nuclear family or elementary family is a family group consisting of a pair of adults and their children.

[1] This is in
contrast to a single-parentfamily, to the larger extended family, and to a family with more than two parents. Nuclear
families typically centre on a married couple; [1] the nuclear family may have any number of children. There are
differences in definition among observers; some definitions allow only biological children that are full-blood
siblings,[2] while others allow for a stepparent and any mix of dependent children including stepchildren and adopted
children.[3][4]
Family structures of one married couple and their children were present in Western Europe and New England in the
17th century, influenced by church and theocratic governments. [5] With the emergence of proto-industrialization and
early capitalism, the nuclear family became a financially viable social unit. [6] The term nuclear family first appeared in the
early twentieth century. Alternative definitions have evolved to include family units headed by same-sex parents,[1] and
perhaps additional adult relatives who take on a cohabiting parental role;[7] in this latter case it also receives the name
of conjugal family.[1]
The concept that a narrowly defined nuclear family is central to stability in modern society has been promoted
by familialists who are social conservatives in the United States, and has been challenged as historically and
sociologically inadequate to describe the complexity of actual family relations. [8]
Contents
[hide]

1 Usage of the term

2 Compared to extended family
3 Changes to family formation
4 North American conservatism
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

Usage of the term[edit]

An American nuclear family composed of the mother, father, and children circa 1955

Merriam-Webster dates the term back to 1947, [9] while the Oxford English Dictionary has a reference to the term from
1925; thus it is relatively new, although nuclear family structures themselves date back thousands of years. [10][11] The
term nuclear is used in its general meaning referring to a central entity or "nucleus" around which others collect.
In its most common usage, the term nuclear family refers to a household consisting of a father, a mother and
their children[12] all in one household dwelling.[9] The late George Murdock, an influential observer of families, offered an
early description:

The family is a social group characterized by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction. It contains
adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and one or more children,
own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults. [13]
Many individuals are part of two nuclear families in their lives: the family of origin in which they are offspring, and the
family of procreation in which they are a parent. [14]

Compared to extended family[edit]

Main article: Extended family
An extended family group consists of non-nuclear (or "non-immediate") family members considered together with
nuclear (or "immediate") family members.

Changes to family formation[edit]

From 1970 to 2000, family arrangements in the US became more diverse with no particular household arrangement prevalent enough to
be identified as the "average"

In 2005, information from the United States Census Bureau showed that 70% of children in the US live in traditional twoparent families,[15] with 66% of those living with parents who were married, and 60% living with their biological parents,
and that "the figures suggest that the tumultuous shifts in family structure since the late 1960s have leveled off since
1990".[16]
If considered separately from couples without children, single-parent families, and unmarried couples with children, in
the United States traditional nuclear families appear to constitute a minority of households - with a rising prevalence of
other family arrangements. In 2000, nuclear families with the original biological parents constituted roughly 24.1% of
American households, compared to 40.3% in 1970. [15] Roughly two-thirds of all children in the United States will spend at
least some time in a single-parent household.[17]
In the UK the number of nuclear families fell from 39% of all households in 1968 to 28% in 1992. The decrease
accompanied an equivalent increase in the number of single-parent households and in the number of adults living
alone.[18]
According to some sociologists, "[The nuclear family] no longer seems adequate to cover the wide diversity of
household arrangements we see today." (Edwards 1991; Stacey 1996). A new term has been introduced[by
whom?]

, postmodern family, intended to describe the great variability in family forms, including single-parent families and

couples without children."[15]

Professor Wolfgang Haak of Adelaide University, detects traces of the nuclear family in prehistoric Central Europe. A
2005 archeological dig in Elau in Germany, analyzed by Haak, revealed genetic evidence suggesting that the 13
individuals found in a grave were closely related. Haak said, "By establishing the genetic links between the two adults
and two children buried together in one grave, we have established the presence of the classic nuclear family in a
prehistoric context in Central Europe.... Their unity in death suggest[s] a unity in life." [19] This paper does not regard the
nuclear family as "natural" or as the only model for human family life. "This does not establish the elemental family to be
a universal model or the most ancient institution of human communities. For example, polygamous unions are prevalent
in ethnographic data and models of household communities have apparently been involving a high degree of complexity
from their origins."[19] In this study evidence suggests that the nuclear family was embedded with an extended family.
The remains of three children (probably siblings based on DNA evidence) were found buried with a woman who was not
their mother but may have been an "aunt or a step-mother".[20]

Advantages
Strength and Stability
Two parent families, whether married or not, tend to be more stable than a single parent
or multi-generational family. Spouses or partners can role model a loving, caring and
supportive relationship for their children. This will translate into future success by
teaching children how to seek out positive relationships and interact well with others.
Children will also benefit from watching partners work together to solve problems,
delegate household responsibilities and support one another through positive and
negative issues.

Financial Stability Equals More Opportunity

Many nuclear families have enough economic stability to provide children with luxuries
and opportunities in life. Children may be able to attend dance, gymnastics, music or
other types of classes, especially both partners work outside the home. Children who are
provided with these types of opportunities are more likely do better academically and
socially, as well as develop confidence and time management skills.

Consistency Means Behavior Successes

The nuclear family can provide children with consistency, in addition to stability. Children
who have both stability and consistency in their lives are more likely to behave
positively, do better in school and become more involved in community and
extracurricular activities. The nuclear family may eat dinner together on a regular basis,
go to church and take family vacations, further strengthening relationships and building
a solid foundation for future life goals.

Disadvantages
Close-Knit or Isolated?
The nuclear family unit does provide a closeness that many single parent or multigenerational families cannot. The smaller family size allows for individualized attention

towards partners and children, creating lifelong bonds. However, the nuclear family unit
can also isolate people from other relatives and relationships. This can break down the
extended family unit, which can be beneficial in hard times. Grandparents, aunts and
uncles should have a place within a family, but the nuclear family does not always create
one for them.

Burnout
Family members, particularly mothers, may have a tendency to burn out from
attempting to meet every person's needs alone. Mom is the cook, maid, babysitter and
sometimes, moneymaker. That leaves little time for pampering and nurturing herself and
her relationships with others. Without help, she may need to take off work to care for
sick children. Mothers may struggle to balance the demands of work, family and
friendships without any outside assistance. Stress, depression, anxiety or
other problems can all be a result of nuclear family burnout.

Less Conflict Resolution Skills

While the idea of less conflict and stress could certainly be considered an advantage to
the nuclear family, it also puts the family at a disadvantage. Conflict is a part of life, and
conflict resolution skills are beneficial in school, in the community and in the workplace.
Nuclear families can begin to develop like-minded thinking, which will lead to fewer
arguments within the family unit. However, it can increase the disagreements with
extended family members. Extended family, with differing opinions and ideas, can help
families see alternate viewpoints and learn to effectively deal with conflicts and opinions
other than their own.