The family is a rather complex social formation. Sociologists are accustomed to consider it as a system of close relations between individual members of society, which are connected by responsibility, marriage and family relations, and social necessity.
What is the social status of the family?
The problem of undergoing the adaptation of families in society is extremely acute for sociologists who are engaged in research on this issue. One of the main factors in the socialization of a couple is the social status of the family.
The main characteristics when considering social status are the material possibilities of members of society, united by marriage, the existence of a shared responsibility, educational obligations. There are also potential risk factors that increase the likelihood of loss of acquired status. Thus, the breakdown of marital relations most often leads to a deterioration of child-parent relations. Re-marriage is able to some extent eliminate these negative trends.
Families with a complex structure create favorable conditions for the formation of a diverse picture of the interaction between individuals, which opens up wider opportunities for the socialization of the younger generation. However, highlighting the negative aspects of such a family education, one can note the presence of discomfort if it is necessary to live together for several generations. The situation is worsening in this case, the lack of personal space, space for the formation of an independent opinion.
Functional structure
What does the social status of the family mean ? Its formation is largely influenced by the performance of certain functions by a given public entity. Among the main functions of the family are the following:
- Reproductive - reproduction, reproduction in a biological sense.
- Educational - the spiritual development of offspring. The formation of marital relations allows not only to create conditions for the birth and upbringing of a child. The presence of a certain atmosphere in the house is reflected in the formation of the personality of the kids, and sometimes affects a person throughout life.
- Household - the most important function on which the social status of the family depends. It consists in the ability to maintain the physical condition of relatives, care for not yet matured or elderly persons.
- Material - is determined by the ability of family members to mutual support financially.
Normal families
Considering the social status of the family, types of statuses, first of all, you should look at the concept of a normal family. However, the idea of it is rather arbitrary and does not have a clear framework. Families are considered normal if they are able to ensure their own well-being at the minimum sufficient level, create healthy conditions for the socialization of the child, and take care of protecting relatives and friends.
Wealthy families
Despite the very definition, people who consolidate the given social status of the family experience certain difficulties. As common problems, it is worth highlighting the presence of conflicts and contradictions, which are manifested in connection with the transition to a new level in society, the influence of gradually changing living conditions.
The excessive desire to help separate living relatives, the formation of an atmosphere of excessive guardianship, or too condescending attitude towards relatives hinders the acquisition of such a social status of the family.
Problem families
It is also worth paying attention to the so-called dysfunctional families, considering the social statuses of the family. What are the problem structures?
The very definition of social status indicates the presence of difficulties not only in the relationship between relatives, but also when individuals search for their own place in society. Psychological troubles usually arise here due to the unmet needs of several or one family member.
A common problem in dysfunctional families remains the presence of an unhealthy relationship between a couple or parents and a child. Living in dysfunctional, problem families, children have to look for ways to overcome various psychological difficulties. Often this leads to the formation of psychogenic abnormalities, which later manifest themselves in the emotional rejection of the environment, poor development of parental feelings.
Asocial families
If we talk about the social status of the family, the types of statuses, it is impossible not to distinguish such a common phenomenon as an antisocial family. Here, the interaction between individuals is the most difficult.
Education can be called asocial, in which spouses are inclined to conduct an acquiescent or immoral lifestyle. As for housing conditions, in this case they do not meet the basic requirements of hygiene and sanitation. As a rule, parenting is left to chance. The younger generation is often subjected to moral and physical violence, experiencing a developmental backwardness.
Most often, this category includes persons who have the social status of a large family. The main factor that leads to the formation of such a negative environment is low material security.
Risk groups
In families with a normal or prosperous social status, periods of decline often occur that can potentially lead to a transition to a lower level of socialization. The main risk groups include:
- Destructive families are characterized by a frequent occurrence of conflict situations, a lack of desire to form an emotional connection, separative behavior of spouses, and the presence of complex conflicts between parents and a child.
- Incomplete families - the absence of one of the parents leads to incorrect self-determination of the child, reducing the diversity of family relationships.
- Rigid families - the dominance of one individual is clearly manifested, which leaves an imprint on the family life of all kindred persons.
- Disintegrated families - maintaining family contacts with a separate way of life for spouses. Such relationships leave a strong emotional connection between family people, but at the same time lead to some loss by parents of their own role.