20 MCQs on Family: Meaning, Types, Functions, and Contemporary Issues

1. What is the best definition of a family in sociology?

A) A group of unrelated people living together
B) A social institution responsible for nurturing and socializing individuals
C) A temporary gathering of individuals
D) A legal contract between two people

Answer: B
Explanation: A family is a fundamental social institution that plays a crucial role in nurturing, caring for, and socializing individuals.

2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a family?

A) Common residence
B) Economic cooperation
C) Absence of emotional bonds
D) Reproduction and child-rearing

Answer: C
Explanation: Emotional bonds are a key characteristic of a family, as members provide emotional and social support to each other.

3. A nuclear family consists of:

A) Parents, children, and extended relatives
B) Only married couples
C) Parents and their dependent children
D) A group of unrelated individuals living together

Answer: C
Explanation: A nuclear family includes parents and their dependent children, excluding extended family members.

4. What type of family structure includes three or more generations living together?

A) Nuclear family
B) Extended family
C) Single-parent family
D) Childless family

Answer: B
Explanation: An extended family includes multiple generations, such as grandparents, parents, and children, living in the same household.

5. Which type of family is based on authority rules where the father holds the primary power?

A) Matriarchal family
B) Patriarchal family
C) Egalitarian family
D) Nuclear family

Answer: B
Explanation: In a patriarchal family, the father or eldest male has authority over family members and decision-making.

6. A matriarchal family is characterized by:

A) Male dominance in decision-making
B) Equal authority between both parents
C) Female leadership and authority
D) Absence of any authority structure

Answer: C
Explanation: In a matriarchal family, women, typically the mother, have primary authority over family decisions and structure.

7. In a patrilineal system of descent, inheritance and lineage are traced through:

A) The mother’s side
B) Both parents equally
C) The father’s side
D) Adoption

Answer: C
Explanation: In a patrilineal system, descent, inheritance, and family name are passed through the father’s lineage.

8. A family system where a married couple resides with or near the husband's family is called:

A) Matrilocal residence
B) Patrilocal residence
C) Neolocal residence
D) Avunculocal residence

Answer: B
Explanation: In a patrilocal residence, the couple lives with or near the husband's family after marriage.

9. What is the primary function of a family in society?

A) Economic control
B) Political governance
C) Socialization of children
D) Industrialization

Answer: C
Explanation: The socialization of children is a key function of the family, where values, norms, and culture are transmitted across generations.

10. Which of the following is NOT a function of the family?

A) Providing emotional support
B) Socialization of children
C) Political leadership
D) Economic cooperation

Answer: C
Explanation: While the family plays a role in socialization, economic support, and emotional bonding, it does not serve as a primary institution for political governance.

11. Which term describes a family that consists of only one parent and their children?

A) Extended family
B) Nuclear family
C) Single-parent family
D) Patriarchal family

Answer: C
Explanation: A single-parent family consists of one parent raising children, typically due to divorce, separation, or other circumstances.

12. A neolocal residence means that a married couple:

A) Lives with the husband’s family
B) Lives with the wife’s family
C) Establishes a new residence separate from both families
D) Lives with the husband's maternal uncle

Answer: C
Explanation: In a neolocal residence, the couple establishes an independent home separate from both sets of parents.

13. Divorce is legally defined as:

A) A formal separation with no legal consequences
B) A legal dissolution of a marriage
C) A temporary breakup between partners
D) A family dispute resolution process

Answer: B
Explanation: Divorce is the legal termination of a marriage, ending the legal obligations between spouses.

14. Which of the following is NOT a common reason for divorce?

A) Incompatibility
B) Financial issues
C) Socialization of children
D) Infidelity

Answer: C
Explanation: While the socialization of children is a function of family, it is not a reason for divorce. Incompatibility, financial stress, and infidelity are common causes.

15. What is a major consequence of family disintegration?

A) Strengthening of family bonds
B) Increased social stability
C) Emotional and psychological distress in children
D) Reduction in crime rates

Answer: C
Explanation: Family disintegration can lead to emotional and psychological issues, particularly for children who experience family instability.

16. What type of marriage allows multiple spouses?

A) Monogamy
B) Polygamy
C) Nuclear marriage
D) Egalitarian marriage

Answer: B
Explanation: Polygamy refers to a marriage system where an individual has multiple spouses, such as polygyny (one man, multiple wives) or polyandry (one woman, multiple husbands).

17. Which of the following is a social impact of high divorce rates?

A) Strengthened family values
B) Increased number of single-parent households
C) Reduction in economic inequality
D) Increased stability in children's lives

Answer: B
Explanation: High divorce rates often lead to an increase in single-parent households, which can have social and economic implications.

18. Which type of family is most common in modern industrial societies?

A) Extended family
B) Joint family
C) Nuclear family
D) Matriarchal family

Answer: C
Explanation: In industrialized societies, the nuclear family is the most common, consisting of parents and their dependent children.

19. What is one reason family structures are changing in contemporary society?

A) Decrease in life expectancy
B) Increased social mobility and urbanization
C) Reduction in economic activities
D) Elimination of inheritance laws

Answer: B
Explanation: Urbanization and increased social mobility have led to changes in family structures, including smaller families and diverse household arrangements.

20. Which concept refers to a society where descent is traced through both parents?

A) Patrilineal descent
B) Matrilineal descent
C) Bilateral descent
D) Unilineal descent

Answer: C
Explanation: Bilateral descent recognizes lineage from both the mother's and father's sides, as seen in many modern societies.