Families are a form of social group brought about

Families are a form of social group brought about by marriage and procreation, and though they differ from one society to another, they basically consist of the same elements (Perry and Perry 278). The nuclear family is the norm in today's society because it is the form which best fits lifestyles in the urban industrialized societies which span most of the globe today. The nuclear family consists of a mother and father and their offspring. The extended families of earlier times, which still exist in many parts of the world where there is less urbanization and industrialization, includes grandparents, siblings and their children, aunts and uncles, etc. The decline in this type of family structure has been brought about by the fact that people are now more mobile, able to follow careers and educational goals which take them far from their extended family.

The family unit serves a number of functions, which include the regulation of sex, reproduction, socialization, and provision of companionship and affection (Perry and Perry 279-280). In all societies, sex is controlled in that sex outside marriage is not fully acceptable. This has changed somewhat in today's urban societies in which couples often live together outside the bounds of marriage and some even go a step further and procreate under these circumstances. However, most of society still does not condone these relationships. In regard to reproduction, in many societies a boy does not become a man until he fath

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riages are now sanctioned. The nuclear family now comes in a variety of combinations of males, females, and children. It is not uncommon, either, for single women to raise children without the aid and support of a husband (Perry and Perry 285-295). This is due in part to the high divorce rate in modern societies, and to the rise in teenage pregnancies where often the father fails to accept responsibility for his children, or is unknown. The high rate of divorce often leads to remarriage which produces what are called "blended families," with one or both parents bringing to the marriage children from a previous marriage, and often producing their own children. Research has shown that women cope much better with divorce and remarriage than men do (Perry and Perry 288). Women appear to have better socialization and coping skills than men, and so can adjust to the new situation with much more ease. Since many divorces occur in older people, this is even more of a problem, because in the later years of life, social skills are more important in building support groups than are career achievements and money. Divorce can also have devastating effects on children, and remarriage can be traumatic as they may feel their relationsh

Category: Psychology - F