Which view sees the nuclear family as the best family type?

the New Right. They see other types as less effective.

What do postmodernists say about family diversity?

it is positive, because people can choose what suits them. Choice is the key idea.

What is cross-cultural variation?

differences in family life between societies. What is normal in one culture is unusual in another.

Which is a criticism of the New Right view?

it ignores problems that exist within nuclear families. Unhappiness and abuse occur in nuclear families too.

Which evidence would best support the claim that the nuclear family is still dominant?

most children are still brought up by two parents living together. It shows that the nuclear arrangement remains the most common for raising children.

Family diversity · Cambridge IGCSE Sociology 0495 revision

In plain words

For years, adverts showed one kind of family: mum, dad and two smiling children round a breakfast table. Real life was always more varied than that, and it is becoming more so. Whether that is a problem or a freedom depends on whom you ask.

8 things to know

Family diversity means that many different types of family exist in a society.
Cross-cultural variation: family life differs between societies. Extended families are the norm in some, and nuclear families in others. Rules about marriage and about who lives with whom vary widely.
Social class: income and work shape family life. Poorer families may rely more on relatives nearby for help. Better-off families are more likely to move away for work, and can pay for childcare.
Ethnicity: family patterns can differ on average between ethnic groups within one country, for example in how common extended families are. These are averages, and families within any group differ.
The New Right believe that the traditional nuclear family, with married parents, is the best place to bring up children. They see diversity as harmful, and blame what they call dysfunctional families for crime and poor results at school.
Critics reply that the New Right blame the victims, ignore poverty, and overlook unhappiness and abuse within nuclear families.
Postmodernists welcome diversity. People are now free to choose the kind of family that suits them, and no single type is best.
How far has it gone? The nuclear family is still widely seen as the ideal, and most people live in one at some point. Yet lone parent, reconstituted and single-person households have all become more common.

Worked example

"The nuclear family is no longer the dominant family type." Outline both sides.

For: lone parent families, reconstituted families and people living alone have all increased, and attitudes accept them.
Against: the nuclear family is still the most common arrangement for raising children in many societies, and the one most people say they want.
Many other types are stages on the way to or from a nuclear family, such as before children or after divorce.
Conclusion: it is less dominant than it was, but it has not been replaced.

Tips and tricks

New Right: diversity is a problem. Postmodernists: diversity is a freedom. That contrast is the heart of the topic.
When you write about class or ethnic differences in family life, say "on average" or "more likely". Sweeping statements about whole groups are stereotypes, and examiners mark them down.

5 questions, about 2 minutes.

It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.

Family diversity: 5 questions and answers

These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.

Which view sees the nuclear family as the best family type?
- postmodernism
- feminism
- the New Right (the answer)
- Marxism
They see other types as less effective.
What do postmodernists say about family diversity?
- it is positive, because people can choose what suits them (the answer)
- it causes crime
- it should be banned
- it does not exist
Choice is the key idea.
What is cross-cultural variation?
- differences between families in one street
- differences between rich and poor families
- changes in one family over time
- differences in family life between societies (the answer)
What is normal in one culture is unusual in another.
Which is a criticism of the New Right view?
- it pays too much attention to poverty
- it ignores problems that exist within nuclear families (the answer)
- it supports lone parents too much
- it welcomes all family types
Unhappiness and abuse occur in nuclear families too.
Which evidence would best support the claim that the nuclear family is still dominant?Stretch
- the number of people living alone has risen
- divorce has become more common
- most children are still brought up by two parents living together (the answer)
- reconstituted families are increasing
It shows that the nuclear arrangement remains the most common for raising children.

5 questions

Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.

Worksheet

3 questions, 10 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.

Family diversity

Cambridge IGCSE Sociology 0495 · 10 marks · papermunch.org

Name ______________________________ Date ______________

What is meant by the term "family diversity"?[2]
Show answerHide answer
The existence of many different types of family structure in a society.
I got this one
Describe the New Right view of family diversity.[4]
Show answerHide answer
The New Right believe that the traditional nuclear family is the best for raising children. They see other family types, such as lone parent families, as less able to socialise children properly. They link family diversity to social problems such as crime and educational failure.
I got this one
Explain the postmodernist view of family diversity.[4]
Show answerHide answer
Postmodernists see family diversity as positive. In modern society people have more freedom and choice, so they can create the family arrangement that suits them. There is no single best type of family, and different types can all meet people's needs.
I got this one

Answers: Family diversity

1. The existence of many different types of family structure in a society.
2. The New Right believe that the traditional nuclear family is the best for raising children. They see other family types, such as lone parent families, as less able to socialise children properly. They link family diversity to social problems such as crime and educational failure.
3. Postmodernists see family diversity as positive. In modern society people have more freedom and choice, so they can create the family arrangement that suits them. There is no single best type of family, and different types can all meet people's needs.