Extended family 

extended family, a broader extension of the traditional family (parents or dependent children) generally centered around a single-line descent collection ( i.e., an organization where the descent via one of the male lines or male lines is the primary focus). The extended family model typically is, but only sometimes, occurs in areas where economic conditions make it hard for the family unit to sustain itself. As a result, assistance is sought, typically from the patrilineal or matrilineal families. In traditional China, for instance, the extended family consisted of the family comprising the household’s head and his daughters who were not married, as well as his sons and their families and sons of his family members and daughters who were not married, The extended family could comprise distant relatives; however, the aunts, uncles, or cousins are usually part of the same family as they are part of the central family.

The relationship between those in the extended family is so close that the type of address used by a person is the expansion of family-related terms to a broader group of relatives in the resident family. In a matrilineal home, for instance, it is possible to call his uncle’s mother “father” and to the youngsters of that uncle in the form of “brothers” and “sisters.” The extended family may not reside in the same house. However, most live close to each other and work together in groups.

It is typical for elder kin to assume the role of selecting a spouse for couples of an age of marriage and are thought to be too inexperienced to make an informed decision. The qualities sought by a potential spouse by interested kin within a family that extends beyond the borders include the ability to work, adapt to change, procreative power, status, and worth. Importance.

In an ordinary sense, the term “extended family” has been used to refer to various definitions. It could, for instance, relate to a household with other kin members in addition to individuals of the nuclear family (known in the anthropological sense as a conjugal family) or can loosely encompass all living close relatives. Comparing nuclear families.