Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-4-the-rapoports-and-family-diversity

[Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [Sociology](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa.md) › The Rapoports & Family Diversity

# The Rapoports & Family Diversity

Sociology: AQA GCSE, topic 2.2.4

## The Rapoports' Types of Family Diversity

The Rapoports identified that there are different family types emerging in the UK, though the nuclear family type still remains one of the most typical. There are five types of family diversity.

### Organisational family diversity

![Organisational family diversity](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/biology/5.3.2-%20Control%20of%20water%20balance/family-kids-happy-people-46252-min.jpg)

- Organisational family diversity describes how families are organised.
- Examples include:
 - Dual-career families.
 - Segregated or integrated conjugal roles.
 - Traditional roles.

### Cultural family diversity

![Cultural family diversity](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-12/8fdb1b47-979a-4b8c-8a19-739595bd2829/wedding-couple-love-black-white-wedding-marry-ring-.jpg)

- Cultural family diversity describes a family with different beliefs, lifestyles, norms and values.
 - E.g. Polygamy - having more than one spouse at a time.
 - E.g. Polyandry - a woman having more than one husband at a time.

### Class family diversity

![Class family diversity](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/0c21261a-2a5a-4460-b848-127a8738eb25/cliffe-castle-wealth-.jpg)

- Class family diversity occurs when a family’s position in society depicts the way the family is run.
 - E.g. Higher-income families may hire childcare workers to help raise their children.

### Life-course family diversity

![Life-course family diversity](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/c34f7639-27f0-4868-ba98-7d6c246f0dd1/couple-argue-divorce.jpg)

- Life-course family diversity occurs when members of the family go through different stages of their lives.
 - E.g. A family member might start life in a nuclear family, then undergo a divorce and become a lone parent family.

### Cohort family diversity

![Cohort family diversity](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/81a71a03-f46b-4e20-9f3a-0d9311081778/grandparents-1969824_1920.jpg)

- Cohort family diversity happens when family members have a different experience of life depending on the conditions and time in which they were born.

## Emergence of Same-Sex Households

### Same-sex households

![Same-sex households](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2020-06/24958445-df3d-4160-ae00-6d7439bd7338/gay-couples-.jpg)

- Rhona and Robert Rapoport’s work highlights the fact that there is an emergence of same-sex households and that our society is more open towards them.

### Criticism

![Criticism](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-11/0d12854c-64c1-40c9-b07f-db926b7ebe67/women-talking-.jpg)

- Robert Chester argued that family life has largely stayed the same and has criticised the Rapoports for exaggerating how much diversity exists in societies.

## Test yourself on The Rapoports & Family Diversity

- Which type of diversity is used to describe a family with different beliefs, lifestyles, norms and values?
- What is Robert Chester's main criticism of Rhona & Robert Rapoport’s work?
- What does Rhona and Robert Rapoport's work tell us about society's attitude towards same-sex households?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/31b5a110-bffe-4156-a620-495a430ceed1/section/343009d1-a251-4faf-9653-6d6fa85694ab/session)

- Previous topic: [2.2.3 Families in a Global Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-3-families-in-a-global-context.md)
- Next topic: [2.2.5 Causes of Family Diversity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-5-causes-of-family-diversity.md)

## Sociology: AQA GCSE contents

### 1 The Sociological Approach
- 1.1 Introduction to Sociology
  - [1.1.1 What is Sociology?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-1-1-what-is-sociology.md)
  - [1.1.2 Culture & Socialisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-1-2-culture-and-socialisation.md)
- 1.2 Sociological Approaches
  - [1.2.1 Marxism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-1-marxism.md)
  - [1.2.2 Marxism 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-2-marxism-2.md)
  - [1.2.3 Functionalism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-3-functionalism.md)
  - [1.2.4 Feminism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-4-feminism.md)
- 1.3 The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate
  - [1.3.1 The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-3-1-the-consensus-vs-conflict-debate.md)
  - [1.3.2 End of Topic Test - The Sociological Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-3-2-end-of-topic-test-the-sociological-approach.md)

