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The family is a functional unit and has the responsibility of performing various functions for the betterment of its members and ultimately society at large. Various sociologists have given different functions that the family does. Davis has given four divisions of the functions performed by the family; reproduction, maintenance, placement and socialization of young ones.
Lundherg has enumerated the following basic functions of the family:
- The regulation of sexual behavior and reproduction.
- Care and training of young children.
- Co-operation and division of labour
- Primary group satisfaction.
The Home Management experts Nickell, Rice and Tucker(1976) have classified the family functions into four categories.
a. Family functions for individuals:
The family provides all kinds of support and help to each member for his/her growth and development in the society. This includes accepting the various roles in the family and society as father mother, husband, wife, and child, learning the tasks to be performed in those accepted roles, and receiving support and security from other members of the family, which will help in the personality development of each individual. The daily contact and interaction between family members has its impact on individual personality and on the quality of life.
b. Family functions for the family as a group:
The family also performs functions for the family as a group. Bell and Verges have listed such functions as task performance, leadership, integration and solidarity and pattern maintenance. Task performance of every family member varies with their commitment. The more committed they are the better will the co-operation and co-ordination among the family. Each family member should understand their responsibility and be committed to the family. Sharing the tasks increases the bond between the family members and enhances the feeling of group unit. Each family member has to perform their roles as mother, father, and children and do the tasks for betterment of the family. These functions may include the performance of household tasks, earning for the family, works to be done outside the house etc. The pattern thus developed may by continued by the children.
c. Family functions for the society:
Families perform certain economic and social functions to its family members which may otherwise be unavailable to individuals. The adult members of a family are legally responsible to support the non earning children. Similarly husband is legally responsible for his wife’s transactions. The family status also gives the rights in property owned and occupied as a home. These economic functions and the laws that support them tend to favour marriage and nuclear family lifestyle.
d. Family functions in the changing world:
Family life style has changed with the technological and advancement industrialization. Community standards and religious and educational organizations have formulated pattern of acceptable behavior that influences the individual and family life. The industrialization has produced three major changes for individuals and families. First, people have left their living units or family to work. Second, industrialization has brought about urbanization of our population and has increased the family mobility. Lastly industrialization has expanded the kinds and volumes of goods and services availability in daily life. Accordingly the family functions have changed to combat with the changing world.
The family as a social unit has several distinctive features. It influences the entire life of people in a number of ways. It differs from other social group in the following way.
- Universality
- Emotional basis
- Limited size
- Formative influence
- Nuclear position
- Responsibility of its members
- Social regulation
- Permanency
Family as a unit perform the major function of social unit procreation, economic, education and activities related to recreation.According to Gross et. Al the three important factors which influences the family living and quality of life are a) Stage in the family life cycle
b) Socio economic status and
c) The labour force status of the home maker
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