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What is the sociological definition of a family? What is the sociological definition of a family?
Family is the setting for socializing children Family is the setting for socializing children
Family means a shared residence, economic cooperation, and reproduction Family means a shared residence, economic cooperation, and reproduction
Family is dependency Family is dependency
Families are defined by what they do Families are defined by what they do
It depends on the type of family and approach It depends on the type of family and approach
Family has different meanings at different times Family has different meanings at different times
Families can take many forms Families can take many forms
Human infants are born with sensory capabilities, not innate reflexes Human infants are born with sensory capabilities, not innate reflexes
Families share these factors across cultures Families share these factors across cultures
Polyamorous and non-monogamous relationships are widespread Polyamorous and non-monogamous relationships are widespread
A common residence differentiates family from close friends A common residence differentiates family from close friends
The family is responsible for producing new members The family is responsible for producing new members
Families are dependent on each other for multiple forms of support. Families are dependent on each other for multiple forms of support.
Functional definitions of families are more inclusive Functional definitions of families are more inclusive
Families physically care for members Families physically care for members
Families control members Families control members
Families preserve a state of equilibrium Families preserve a state of equilibrium
Families provide support Families provide support
You cannot group all families under one sociological definition You cannot group all families under one sociological definition
Families of orientation vs families of procreation Families of orientation vs families of procreation
Micro, Macro, and meso definitions Micro, Macro, and meso definitions
The family unit is constantly evolving The family unit is constantly evolving
Debate Mini Map

What is the sociological definition of a family?
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Family is dependency

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Families are dependent on each other for multiple forms of support.

Families are dependent on its members for survival in physical, emotional, and economic ways. Parents birth, nurse, and feed their children. Parents offer economic support for their dependents. Children, as parents get older, return that support.
Gianno Caldwell
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The Argument

Families are dependent on each other for physical, emotional, and economic support. Parents support their children by providing them food, shelter, and clothing during their early years of life. In many cultures, as children get older, they then take care of their parents and offer them food, shelter, and clothing in return. [1] Families also provide each other with physical support. If a child or parent is hurt, the other one will take them to the hospital or provide medical aid. Without that support and oversight, their lives could end. [1] Families who have heavy patterns of dependency often pass those on to their children. [2] Cycles of family dependency are very difficult to break. [1] Children who have parents that can't provide, because of economic issues, substance abuse, abandonment, or other reasons, have a significantly harder time succeeding in life.[3] A healthy family life and the ability to be dependent at a young age is important for development.[1] Family is dependent because that is the most successful and normative way in the modern world for families and individuals to succeed.

Counter arguments

Family is not dependency. In fact, family teaches a person to be an individual. Parents teach children to do their own work, do their own chores, and eventually, live on their own. Families give each other the tools to succeed but are not dependent on each other to do so. [4] Modern families are highly independent, with families living far away from each other than ever. [1] Families are also more broken up. Parents are more likely to be divorced and children are more likely to be more dependent as a result.[5] With families being more separated, they are also less dependent. Family is not dependency; rather, family teaches children to be independent and go out into the world on their own.

Proponents

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-37722000000100003
  2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.2307/2061474
  3. https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/courts/specialissues/drug/
  4. https://www.ncsociology.org
  5. https://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/12/26/how-do-we-define-a-family/

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This page was last edited on Tuesday, 29 Sep 2020 at 04:37 UTC