CONCEPT OF FAMILY

Sociology Project
Bachelor of Law (B.A Ll.B)

Under the Supervision of Submitted by

(Dr) Mahalingam M Shivam Dalmia
Faculty of Law Semester I (First Year)
Section – B

FACULTY OF LAW

JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA, NEW DELHI-25

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I convey my hearty affection to all those people who

helped and supported me, for completion of my project.

My deepest thanks to our subject Professor for guiding

and correcting various topics of mine with attention and
care. He has taken pain to go through the project and
make necessary correction as and when needed

Shivam Dalmia
 Contents
Family................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Definitions of Family...........................................................................................................................................5
Silent features or characteristics of family.........................................................................................................6
(1) A Mating Relationship:..............................................................................................................................6
Non-essential functions of Family......................................................................................................................8
(4) Health related functions:...........................................................................................................................9
Functions of family...........................................................................................................................................11
Essential functions (biological functions).........................................................................................................12
Structure of family............................................................................................................................................14
Forms and types of family................................................................................................................................15
On the basis or structure or composition.....................................................................................................15
On the basis of authority..............................................................................................................................16
On the basis of descent................................................................................................................................17
On the basis of relationship..........................................................................................................................17
Bibliography.....................................................................................................................................................19
 Family
In the context of human society, a family (from Latin: familia) is a group of people affiliated
by consanguinity (by recognized birth),affinity (by marriage), or co-residence (as implied by
the etymology of the English word "family”) and/or shared consumption. Members of the
immediate family includes spouses, parents, brothers, sisters, sons and/or daughters.
Members of the extended family may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews,
nieces and/or siblings-in-law.

In most societies, the family is the principal institution for the socialization of children. As
the basic unit for raising children, anthropologists generally classify most family organization
as matrifocal (a mother and her children); conjugal (a husband, his wife, and children; also
called the nuclear family); avuncular (for example, a grandparent, a brother, his sister, and
her children); or extended (parents and children co-reside with other members of one parent's
family). Sexual relations among the members are regulated by rules concerning incest such
as the incest taboo.

The term ‘family’ has been derived from the Roman word ‘Famulus’ which means a servant.
In Roman law the word refers to the group of producers and slaves and servants and
members of common descent. Family is a small group which consists of father, mother and
their children who are related with each other by kinship ties on the basis of marriage, blood
or adoption. Family is a biological unit which consists of parents and children.
 Definitions of Family

1. According to Maclver. “Family is a group defined by a sex relationship sufficiently precise

and enduring to provide for the procreation and upbringing of children.”

2. According to Burgess and Locke, “Family is a group of persons united by the ties of

marriage, blood or adoption consisting of a single household interacting and inter

communicating with each other in their respective social roles of husband and wife, mother

and father, son and daughter, brother and sister creating a common culture.”

3. According to Kingsley Davis, “Family is a group of persons whose relations to one another

are based upon consanguinity and who are, therefore, kin to another.”

(4) According to Eliott and merrill, “Family is the biological social unit composed of husband wife

and children.”

(5) According to Ogburn and Nimkoff, “Family is a more or less durable association of husband and
wife with or without children, or of a man or woman alone with children.”

(6) According to Clare, “Family is a system of relationships existing between parents and children.”
 Silent features or characteristics of family

(1) A Mating Relationship:

A mating relationship is an important pre-condition for the establishment of family. When sex

relationship is established between male and female at that moment family is formed. This sex

relationship of family is known as mating relationship. Without which no family can be formed. As

sex needs is the most important need of human beings to fulfill this man and woman enter into

mating relationship and family is formed. This mating relationship may be temporary or permanent.

But some forms of mating relationship must exist between man and woman. When this mating

relationship comes to an end family breaks down.

(2) A form of Marriage:

A form of marriage is another important characteristic of family. Because the mating
relationship is established through some form of marriage. This form of marriage may be
simple or complex or may be monogamy, polygamy or group marriage or any other form.
Every family follow a particular form of marriage.

(3) Some rules of mate selection:

Every family follows some rules or procedures through which it establishes the marital
relationship by which family is formed. This procedure of mate selection may be performed
by parents or may be done by the individuals concerned. This rules may be endogamous or
exogamous.

