Which term refers to a family in which a single couple and their dependent children are the central unit, as opposed to extended kin?

Which term refers to a family in which a single couple and their dependent children are the central unit, as opposed to extended kin?

• A. Cereal packet family
• B. Nuclear family
• C. Extended family
• D. Beanpole family

Answer: (B)

The term being tested is the nuclear family. It refers to a household where two parents (a couple) and their dependent children form the central, self-contained unit, living apart from a wider network of kin. This setup is distinguished from extended kin, where other relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins are part of the family life or household. In sociology, the nuclear family is often described as the typical modern family arrangement, emphasizing privatized family life and independence from extended kin. The other terms describe different concepts: a cereal packet family is a popular-press way of picturing the idealized nuclear family; a beanpole family refers to multiple generations within a family but fewer siblings; an extended family includes wider kin beyond the immediate parents and children.