Title: Explain the meanings of family.
Course: Family Relations (19259-36) > Section: Analyzing the Significance of the Family System

Explanation should include

- definitions of family
- a definition of fictive family
- the role of the family in society
- a historical perspective on families
- a sociological perspective on families (e.g., trends affecting families, family patterns, demographics)
- the influence of cultural and generational values on individuals and families (e.g., cultural traditions)
- family structure types (e.g., nuclear, single-parent, grand, childless, step, foster, adoptive, blended, extended).

Process/Skill Questions:

Thinking

- How are various types of families alike and different?
- What factors influence attitudes and beliefs about the family?
- What is the role of the family in society?
- What ideas justify the significance of the fictive family?
- How have families changed throughout history?
- What positive and negative results might occur if people with conflicting cultures, traditions, values, and goals form a family?

Communication

- What is the role of communication in keeping the family together?
- How could the function of communication improve the dynamics of the family?

Leadership

- How can leaders improve the quality of life for children?
- What leadership skills can foster altruism in the family?
- How can career goals affect family formation?

Management

- What are some of the social, cultural, financial, political, and environmental factors that affect families?
- What resources are effective in helping families spend more time together?
- What management skills would be helpful for families seeking to meet specific needs of family members?
- How could you determine a family’s need for special family services?