(4) A system of Nomenclature:

Each and every family identifies itself by a name. It also has a system of name giving. The
new member’s of the family take the name of the family in which he identify himself.
Different family have different ways of reckoning descent. Mainly it may be through the
male line or female line. In other words the descent may be known through father, mother or
both. Accordingly the descent is known as patrilineal, Matrilineal or bilineal.
(5) An economic provision:
Each and every family must have an economic provision to satisfy different economic needs
of its members. Usually it is the duty of the head of the family to carry on certain profession
to earn money and thereby fulfill the economic need of its members.

(6) A common habitation:

Each and every family need a common household to live in. Because without it family can’t
fulfill its task of child rearing. Different rules are there for the establishment of residence.
After marriage wife may live in her husband’s parental home or may reside in her own
parental home which is called patrilocal and matrilocal residence respectively or both of
them may establish a separate home which is known as neolocal residence.
Non-essential functions of Family  

(1) Economic functions:

Since ancient times family has been performing several economic functions. It is an
important economic unit. In ancient time family was both a production and consumption unit.
It used to fulfill almost all the economic needs of it’s members such as food, clothing,
housing etc. In the then days family was self- sufficient. But now a days almost all the
economic functions of family is performed by other agencies and family only remain as a
consumption unit. It do not produce anything. All the members of family now working
outside the home.

But in spite of all family still performing some economic functions of purchasing, protecting
and maintaining property. It also equally distribute property among it’s members.

(2) Educational functions:

Family performs many educational functions for it’s members. As an primary educational
institution family used to teach letters, knowledge, skill and trade secret to all it’s members.
It looks after the primary education of it’s members and moulds their career and character.
Mother act as the first and best teacher of a child. Besides he learns all sorts of informal
education such as discipline, obedience, manners etc. from family. Of course at present many
of the educational functions of family are taken over by school, college and universities sill
family continues to play an important role in providing the first lessons and primary
education to its members.

(3) Religious functions:

Family is the centre of all religious activities. All the family members offer their prayers
together and observe different religious rites, rituals and practices jointly. All the members
believe in a particular religion and observe religious ceremonies at home. Children learn
different religious values from their parents. Living in a spiritual atmosphere spirituality
develops among the children. Family transmits religious beliefs and practices from one
generation to another. But at present family became more secular in their outlook. Common
family worship became very rare and absolute. Still family continues to play an important
role in shaping religious attitude of its members.

(4) Health related functions:

Family as a primary social group performs several health related functions for its members. It
look after the health and vigor of its members. It takes care of the sick old and aged persons
of the family. By providing necessary nutritive food to its members family takes care of the
health of all.Of course modern family delegates some of its health related functions to
hospital. The child is born today in a hospital or in a clinic and taken care of by nurses.

(5) Recreational function:

Family-performs several recreational functions for it’s members by entertaining them in
various ways. In ancient period family was the only centre of recreation. All the members
together organize family feasts, visit the family relations, organize family picnics etc. Family
organize different festivals which is another source of recreation. The relationship between
grandparents and grand children is another source of entertainment. After day’s work all the
members used” to assemble and exchange their view. Of course modern club replaces many
recreational functions of family. But at the same time it is said that present family acts as a
modern club without its evil effects.

(6) Cultural functions:

Family also performs several cultural functions as well. It preserves different cultural traits.
Man learns and acquires culture from family and transmits it to succeeding generations. That
is why family is considered as centre of culture.
(7) Social functions:
Family performs a number of social functions. It teaches about social customs, mores,
traditions, norms, etiquette to the coming generations. Family exercises social control over its
members and bring them into conformity with accepted standards. Senior members of family
directly control the behavior of children and thereby they became a good citizen.
 Functions of family
Famous Sociologists like Ogburn and Nimkoff have classified functions of family mainly
into six types such as:

(i) Affectional (ii) Economic functions (iii) Recreational functions (iv) Protective functions
(v) Religious functions and (vi) Educational functions. Another famous sociologist K. Davis
have classified the functions of family into four main divisions such as (i) Reproduction (ii)
Maintenance (iii) Placement and (iv) Socialization of the young. Davis calls these as social
functions and opines that family also performs some individual functions which are a
corollary of its social functions.Similarly Goode classified the functions of family into five
different types such as (i) Procreation functions (ii) Socioeconomic security functions (iii)
Status determination functions (iv) Socialization functions and (v) Social control functions.
Similarly Prof. Lundberg enumerated four basic functions of family such as(i) Regulations of
sexual behavior of members and reproduction (ii) Care and training of children (iii) Co-
operation and division of labor and (iv) Primary group satisfactions. Similarly Reed
classified functions of family into following four types such as (i Race Perpetuation (ii)
Satisfaction of sex needs (iii) Socialization and (iv) Economic functions. But famous
Sociologist Maclver classified the functions of family into two broad categories such as
essential and non-essential functions.

