The Family is one of society's main, and arguably most important, social insitutions as it serves to socialize individuals to be productive members of society. We all look to our family for guidance, support, and a sense of belonging. Some believe that the Family is the most important social institution as it is our first encounter with socialization processes. From a sociological perspective, the Family is not only viewed as an institution, but also as a social system and a social group (Eshleman, 2000). As with all institutions, the Family has within its boundaries a set of norms, values, statuses, and roles which are organized to meet specific goals for the overall society. The institutionalized norms, values, statuses, and roles within the Family are designed to guide sexual activity and social relations within a sexual union of individuals.
As a social system, the family is viewed as an entity which consists of various interrelated parts (or statuses) that perform particular functions (roles). Further, the family as a system is part of a larger system (society) and contributes to the functioning of society. Within the family system, the statuses and roles interact with one another to form a system of relations amongst the members who hold a specific status and perform a specified role. The operation of the family system is dependent upon the effectiveness of these status-role interactions. As a social group, the focus is on the individual members (the people) of the family in question. What each person brings to the family and how each person contributes to the relationships with other individuals in the family determines the reality within each family.
Whether we examine the family as an institution, system, or group, the interest of sociologists who study the family begins with a fascination of the family entity and the relationships within its boundaries. One of the big issues or challenges within family studies lies in its definition. Contemporary society is changing rapidly and we have seen many family forms increase in numbers and some relatively new forms emerge. The "ideal image" of two biological parents and children living in harmony, as with most ideal types, does not present a very realistic framework for contemporary society. There are growing numbers of so-called "variant family forms" in American society and throughout the world. If we are to arrive at a more accurate analysis of the family, from a purely SOCIOLOGICAL* standpoint, we must be willing to accept that the family has many forms, ranging from the two-parent family, single-parents, blended families, same-sex familes, adoptive families, and the list goes on. To understand the complexity of the sociology of family, we must begin with a discussion of family definition.
SOURCE: Eshleman, J. Ross, 2000. The Family, Ninth Editition. Allyn & Bacon: Needham Heights.
* a purely sociological standpoint and understanding of family, as with all social phenomenon, begins with the basic definition and functions of the family. from the definition, most would agree that the family is a unit of people which serves some basic functions in society -- reproduction, socialization, economic & emotional support, and a sense of belonging. with the marvels of modern science and many other changes in contemporary society, every family form mentioned on this page and through the links clearly fits this definition. for those who adhere to a strict traditional definition of family, and who may be offended by the discussions on this page, i apologize. sociologists appreciate and respect all individual beliefs and my intention here is not to offend anyone or any group. the science of sociology approaches social phenomenon from an objective as humanly possible approach and we often find that issues in society are not as cut and dry as they may seem from other approaches and/or belief systems.
