Find over 25,000 psychological definitions


kinship network

the system of formal and informal relationships that make up an extended family in a given culture or society, typically based on blood ties, marriage, or adoption. The analysis of kinship networks and descent groups in preindustrial societies has been a major concern of cultural anthropology. See also relationship system. Also called kinship system.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

December 22nd 2024

family

family

n.

1. a kinship unit consisting of a group of individuals united by blood or by marital, adoptive, or other intimate ties. Although the family is the fundamental social unit of most human societies, its form and structure vary widely. See biological family; extended family; nuclear family; permeable family; stepfamily.

2. in biological taxonomy, a main subdivision of an order, consisting of a group of similar, related genera (see genus).

3. a collection of mathematically or statistically related entities. For example, a set of statistical tests conducted when there are more than two groups for an independent variable within an analysis of variance constitutes a family of tests. See also family-wise alpha level; family-wise error rate. —familial adj.