These two functions are also widely known as primary and secondary functions. Under
essential or primary functions Maclver includes mainly three functions such as (i) stable
satisfaction of sex needs (ii) production and rearing of children and (iii) provision of a home.
Under non-essential or secondary functions he includes religious, recreational, educational,
economic and health related functions. But one thing is clear that though sociologists have
classified the functions of family into different forms still all of them gives stress on the same
aspects in a different manner
 Essential functions (biological
functions)
(1) Stable satisfaction of Sexual needs:
This is the most important essential function of family. Family has been performing this
functions since the inceptions of human civilization. It is a well known fact that sex urge is
the most important and powerful instinct and natural urge of human being. It is the primary
duty of family to satisfy the sexual urge of its members in a stable and desirable way.

Through the mechanism of marriage family regulate the sexual behavior of it’s members.
Because satisfaction of sex instinct brings the desire for life long partnership of husband and
wife. Satisfaction of this sex needs in a desirable way helps in the normal development of
personality. Ancient Hindu Philosopher Manu and Vatsayan opines that satisfaction of sex
needs is the primary objective of family. If it is suppressed it creates personality
maladjustments.

(2) Procreation and Rearing of Children:

It is another important sectional function of family .Necessary arrangement of stable
satisfaction of sexual urge resulted in procreation. Family provides the legitimate basis for
production of children. It institutionalizes the process of procreation. By performing this
function of procreation family contributes to the continuity of family and ultimately human
race. Hence perpetuation of human race or society is the most important function of family.
Not only the production of children but also child rearing is another important function of
family. Family is the only place where the function of child rearing is better performed.
It provides food, shelter, affection, protection and security to all its members. It plays a vital
role in the process of socialization of child. It provides healthy atmosphere in which the
personality of the child develops properly. Family takes care of the child at the time of need.
Hence it is rightly remarked that family is an institution par excellence for the procreation
and rearing of children. It has no parallels.

(3) Provision of Home:

Family perform another important function of providing a home for common living to all it’s
members. It is only in a home that children are born and brought up. Even if children are
born in hospitals in modern time still they are taken care of and properly nourished in a home
only. Because family and a home have no substitute. In a home all the members of family
live together and a child is brought up under the strict vigilance of all it’s members.

All the members need a home to live happily with comfort, peace and protection. A home
provides emotional and psychological support to all it’s members. Man’s necessity of love
and human response got fulfilled here. Family provides recreation to it’s members. In a home
family performs the role of a modern club. Man got peace by living in a home.

4) Socialization:
It is another important essential function of family. It is said man is not born human but made
human. New born human baby became human being after they are socialized. Family plays
an important role in the socialization process.

It is one of the primary agents of socialization. Living in a family human baby learns norms,
values, morals and ideals of society. He learns culture and acquires character through the
process of socialization. His personality develops in the course of his living in family. From
family he learns what is right and wrong and what is good or bad. Through socialization he
became a social man and acquires good character.
 Structure of family
1) Organisations:
In the larger societies of modern time, human beings deliberately establish certain
organizations for the pursuit of their specific ends or purposes. These organizations, very
often called associations, are group manifestations of life and common interests. To quote
Maclver and Page, “The associations constitute the most conspicuous part of the social
structure and they gain in coherence, definite number and efficacy as the conditions of the
society grow more complex”.

(2) Collectivities:
There are specialized collectivities such as families, firms, schools, political parties etc.
(Differentiated institutional patterns almost directly imply the existence of collective and role
units whose activities have different kinds of functional significance).

(3) Roles:
Finally, within all such collectivities one can distinguish types of roles. “Concretely these are
the relevant performances of their individual occupants. Functionally, they are contributions
to collective goal attainment”.

