Functions of the Family

Functions of the Family

Question 1

We are members of a family and products of our family relationships. Families also have functions that contribute to our social stability and individual and societal well-being. Define the term family and explain what family means to you. Also, list and discuss the four basic functions of the family.

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APA

Functions of the Family

As stated by Cohen and Strong (2020), no other family is exactly like one’s own family (p. 3).  Every family is unique, and our uniqueness comes from where we live, our financial resources, cultural backgrounds, and our experiences and the circumstances we face (Cohen & Strong, 2020, p. 3).  Family is a group of people who are put together by the hands of God.  Family, generally in the form of blood relatives, are a group of people who face both great experiences and trials and no matter what stick together and form bonds that are unbreakable.  Family, both big and small, help us as humans become the people we are.  Not every family structure is a strong one, and unfortunately, we sometimes have to learn from the mistakes of our family members in order to grow as individuals. The four basic functions of family include providing a source of intimate relationships, acting as a unit of economic cooperation and consumption, producing and socializing children, and assigning social statuses and roles to individuals (Cohen & Strong, 2020, p. 12).  Families provide a sense of intimacy which is a primary human need (Cohen & Strong, 2020, p. 12).  Family members are a constant support system for many individuals, and whether you are successful or make mistakes, these individuals are there to help us grow and are consistently loyal and loving.  Families also provide economic cooperation.  Family members often are sources of goods and services that if produced or provided by outsiders would require expenditure of considerable sums of money (Cohen & Strong, 2020, p. 13).  As many understand, families are also important in producing and rearing children to replace older members of the families as they pass.  Men and women come together to naturally produce off spring and then with the bonds of families, they work together to shape an individual as they see fit to be members of societies (Cohen & Strong, 2020, p. 14).  Without our families laying the groundwork for how we should act, we would be unsure of what is deemed acceptable and unacceptable.  Lastly, our family is responsible for developing social statuses and roles.  Our identity is strongly formed by families of orientation, procreation, and cohabitation, and with these roles given to us by our families, we are expected to act a certain way, obey our parents, and help our siblings (Cohen & Strong, 2020, p. 16).

Cohen, T. F., & Strong, B. (2020). The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society (14th ed.). Cengage Learning US. https://ecampus.vitalsource.com/books/9798214348469