Definition of family

    AQA
    GCSE

    The sociological definition of 'family' requires candidates to deconstruct the tension between the normative 'cereal packet' nuclear family and the empirical reality of family diversity. Study must move beyond Murdock's (1949) universal functionalist definition to encompass cross-cultural variations, historical demography (Laslett), and postmodern fluidity (Stacey). Candidates must evaluate whether the family is a biological necessity or a social construction, analyzing how state policy, economic shifts, and changing social mores have decoupled 'marriage', 'household', and 'family'.

    0
    Objectives
    4
    Exam Tips
    4
    Pitfalls
    3
    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Award marks for precise definitions distinguishing between vertical (beanpole) and horizontal extended families.
    • Credit explicit application of Murdock's (1949) definition of the nuclear family as a baseline for evaluation.
    • Candidates must analyse the shift from nuclear dominance to family diversity, citing the Rapoports (1982).
    • Reward the use of correct terminology such as 'empty shell', 'boomerang children', and 'LATs' (Living Apart Together) over lay descriptions.

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award marks for precise definitions distinguishing between vertical (beanpole) and horizontal extended families.
    • Credit explicit application of Murdock's (1949) definition of the nuclear family as a baseline for evaluation.
    • Candidates must analyse the shift from nuclear dominance to family diversity, citing the Rapoports (1982).
    • Reward the use of correct terminology such as 'empty shell', 'boomerang children', and 'LATs' (Living Apart Together) over lay descriptions.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡In 12-mark questions, ensure every paragraph links back to the specific wording of the question (e.g., 'This challenges the definition of family because...').
    • 💡Use the 'Item' provided in the exam paper as a springboard; explicitly quote or refer to the data/text to secure AO2 marks.
    • 💡Allocate 15 minutes strictly for the 12-mark 'Discuss how far' questions to ensure a concluded argument.
    • 💡Avoid descriptive lists of family types; focus on *why* definitions are changing (secularisation, legal changes, feminism).

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Conflating 'household' with 'family' (e.g., assuming all households contain families).
    • Describing 'extended family' simply as 'large families' without specifying multi-generational or avuncular co-residence.
    • Relying on personal anecdote rather than sociological studies (e.g., 'In my family...') instead of 'Young and Willmott found...'.
    • Confusing 'reconstituted families' with 'extended families'.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Identify
    Describe
    Explain
    Discuss how far
    Examine
    Evaluate

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