Role occupants are expected to fulfill their obligations to other people (who are also role
occupants). For example, in family the husband has obligations towards his wife. According
to Nodal, the elements of social structure are roles.
 Forms and types of family
On the basis or structure or composition
(1) Nuclear Family:
A nuclear family is a family which consists of husband, wife and their unmarried children.
The size of nuclear family is very small. It is an autonomous unit. There is no control of the
elders because newly weds crate a separate residence for themselves which is independent of
elders. It is also known as primary family. It is an ideal family. Murdock divides nuclear
family into two types such as (a) The Family of orientation and (b) the Family of procreation.

The family in which an individual is born and reared and socialized is known as the family of
orientation. It consists of father, mother, brother and sister. On the other hand the family of
procreation refers to the family established by the person through marriage. It consist of
husband, wife their sons and daughters.

(2) Joint or Extended Family:

Extended or joint family is large in size. It consist of a number of nuclear family. It includes
members of three to four generations. It is an extension of parent child relationship. This
family is based on close blood ties. It is like the joint family of Hindu Society. The eldest
male member is the head of the family. Children of the family even after their marriage has
little importance. Extended family consists of father, mother, their sons and their wife,
unmarried daughters, grand children, grand father, grandmother, uncles, aunts, their children
and so on. This type of family found to exist in rural community or agrarian economy
On the basis of authority
(1) Patriarchal Family:
The family in which all the power remains in the hands of patriach or father is known as
patriarchal family. In other words in this type of family power or authority is vested in the
hands of eldest male member of the family who is supposed to be the father. He exercises
absolute power or authority over the other members of family. He owns family property.

After his death authority transferred to the eldest son of family. In this family descent is
known through father line. In this type of family wife after marriage come to reside in his
husband’s house. This type of family is widely found all over the world Joint family system
among the Hindus is a fine example of patriarchal family.

(2) Matriarchal family:

This type of family is just opposite of patriarchal family. In this family power or authority
rests on the eldest female member of the family especially the wife or mother. She enjoy
absolute power or authority over other members of the family. She owns all the family
property. In this family descent is known through the mother.

Headship is transferred from mother to the eldest daughter. Husband remain subordinate to
his wife in a matriarchal family. Daughter after marriage reside in her mother’s house and her
husband live with her. This type of family is found among the Nayers of Kerala and among
the Garo and Khasi tribes of Assam.

(3) Egalitarian family:

The family in which power and authority are equally shared between husband and wife is
called as egalitarian family. Both of them take joint decisions or assume joint responsibility.
That is why it is called as equalitarian family. In this type of family both son and daughter
jointly inherit property equally
On the basis of descent

(1) Patrilineal family:

This type of family is a common type of family prevalent all over the world. The family in
which descent or ancestry is determined through father line and continues through father it is
known as patrilineal family. The property and family name is also inherited through father
line. The patrilineal family is also patrilocal and patriarchal in nature.

(2) Matrilineal family:

Matrilineal family is just opposite of the patrilineal family. The family in which descent is
determined through mother line or continues through mother it is known as Matrilineal
family. The property and family name is also inherited through mother line. This right
transferred from mother to daughter. A woman is the ancestor of family. The Matrilineal
family is Matrilocal and Matriarchal in nature. This type of family found among the Nayers
of Kerala and among tribals like Garos and Khashis.

(3) Bilineal family:

This type of family is the family in which descent or ancestry is traced or determined or run
through both father and mother.

On the basis of relationship

(1) Conjugal family:
Conjugal family consists of husband wife and their children and some relatives added
through marriage. This family is like nuclear family and exhibits some of its characteristics.

(2) Consanguineous family:

This type of family consists of close blood relatives along with their mates and children.

On the basis of marriage

(1) Monogamous Family:
This family is based on Monogamy System of marriage, hence known as Monogamous
family. This family consists of a husband and his wife. Under this type of family system
neither husband nor wife is allowed to have more than one spouse at a time. Both of them are
also prohibited to have extra-marital relationship. It has many other advantages because of
which it is considered as the ideal form of marriage all over the world.

(2) Polygamous Family:

This type of family is based on polygamy system of marriage. As in polygamy one man
marries more than one woman and vice-versa hence two type of family system is found to
exists such as polyandrous and polygamous family.
Bibliography