marriage, a socially constructed relationship that assumes financial and sexual cooperation between two people, and family, a group of people connected by blood, marriage, adoption, or agreed upon relationship
courtship, seeking an individual’s affection or establishing contractual terms, usually with the intent of forming a long-term relationship
Homogamy, marrying or establishing a relationship with someone with similar social and economic characteristics
cohabitation, a residential pattern in which a couple lives together without the benefit of legal marriage
monogamy, a marriage between two people, or even serial monogamy, a marriage pattern in which one person has multiple spouses but not at the same time.
polyamory, intimate relationships with multiple partners, with the informed consent of all partners
Polygamy, a legally sanctioned or illegal marital relationship in which one person has more than one husband or wife at the same time
patriarchal, lines of descent traced through the paternal side of the family and characterized by male dominance
Polygyny, a legally sanctioned or illegal marital relationship in which one man has multiple wives
Polyandry, a legally sanctioned or illegal marital relationship in which one woman has multiple husbands
matriarchal, lines of descent traced through the maternal side of the family and characterized by the dominance of women
covenant marriages, a legally binding marriage requiring pre-marital counseling, and more limited grounds for divorce
endogamy, marrying or establishing a relationship within one’s own social group or category, as required by custom or law.
exogamy, marrying or establishing a relationship outside one’s social group or category
family of orientation, the family in which you are raised and socialized due to birth, adoption, or a blended family,
family of procreation, the family you choose to create through marriage, agreed-upon relationships, or the birth or adoption of children
kinship, a social relationship pattern based on blood, marriage, or adoption
extended, a family with other kin such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins living in the same household or nearby
nuclear, a family consisting of one or more parents and children
Blended families, families in which one or both spouses have children from previous relationships
neolocal, a living pattern in which a couple establishes their own residence independent of their parents
matrilocal, a living pattern in which a couple resides with or near the wife’s parents
patrilocal, a living pattern in which a couple resides with or near the husband’s parents
childfree, individuals who choose not to have children
DINKS, Double Income, No Kids,
childless, individuals who cannot have children for biological reasons
helicopter parent, a well-meaning, overprotective, and overly involved parent that does not promote the characteristic of independence
free-range parenting, a style of parenting that deemphasizes scheduling and supervision and emphasizes extreme independence
child abuse, physical, emotional, or sexual harm or mistreatment of a child
Elder abuse, the physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse or exploitation of an elder by a caregiver or trusted individual
Substance abuse, the use of alcohol, drugs, or other substances that results in negative consequences for the user and those around them
No-fault divorces, marriages that can be dissolved without evidence of wrongdoing