PSYC 4210 Chapter 1: Psychology 46-421 Chapter 1: Chapter One: What is Family?
Document Summary
Three themes will be considered in this textbook: diversity, social context, and interactions within the family. Definitions of family change depending on time and place, and are important in many instances including adoption, marriage, bereavement leave, medical and family benefits, etc. Some definitions focus on who is included, while others focus on the type of relationship (sociologists look at both) Legal definitions are not set in stone they have changed as a result of court cases and legislation; they are not consistent across provinces. Household: a person or group of persons who occupy the same dwelling; can consist of people who are related or unrelated. Communal living: a group of people, who may or may not be related by birth or marriage, sharing financial resources and living arrangements; people is this category may share religious beliefs, work, etc. ; in this situation, community often takes precedence over family unit.
