Understanding Culture Society and Politics (Soc Sci 01)

Week 6
6.0
Kinship, Marriage, Family
by: Mrs. Liezel P. Elcamel, LPT, LRTG

In this module, you will spend 390 minutes to

a. Explain the functions of marriage, family, and kinship for
individuals and society; and
b. Discuss the changes that have taken place in the structure of
the Filipino marriages and families and in the nature of
relationships among kin network.

It has been generally assumed that the

institution of marriage is a universal feature in
human societies. Marriage is a unique institution
of human society that has different implications
in different cultures. It is a biological fact that
marriage is intimately linked to parenthood
(Sociology Guide.com, 2020). As cited by Priya,
marriage can be conceptualized in three ways:
as an institution, as a rite/ritual and as a
process. As an institution, marriage consists of a
set of patterned behaviors, expectations and
relationships that are organized and endured
over time. As a rite/ritual, it includes the ceremonies through which married status is
achieved and as a process, it is a phenomena which is marked by gradual changes that lead
to ultimate dissolution through separation, divorce or death. Moreover, it is a universal
social institution. It is associated with mutual rights and obligations. It serves protective,
regulatory, emotional and economic functions. Marriage ties result in formation of kinship
network which organize individuals into social groups. The classical thinkers like Durkheim
views family as an important institution for maintaining social order and a moral society.
Weber considers marriage as an essential institution which regulates the behavior and
desires of individuals. The modern thinkers relates marriage customs to habitus and cyclical
changes in marriage to changes in economic system. Becker has analyzed marriage on the
basis of gains to trade model. Ulrich Beck elaborates on risks associated with marriage in
the contemporary risk society. The post-modern thinkers like Foucault emphasize on
deconstructing the institutions of family and marriage. As stated by Sociology Guide.com
(2020), marriage and family are two aspects of the same social reality that is recognized
by the world. Anderson and Parker say that wedding is the recognition of the significance
of marriage to society and to individuals through the public ceremony usually accompanying
it. Such a ceremony indicates the society's control.

This topic, examines the concept of marriage, family and kinship. Understanding of
these concepts is crucial in determining how people trace their kinship ties, how such
relationship leads to the formation of social groups, and why people view themselves
differently in relation to others who are not part of the kin network.

SOC SCI 01 SHS MODULE 6 v 2020

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Motivation

My Genealogy

In the first page of this module, we have discussed some definitions of

marriage and how it is related to family and kin. For this activity, you will recall
on the members of your family of both sides.
You will construct a schematic diagram tracing your kinship of both mother
and father side. Begin with your great grandparents down to your generation, by
filling in the complete names of your kin. Try to complete your genealogy.

The schematic diagram with green, blue

and orange on your left shows a sample
diagram of your mother’s side.

Your
grandfather sibling
great
grandparents
grandfather's mother's
sibling cousin

YOU
father's
grandmother' cousin
s sibling
great father's
grandparents cousin
grandmother

Your
father sibling
grandfather

great father's sibling

grandparents
The schematic diagram with red, violet,
grandfather's father's and blue on your left shows a sample
sibling cousin diagram of your father’s side.

Your schematic diagram depends on the number of members in the

family. Hope you will enjoy this activity while knowing the name of your
ancestors.
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Instruction

Marriage Definition (Cited by Priya)

Sociological Definitions
 Marriage denotes those unequivocally sanctioned unions which persist
beyond sexual satisfaction and come to underline family. Sexual unions
without economic co-operation are common, and there are relationships
between men and women involving a division of labor without sexual
gratification, e.g., between brother and sister, master and maidservant,
or employer and secretary, but marriage exists only when the economic
and the sexual are united in one relationship, and this combination occurs
only in marriage (Robert H. Lowie)
 It is a dividing line between the family of orientation and family of
procreation. This individual roles are different in these two forms of family.
The roles in the family of orientation are different for the various stages
as the child passes through infancy, childhood and adolescent stage. These
roles are not associated with duties and responsibilities. After marriage an
individual enters into the family of procreation and plays the role of a
husband, a father and an earning member. All these roles are associated
with a number of duties and obligations (Koos).
 Marriage is a micro social system which requires proper division of labor
to maintain equilibrium. Stability of marriage depends on proper fulfilment
of duties and obligations. The instrumental and integrative roles performed
by both the husband and wife are complementary to each other
Anthropological Definitions
 Marriage is a relation of one or more men and women which is recognized
by custom or law and involves certain rights and duties both in the case of
the parties entering the union and in the case of children born of it.
Marriage permits sex relations between husband and wife, and these sex
relations are legitimized by the society (Westermarck).
 It is a contract for the production and maintenance of children
(Malinowski).
 Marriage as a socially sanctioned union of male and female, or as a
secondary institution devised by society to sanction the union and mating
of male and female, for purposes of (a) establishing a household,(b)
entering into sex relations, (c) procreating, and (d) providing care for the
off-spring (Mazumdar).
Marriage is a complicated matter. Its complexity is attested to by the fact
that it is possible
for so many of its qualities to vary, yet marriage continues to be recognizable
cross culturally in spite of the variations. The most common classification for
forms of marriage is on the basis of number of mates:
1. Monogamy
It is the form of marriage in which one man marries one woman. This is
the legally accepted and the most ideal form of marriage since it
contributes to a stable family. Monogamy recognized two types:
 Strict monogamy allows a person to have only one spouse in a
lifetime, with no permission for either the widow or widower to
remarry.
 Serial monogamy refers to a practice where individuals can be
married more than once but not at the same time. In most cases
people remarry after divorce or sometime after the death of a
spouse.
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Instruction