### 2 Families
- 2.1 Functions of Families
  - [2.1.1 Functionalist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-1-functionalist-views-on-family.md)
  - [2.1.2 Marxist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-2-marxist-views-on-family.md)
  - [2.1.3 Feminist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-3-feminist-views-on-family.md)
- 2.2 Family Forms
  - [2.2.1 What is a Family?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-1-what-is-a-family.md)
  - [2.2.2 Nuclear Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-2-nuclear-family.md)
  - [2.2.3 Families in a Global Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-3-families-in-a-global-context.md)
  - [2.2.4 The Rapoports & Family Diversity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-4-the-rapoports-and-family-diversity.md)
  - [2.2.5 Causes of Family Diversity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-5-causes-of-family-diversity.md)
  - [2.2.6 End of Topic Test - Family Forms](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-6-end-of-topic-test-family-forms.md)
- 2.3 Conjugal Role Relationships
  - [2.3.1 Conjugal Roles](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-3-1-conjugal-roles.md)
- 2.4 Changing Relationships Within Families
  - [2.4.1 Timeline](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-1-timeline.md)
  - [2.4.2 Domestic Abuse](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-2-domestic-abuse.md)
  - [2.4.3 Symmetrical Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-3-symmetrical-family.md)
- 2.5 Criticisms of Families
  - [2.5.1 Functionalist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-1-functionalist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.2 Marxist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-2-marxist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.3 Feminist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-3-feminist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.4 Declining Marriage Rate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-4-declining-marriage-rate.md)
  - [2.5.5 End of Topic Test - Criticisms of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-5-end-of-topic-test-criticisms-of-families.md)
- 2.6 Divorce
  - [2.6.1 Reasons For Rise in Divorce Rate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-1-reasons-for-rise-in-divorce-rate.md)
  - [2.6.2 Consequences of Divorce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-2-consequences-of-divorce.md)
  - [2.6.3 Functionalist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-3-functionalist-views.md)
  - [2.6.4 Marxist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-4-marxist-views.md)
  - [2.6.5 Feminist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-5-feminist-views.md)
  - [2.6.6 End of Topic Test - Divorce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-6-end-of-topic-test-divorce.md)

### 3 Education
- 3.1 Roles & Functions of Education
  - [3.1.1 The Functionalist Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-1-the-functionalist-approach.md)
  - [3.1.2 Evaluating Different Perspectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-2-evaluating-different-perspectives.md)
  - [3.1.3 Types of School](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-3-types-of-school.md)
  - [3.1.4 Alternative Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-4-alternative-education.md)
  - [3.1.5 State & Private Schools](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-5-state-and-private-schools.md)
- 3.2 Processes Within Schools
  - [3.2.1 Internal Processes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-2-1-internal-processes.md)
  - [3.2.2 External Processes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-2-2-external-processes.md)
- 3.3 Educational Achievement
  - [3.3.1 Measuring Educational Success](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-1-measuring-educational-success.md)
  - [3.3.2 Social Class & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-2-social-class-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.3 Social Class & External Factors](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-3-social-class-and-external-factors.md)
  - [3.3.4 Gender & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-4-gender-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.5 Ethnicity & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-5-ethnicity-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.6 Parental Choice](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-6-parental-choice.md)
  - [3.3.7 History of UK Education Policy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-7-history-of-uk-education-policy.md)
  - [3.3.8 Recent UK Education Policy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-8-recent-uk-education-policy.md)
  - [3.3.9 End of Topic Test - Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-9-end-of-topic-test-education.md)

