Family Research

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Not quite sure where to put this thread, so mods, if you can think of a better place please move it ~

Hi guys ^^ Basically, in my Sociology class we've been given a homework to either investigate into 'family values are best supported by the nuclear family' or 'family values can be supported in various different families'. I'm doing the latter. First, I will define some sociologist terms for ya'll.

Nuclear Family: show

A nuclear family consists of a man and a woman (do not have to be married, but usually are) and their child/children (usually 1 or 2 kids). The children are dependent (have to rely on their parents) and the family only contains two generations. This is societies view of a 'traditional' family. The UK is typically a Christian country, and so this is also the preferred type of family for religious people.

Ok, so there are these two groups of sociologists called 'Functionalists' and the 'New Right', they both believe the nuclear family meets the individual needs of anyone in society, and the four things they believe you need in society is the ability to reproduce, primary socialization*, emotional support and economic provision**.

However, people like me believe that the other types of family can support a child or an individual in the same way (or almost the same way). The other types of family are households (consists of one person who lives along or a group of people in the same residence who don't have to be related), Gay and Lesbian families, extended families (more than two generations living together eg, grandparents living with you, aunties and uncles living with you), lone/single-parent families and step familes (also known as reconsituated families)

So what I'm asking you guys on here to do is fill out a questionnaire ^^ Why MLK? Because we have intelligent and opinionated people. You can either post it here or PM it to me. If you need anything explaining I'll try my best xD

Code: Select all

[b]Name - [/b]
[b]Age -[/b]
[b]Nationality and country you live in -[/b]
[b]Religion (if you have one) -[/b]
[b]Dependent or independent -[/b]
[b]Profession -[/b]
[b]Family type (may be more than one you've experienced so far) -[/b]
[b]Opinion on the matter (no more than 250 words please xD) -[/b] So do you think nuclear families are what all families in society should be? Or do you believe that other familes in society can support individuals just as well in the other types?


Thanks for reading and I hope to see some replies soon!

*Primary Socialization is what you learn from you're parents/guardians from the moment you are born to the moment you go into education eg, how to walk/talk/feed yourself/go to toilet yourself and the list goes on.

**Economic provision is financial support, food, shelter, paying for education etc. We need this particularly when we are very young or very old.

[Woeler]

Age - 17
Nationality and country you live in - Dutch, The Netherlands
Religion (if you have one) - Anti-religious
Dependent or independent - independent
Profession - student politicology
Family type (may be more than one you've experienced so far) - mom, dad, 1 little brother
Opinion on the matter (no more than 250 words please xD) - the terms "traditional families" or "nuclear families" are utter nonsense. Such a thing does not exist. Humans, in a darwinian sense have had family values based on polygamy and prostitution for millions of years. Furthermore homosexuality exists in more than a 1000 species, homophobia only in one. Which one seems unnatural now?

"Traditional families" do not exist. We should classify any group of people who live together and love each other as a family.

[Regulus]

Age - 18
Nationality and country you live in - 'Murica
Religion (if you have one) - Atheist
Dependent or independent - Dependent
Profession - Engineering student
Family type (may be more than one you've experienced so far) - Nuclear
Opinion on the matter (no more than 250 words please xD) - I always thought it would be kinda cool to have a much larger family. Not because I want more siblings, I think one is enough. I just think it seems odd how everyone usually moves away from their parents as soon as the opportunity presents itself. If we combined all our financial assets as an extended family, or more like a 'tribe', we'd be a lot better off, and we'd have no need for things like social security or 401(k)s.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Such a thing does not exist.

Nuclear families do exist Woeler, it's just the fact that other families can support an individual just as well as they do that's important ^^

Oh, Woeler, you also say that you are independent. You might be, just wanna classify something. When are you officially an adult in The Netherlands? Because it's 18 here. I'd class someone as independent if they pay the rent in their household as opposed to their parents paying it for them.

And thanks for participating you two ^^

[Si-Amber]

Name - Simon Antink
Age - 31
Nationality and country you live in - British, UK
Religion (if you have one) - Non-practicing Christian
Dependent or independent - Independent (I live alone and earn my entire income)
Profession - Hotel receptionist
Family type - I grew up in a nuclear family (Mum, Dad & 1 sister)
Opinion on the matter (no more than 250 words please xD) - A child can thrive in all types of family unit. A nuclear family can be dysfunctional. I don't intend to ever be in a relationship, but if the circumstances were right I would like to adopt and be a single father and I believe I could provide the same love and support as married biological parents.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Thanks Si ^^

[Woeler]

Such a thing does not exist.

Nuclear families do exist Woeler, it's just the fact that other families can support an individual just as well as they do that's important ^^

Oh, Woeler, you also say that you are independent. You might be, just wanna classify something. When are you officially an adult in The Netherlands? Because it's 18 here. I'd class someone as independent if they pay the rent in their household as opposed to their parents paying it for them.

And thanks for participating you two ^^

The term is silly. It makes it sound ''as if'' man+women+children is a normal family, and everything else isn't normal.

But, yes, I am independent. I pay my own rent (well actually the government pays me and I pay the rent).

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Oh of course it's silly xD And alright, thanks ^^

[TheLionPrince]

Name - Christian Perkins
Age - 18
Nationality and country you live in - American and the United States
Religion (if you have one) - Evangelical Christian
Dependent or independent - Dependent
Profession - Student lab assistant
Family type (may be more than one you've experienced so far) - Nuclear (one father, one mother, one younger sibling)
Opinion on the matter (no more than 250 words please xD) - I strongly believe traditional, nuclear families are the best form of a family. Unlike a one-parent household, the parental duties can be shared without placing so much stress on the individual parent. However, nuclear families can be dysfunctional, and not work out effectively, which leads to a separation or divorce resulting in an emotional impact on a child(ren). Adoptive and one-parent families can be just as good as nuclear families. I'm not supportive of same-sex families due to my Christian beliefs, but I believe they can leave healthy effects on child(ren). Bigamous and polygamous families are just unnecessary and can complicate family matters.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Thanks for particapating TLP ^^ Might as well do my own, doubt I'll use it tho.

Name - Amy Johnson
Age - 14
Nationality and country you live in - Welsh/British, Wales
Religion - Was christened a Catholic, but I'm far from it now. Not too sure whether I'm anti-religion or not.
Dependent or independent - Dependant
Profession - Pupil in secondary school
Family type (may be more than one you've experienced so far) - Nuclear
Opinion on the matter - I've grown up in a nuclear family, but we've had the same problems/arguements as any other type of family would. I think the type of family you are brought up in defintely has an influence on you (eg primary socialsiation) but in the long term it doesn't really matter. A gay and lesbian couple could bring up a child the same or better than a man and a woman.