What Is the Family? (Years 7–11) — Sociology

Defining the family, telling family and household apart, and why sociologists call the family a basic social institution.

The family is one of the oldest and most important groups in human life. Sociologists study it carefully because families exist, in some form, in every known society.

Why this matters Almost everyone grows up in a family of some kind. Understanding how sociologists define and describe families helps us see both what people share across the world and how families differ from place to place.

Defining the family

Sociologists usually define a family as a group of people connected by kinship — that is, by blood, marriage or adoption. Family members often live together, support one another and share responsibilities. Because families take many shapes, sociologists try to describe them accurately rather than judge them.

Family and household are not the same

A common exam point is the difference between a family and a household.

A household is one person, or a group of people, who share the same home and living arrangements.
A family is a group linked by kinship.

A household can be a family, but not always. A student living alone is a household but not a family. Three friends sharing a flat are a household but not a family. A grandparent, parent and child living together are both a household and a family.

Household and family overlap but are not the same: some households are not families (flatmates), and some families do not share a household (relatives living apart).

Common exam mistake: using ‘family’ and ‘household’ as if they mean the same thing. A household is defined by shared living space; a family is defined by kinship. Always test both: do they share a home, and are they related by blood, marriage or adoption?

The family as a social institution

Sociologists describe the family as a social institution: an organised, lasting part of society that meets important needs. Other institutions include education, religion and the economy. Calling the family an institution means it is more than a single household — it is a pattern of relationships and expectations found across a whole society.

Universal but varied

Sociologists note two things at once. First, some kind of family appears to be universal, existing in every society studied. Second, the exact form the family takes varies between cultures, faiths and time periods. Many families follow long-standing cultural or faith-based traditions, while others are organised differently. Sociology aims to describe this variety fairly, without praising or blaming any particular form.

Exam technique: if a question gives you a scenario (e.g. ‘two friends renting a flat together’), work through both tests explicitly — household? family? — rather than jumping straight to an answer; showing your reasoning earns method marks.