### 4 Crime & Deviance
- 4.1 The Social Construction of Crime
  - [4.1.1 Defining Crime & Deviance](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-1-defining-crime-and-deviance.md)
  - [4.1.2 Sociological Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-2-sociological-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.1.3 Interactionist Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-3-interactionist-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.1.4 Alternative Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-4-alternative-explanations-of-crime.md)
- 4.2 Social Control
  - [4.2.1 Informal Social Control](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-1-informal-social-control.md)
  - [4.2.2 Formal Social Control](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-2-formal-social-control.md)
  - [4.2.3 End of Topic Test - Social Construction of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-3-end-of-topic-test-social-construction-of-crime.md)
- 4.3 Criminal & Deviant Behaviour
  - [4.3.1 Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-1-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.3.2 Social Class & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-2-social-class-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.3 Gender & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-3-gender-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.4 Ethnicity & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-4-ethnicity-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.5 Age & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-5-age-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.6 Criminal Responsibility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-6-criminal-responsibility.md)
  - [4.3.7 The Prison System](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-7-the-prison-system.md)
  - [4.3.8 Media Reporting of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-8-media-reporting-of-crime.md)
  - [4.3.9 Functionalist Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-9-functionalist-explanations-of-crime.md)
- 4.4 Data on Crime
  - [4.4.1 Measuring Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-4-1-measuring-crime.md)
  - [4.4.2 End of Topic Test - Criminal & Deviant Behaviour](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-4-2-end-of-topic-test-criminal-and-deviant-behaviour.md)

### 5 Social Stratification
- 5.1 Social Stratification
  - [5.1.1 What is Social Stratification?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-1-what-is-social-stratification.md)
  - [5.1.2 Functionalism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-2-functionalism.md)
  - [5.1.3 Socio-Economic Class](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-3-socio-economic-class.md)
  - [5.1.4 Socio-Economic Class 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-4-socio-economic-class-2.md)
  - [5.1.5 Life Chances](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-5-life-chances.md)
  - [5.1.6 The Affluent Worker](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-6-the-affluent-worker.md)
  - [5.1.7 End of Topic Test - Social Stratifictaion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-7-end-of-topic-test-social-stratifictaion.md)
- 5.2 Poverty as a Social Issue
  - [5.2.1 Defining Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-1-defining-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.2 Factors Affecting Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-2-factors-affecting-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.3 Explanations of Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-3-explanations-of-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.4 Impact of Globalisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-4-impact-of-globalisation.md)
  - [5.2.5 End of Topic Test - Poverty as a Social Issue](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-5-end-of-topic-test-poverty-as-a-social-issue.md)
- 5.3 Power & Authority
  - [5.3.1 Weber](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-1-weber.md)
  - [5.3.2 Sociological Perspectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-2-sociological-perspectives.md)
  - [5.3.3 Power Relationships](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-3-power-relationships.md)
  - [5.3.4 End of Topic Test - Power & Authority](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-4-end-of-topic-test-power-and-authority.md)

### 6 Sociological Research Methods
- 6.1 Research Methods
  - [6.1.1 Research Design](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-1-research-design.md)
  - [6.1.2 The Scientific Method](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-2-the-scientific-method.md)
  - [6.1.3 Other Considerations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-3-other-considerations.md)
  - [6.1.4 Primary Sources](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-4-primary-sources.md)
  - [6.1.5 Secondary Sources](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-5-secondary-sources.md)
  - [6.1.6 Surveys](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-6-surveys.md)
  - [6.1.7 Sampling](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-7-sampling.md)
  - [6.1.8 Questionnaires](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-8-questionnaires.md)
  - [6.1.9 Interviews](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-9-interviews.md)
  - [6.1.10 Observation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-10-observation.md)
  - [6.1.11 Statistics](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-11-statistics.md)
  - [6.1.12 Case Studies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-12-case-studies.md)
  - [6.1.13 Longitudinal Studies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-13-longitudinal-studies.md)
  - [6.1.14 Ethnography](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-14-ethnography.md)
  - [6.1.15 Experiments](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-15-experiments.md)
  - [6.1.16 Small Scale Research](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-16-small-scale-research.md)
  - [6.1.17 End of Topic Test - Research Methods](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-17-end-of-topic-test-research-methods.md)
