In most communities, the main institutions are family and marriage. Marriage is understood as a legal agreement between two people, which is based on union and sexual relations. The family is defined differently, but it is based on the understanding that it is a socially recognized group that has an emotional connection and is an economic unit.
The institution of marriage persists today, but the marriage models themselves have become obsolete, and new ones have come. For some people, marriage is exclusively monogamy, but there are polygamous marriages in which men have several wives and polyandrous ones in which a woman has several husbands.
Relatives on the mother’s and father’s lines are part of the family. Each person has a pedigree, which is based on the ancestry of their parents’ ancestors. Various stages of family life change under the influence of time. Yet each of them has its own difficulties and obstacles.
Traditionally, a family consists of a husband, wife, and children, but there are other models of families. There are more and more families in which one parent remains. In some families, one parent may be completely absent, and the children live with guardians and grandparents. The number of same-sex couples and weddings is also growing in countries where it is allowed. Some people prefer to remain single and live for the benefit of their interests.
Sociologists have identified several theories regarding marriage and family. The functional approach is that the family is an important social institution and contributes to the development of society. People get married, define their family roles, have children, and educate themselves. Conflict theory insists that parents are categorically against state interference in the upbringing of children and that one member of the family has more power than others.
In modern society, the number of divorces is growing, but still, their number varies depending on race. Stress is created in a family with children, but the parents decide to divorce. People are prone to remarriage, and additional difficulties in the relationship can be made by having children from the first marriage. Children have a hard time going through their parents’ divorce, although it also depends on their age.
Some people are prone to violence, which is a social problem. Women are the main target of violence, and children are the target of abuse. This often happens under the influence of stress, drugs, and alcohol.