2. 2. Polygamy
It is the form of marriage in which a union which consist of multiple
spouses. It has three types:
 Polyandry is the marriage of one woman with two or more than two
men. It was practiced in ancient Indian society, though it is not
practiced in modern societies.
 Polygyny is that type of marriage where a man marries more than
one women at the same time. Polygyny tends to be accepted in those
societies where more prestige is associated with a man who is the
head of a large household and for the distribution of work throughout
a family.
 Cenogamy or group marriage is a union of several husbands and
several wives.

Functions of Marriage

 Develops Family: Marriage is an institution which brings a family in to

existence. Marriage establishes a family of procreation. It is here the
children are born and bred up. It is responsible for perpetuation of lineage
and establishment of kinship relations. The relations established after
marriage help in maintaining social solidarity and thus contribute to the
unity of society.
 Provides Security: The system of marriage provides social and financial
security to women and children. It gives stability to relationships.
 Satisfaction of affiliation needs: The system of marriage also satisfies
affiliation needs. Marriage is considered to be life long relationship between
a man and a women. Married couples are considered as lifelong
companions who share ideas, attitudes and emotions with each other.
 Provides for Economic Cooperation: Marriage makes division of labor
possible on the basis of sex. After marriage partners distribute and divide
work among themselves.
 Regulation of Sex relations: Marriage is the powerful instrument for
regulating the sex life of man. It sets moral standards for the society and
helps in regulation of moral life of the members of society.

The marriage system in the Philippines is based on monogamy. But in the

practice of Muslim tradition, polygamy, particularly in polygyny is being practiced.
The trend in the Philippines is that men and women are choosing to marry at
later ages. In reality, single-parent household or those who have chosen not to
marry at all but have children, are also increasing. Marriage serves protective,
emotional, regulatory, and economic functions and plays an important role in
stabilizing adult personalities. This institution also represents commitment of
individuals and family at multi- dimensional levels which help in maintaining
social organization. Apart from the above mentioned functions marriage also
gives rise to a network of social relations known as kinship system. This is an
important system which determines the status of a person in the family.
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Instruction

Family
The family forms the basic unit of social organization and it is difficult to imagine how
human society could function without it. The family has been seen as a universal social
institution an inevitable part of human society. According to Burgess and Lock the family is
a group of persons united by ties of marriage, blood or adoption constituting a single
household interacting with each other in their respective social role of husband and wife,
mother and father, brother and sister creating a common culture. Murdock defines the family
as a social group characterized by common residence, economic cooperation and
reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes at least two of whom maintain a socially
approved sexual relationship and one or more children own or adopted of the sexually co-
habiting adults (Lumen, 2020).
According to Sharma (2013), the family as an integrated and functional unit of society
has for a considerable period of time captured the attention and imagination of researchers.
The following are the functions of family (Amper, Bersales, and Nolasco, 2016):
 Socialization
Children learn who they are, how they are supposed to behave towards others, and
what others expect them to fit in the society. It provides an initial learning experiences
that makes children understand what it means to be human and an essential member
of the society.
 Provide love and affection
It is where people practice intimacy, where the members feel they are loved, cared
for and accepted, and that they have a supported environment in times of trouble.
 Reproduction
New members in the society are needed in order for a society to survive. The
reproduction function ensures the continuation of the family line. It is a legitimate
source of reproduction.
 Sexual regulation
In every society and culture, rule on mating, choice of sexual and lifetime partners
are established such as prohibitions against sexual relations between close relatives
(incest taboos). Sexual activities need to be regulated because sexual relationships
have further consequences. In the Philippines, only in the context of marriage is a
sexual activity between a man and a woman considered socially and normally
accepted.
 Economic unit
The members function as a cooperative unit for economic pursuits through a division
of labor.in contemporary Philippines, the role of wife is no longer limited to domestic
work and child care. Many wives are now engaged in economic activities to augment
the income of their husband. Sons and daughters particularly those who have finished
higher education also take on the responsibility of contributing to the family income.

