Definitions
Sociology: AQA A Level, topic 4.1.1
Families and Households
Families and households differ in their structure and bonds and can be very diverse.
Families and sociology
- Families and households differ in their structure and bonds and can be very diverse.
- Different sociological perspectives view the family through different lenses, including their purpose in society and their influence on the socialisation process.
Definitions
- The difference between a family and a household:
- Family refers to a group of people who are related by kinship ties, that is, relations of blood, marriage, partnership or adoption.
- A household refers either to a person living alone or a group of people who live at the same address and share living arrangements.
Examples
- Many families live in households but not all households are families.
- Both families and households are diverse. For example:
- Families might include a lone parent, extended family of nuclear family.
- While a household might include these or groups of friends with no familial ties living in the same house or people living alone.
Test yourself on Definitions
Which definition of relationship structure might include a group of friends living together?