...American who studied a number of simple societies. He defined the family as 'a social group characterised by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction....relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of the socially cohabitating adults'. More recently, we have come to accept that the oneparent family, where...

...of 250 societies from which he claimed that 'the family' is a universal phenomenon: 'The family is a social group characterized by common residence,...or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults." It is usual to compare the 'nuclear' family model, which consists of parent(s)...

...Murdock opened his discussion of social structure by stating: The family is a social group characterised by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction....or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults. (1949: 1) It may be a cultural ideal of Western society that a group which consists...

...or without children or a lone parent with children' (CSO, 1995). • 'A social group, characterised by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction....or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adult' (Murdock, 1949, cited by Jorgensen, 1995). Activity Consider and analyse each of...

...as "a social group characterized by common residence, economic cooperation, and reproduction" that includes "adults of both sexes, at least two of whom...children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabitating adults."31 It sounds a great deal like Leave It to Beaver. Anthropologist Melford Spiro's study of...

...linked with all the social institutions of the society. According to Murdock "The family is a special group, characterized by common residence, economic...and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes atleast two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship and havo one or more children,...

...sociologist Anthony Giddens. Murdock (1949) defined the family in the following way: The family is a social group characterized by common residence,...or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults. (Quoted in Haralambos and Holborn, 1995, p. 317) However, a more inclusive view...

...labour between male and female partners based on male hunters and female gatherers and homemakers) and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes,...at least two of whom maintain a socially approved relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults. Families...

...relating to each other out of mutual expectations and obligations, and with common usage of resources. 8 Adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain...approved sexual relationship, and one or more children living with sexually cohabiting adults. 9 A social group living together in a common residence. Still...

...universal definition of the family, based on his own analysis of 500 societies. The family, he argued, was a social group characterized by common residence,...maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, with one or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults. (Murdock 1949, 1, quoted...