Health has been shown to have multifactorial causation. The family surroundings
affect
the health of an individual in several ways. Members of a family can be expected to share
the risk factors for their health that may arise from various social characteristics of their
shared housing, neighborhood, community, society, and culture. Living in a family would
also mean usually exposure to similar dietary behaviors and health-related lifestyles, among
the family members (Sharma, 2013).
Forms of Family (Amper, Bersales, and Nolasco, 2016)
(1) Nuclear Family
The nuclear family is the most common type of family in industrialized or modern
societies. A nuclear family household consists of a husband, a wife, and their children. There
are types of nuclear family:
a. Family of orientation is a nuclear family into which one is born and where the major
part of socialization occurs. Your family of orientation is the family /that you were
born into involuntarily and raised in. it influences your attitudes, values, and beliefs.
b. Family of procreation is the nuclear family you create when you marry and have or
adopt children.
c. Blended family refers to one which is created from earlier separations experienced by
one or both spouses.
d. Single parent family is also a variation on the nuclear family at which it is composed
of one parent and his or her children
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Instruction

(2) Extended Family household consists of two or more generations of kin or one or more
nuclear families living together and functioning as a social unit. For example, you have
an extended family if you and your parents live together under one roof with your
father’s or mother’s parents, siblings, or other close relatives. In the Philippines, we
hold to this arrangement because we recognize certain duties and responsibilities to
one another. We value our extended family because as part of culture, we have a
moral obligation to our elders, siblings and relatives particularly those who are in
need.

Kinship
A society is a network of interlocking groups which are related to each other through
institutionalized patterns. One of the most important structural subsystems of all societies is
the kinship system. Kinship groups occupy an important place in an individual’s life. The
relationship of blood or marriage which binds people together in group is called kinship. The
kinship system includes socially accepted relationships based on fictional as well as actual
ancestral ties. These relationships are established due to social interaction and accepted by
the society (Priya, n.d.).
Kinship determines how people organize themselves socially, it helps to regulate
behavior, and it shapes a person’s rights and obligations. In the study of culture and society,
anthropologist distinguish between three descent systems to differentiate a person’s
affiliation to a kin group and how one identifies himself or herself to relatives who are
important in their lives.
Descent Systems
(1) Bilateral descent is the tracing of kinship through both the paternal and maternal sides
of the family, or the parents’ ancestral lines.
(2) Unilateral descent is a kinship system in which descent is traced through only one
gender; a person’s kin group or clan or clan membership is traced only through men
or the paternal side of the family, or through a women of the clan or the maternal
side of the family.
a. Patrilineal descent refers to people who are related only if they trace the
descent through males to the same male ancestor such as your father’s father
and so on.
b. Matrilineal descent refers to family trees are traced through the females only
such as your mother’s mother and so on.
c. Unilineal descent refers to descent wherein the other side is not considered.
(3) Ambilineal descent is one that affiliates a person to their kin groups to either men or
women. You become a relative of either your mother’s line or father’s line but not
both.
Anthropologists use the word clan to refer to a set of kin who identify themselves as
being
descendants from the same ancestor. Studies conducted by Jocano on kinship and family
organization show that Filipino family gives importance to both blood (consanguineal) and
marriage (affinal) ties. Children are taught to respect their elders, close relatives, and even
distant relatives. In addition, Medina found that in the Philippines, consanguinal or biological
ties are so important that a person can be judged on the basis of who her or his relatives
are. The blood bond is so close among Filipinos that even distant relatives are recognized.

Family and Marriage Video Presentation

Click the link below to view the video.

Theories About Family and Marriage: Crash Course

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaeiCEro0iU
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Enrichment

Filipinas: A Filipino Family Movie

Filipinas
Running Time: 1:46:27
Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-
aG3GYpTu8&fbclid=IwAR3eO8ADRSpwIQQ4Qx1Ewhqr5kyjzOlRToTbou6BWdoW-
TMbOPshujidNjI

Click the link to view the full movie

Answer the question below.

How is Filipino marriage and family depicted in the movie, Filipinas?

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Organization of the thought (5) -

Information presented (5) -
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Evaluation

My Family Presentation

From your activity, My Genealogy, you have known and get to familiarize
the members of your kin group.
This time, you will create your power point presentation showcasing the
attributes of a Filipino marriage and family based from your kin/clan. Present
also on how members in your family are bound together, and how you and your
kin assume responsibility for one another.
You may record a video for the discussion of your presentation or you
may opt to encode your discussion per slide in the section, click to add notes,
which is located below the slide of your power point presentation. It is expected
that you will have more family pictures to be presented.

Visual Effect (10) -

Information (10) -
Delivery of the Content (10) -

(1) Do you think that marriage, family, and kinship are essential
in contemporary society?
(2) How does your family meet the needs of the society?
(3) How does the role of each member influenced by surrounding
institutions such as the government, education,
economy, religion, and media?
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Amper, Z., Bersales, J., and Nolasco, M. (2016). Knowing the Social World. Cebu
City: University of San Carlos Press.

Lumen. Family. Retrieved from

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless- sociology/chapter/family/
on July 28, 2020.

Priya Thesis. Sociology of Marriage and Kinship: Conceptual Framework.

Retrieved from
https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/173787/7/07_chapter%
201.pdf on July 27, 2020.

Sharma, R. (2013). The Family and Structure Classification Redefined for the
Current Times. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4649868/ on July 28, 2020.

Sociology Guide.com (2020).Marriage Family and Kinship. Retrieved from

https://www.sociologyguide.com/marriage-family-kinship/index.php on July
27, 2020.

Tarroja, M. (2010). Revisiting the Definition and Concept of Filipino Family.

Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273204589_Revisiting_the_Defini
tion_and_Concept_of_Filipino_Family_A_Psychological_Perspective on July
29, 2020.
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