1 Patriarchal With this type of family, authority
is solely exercised by the father.
4.2 Matriarchal In this type, the embers live
together under the authority of the mother.
4.3 Egalitarian This occurs when spouses jointly
share in decision-making, control of family
resources and child-rearing.

5. ACCORDING TO FORM OF MARRIAGE

5.1 Monogamy Marriage in which there is only
one wife and one husband.
5.2 Polygamy Any form of marriage in which a
person may have more than one spouse at a
time.
5.3 Polyandry A form of marriage in which
one woman may have more than one husband
at a time.