Differing family patterns

       There are three basic ways in which a family may be constituted: monogamy- one man married to one woman; polygyny- one man married to several woman; polyandry- one woman married to several men. Polyandry is very rare and although about 25 per cent of the world’s people lie in societies where polygyny is accepted it is becoming less common as industrialization and the modern wage economy, plus the extension of compulsory education, makes the acquisition of additional wives and children more of an economic liability than an economic assert. Polygamy is the term used to cover both polyandry and polygyny.

         There are usually good economic, sexual and social reasons for the existence of any particular family pattern, for example in societies where polygyny is practiced there are usually more girls than boys.

         In all societies whatever the family pattern there are two aspects of the family co- existing. There are spouses (husbands and wife or wives) and their siblings (children with the same parents)- this group is called the ‘nuclear’ family. In a polygamous society there will be several nuclear families each having one parent in common

          Each nuclear family will usually be related to many other people including aunts, uncles, grandparents, nephews and nieces, all these people in ‘kinship’ with each other are the ‘extended family’.

           In some societies the extended family may all live together, share the property and operate as a unit; in which case they are known as a ‘joint family’.

           In other societies the extended family may not operate as a unit but will still be very important to its members- assisting each other if unemployed or ill, helping to look after each others’ young children, caring for its elderly members- this pattern of help is called a ‘mutual support system.’ In some cases the nuclear family may have little or no connection with the other members of its extended family. There are also other ways of classifying family organization

           Patriarchal means wealth and prestige comes from the father and he controls the family. Matriarchal means the mother controls the family. Egalitarian means authority in the family is more or less equality divided. Or patrilineal means descent is through the father, the father’s surname is taken and sons inherit. Matrilineal means descent is through the mother. Bilineal means descent is through father and or mother. Or partrilocal means families settle in or near the home of the husband’s parents. Matrilocal means families settle in or near the home of the wife’s parents. Neolocal means families live away from the locality of both the husband’s and wife’s parents. Or exogamous means marriage normally to people outside the immediate circle of relatives or immediate community. Endogamous means marriage normally restricted to one’s own kin or social group

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