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Unlock This CourseExtended families are a fundamental family structure found in many societies around the world. Unlike nuclear families that consist of just parents and their children, extended families include additional relatives living together or maintaining close connections.
Key Definitions:
This is the classic form where three or more generations live under one roof or in very close proximity. Often headed by the eldest male (patriarchal) or female (matriarchal), with shared resources and responsibilities. Common in many Asian, African and Latin American cultures.
Family members live separately but maintain regular contact and provide support. They might live in the same neighbourhood or city and gather frequently for meals, childcare and family events. This form is increasingly common in industrialised societies.
Extended families take different forms across cultures, reflecting diverse values, economic conditions and historical traditions.
Multiple generations live together under patriarchal authority. Property and finances are shared and decisions are often made collectively or by family elders.
Often includes "fictive kin" (non-blood relatives considered family). Flexible household boundaries with relatives moving between homes as needed.
Traditionally based on Confucian values of filial piety. Multiple generations with clear hierarchies and responsibilities based on age and gender.
Extended families serve numerous important functions that benefit both individual members and the wider society. These functions help explain why this family structure has been so prevalent throughout human history.
In Pakistan, approximately 70% of households are extended families. The typical structure includes parents, their sons with their wives and children and unmarried daughters. When sons marry, their wives move into the family home. This arrangement provides economic security, maintains family honour and ensures care for elderly parents. However, research shows that changing economic conditions and urbanisation are gradually shifting some families toward nuclear structures, especially in cities.
Extended families offer numerous advantages that help explain their persistence across cultures:
Despite their benefits, extended families can also face significant challenges:
Extended family structures are evolving in response to social and economic changes around the world.
In the UK, multigenerational households increased by 46% between 2007-2017, according to the Office for National Statistics. This trend is driven by several factors: high housing costs making it difficult for young adults to move out, increased university tuition fees, an ageing population needing care and cultural preferences among some ethnic minority communities. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this trend, with many families consolidating households for financial security and mutual support during lockdowns.
Understanding how extended families differ from nuclear families helps us see the unique characteristics of each structure.
| Feature | Extended Family | Nuclear Family |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Larger - multiple generations or relatives | Smaller - parents and children only |
| Decision-making | Often collective or hierarchical | Typically between parents only |
| Resources | Shared among many members | Concentrated within smaller unit |
| Support network | Built-in, extensive | Limited, often relies on external support |
| Privacy | Generally less | Generally more |
Functionalists see extended families as beneficial for society by providing stable structures for socialisation, economic support and care for vulnerable members. They argue that extended families efficiently distribute responsibilities across many members, creating a strong support system that benefits both the family and wider society.
Feminists have mixed views on extended families. Some argue they can reinforce patriarchal control and gender inequalities, particularly in traditional structures. Others note that extended families can provide support networks that help women balance work and family responsibilities through shared childcare and household tasks.