Compare and contrast extended and nuclear families; what are the characteristics and the benefits and draw backs of each?
2006-11-08 17:30:24 · 3 answers · asked by bboyballer112 2 in Social Science ➔ Anthropology
The drawback to the nuclear family is that there often aren't enough people to do everything. The drawback to the extended family is 1) that's a lot of people to feed and 2) you generally have to choose one side of the family to live with (matrilocal, patrilocal).
Modern Western society has favored the nuclear family as the ideal, but in reality, many nuclear families depend upon a network of extended family to exist. (Think of the number of kids dropped off at Grandma's for a weekend, or lending money to your brother when he's out of work.) I think the reason the nuclear family has taken prominence is that it sidesteps the issues traditional tribal societies face of where a young couple lives. (Do couples marry from within a group or village, or from without? - endogamy, exogamy. Does the couple live with his family, her family, or set off on their own? etc.)
2006-11-08 20:38:46 · answer #1 · answered by Koko Nut 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If no one else answers you, the least I can do is point you in this direction and hope it helps. You must be very intelligent to be studying anthropology, and I commend you. I tried to look up some type of answer, but this stuff is WAY over my head lol. Here's the URL I found that MIGHT help. Good luck.
http://web.utk.edu/~wrobinso/531_ex_anthro.html
2006-11-08 17:49:48 · answer #2 · answered by SweetPea 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Do your own home work. It's all in your textbook and otherwise there is always the library.
2006-11-09 01:49:56 · answer #3 · answered by Hi y´all ! 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