Which of the following institutions have taken over the functions performed by the wider kin group i...........

Sociology Preliminary Others

Which of the following institutions have taken over the functions performed by the wider kin group in the context of the family in the industrial society?

1. Formal institutions

2. Reformulated division of labour in society.

3. Conjugally bounded nuclear family.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 2 only

1 and 3 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

- Statement 1: Formal institutions

In industrial societies, many functions previously handled by kin (like education, healthcare, welfare) have been taken over by formal institutions such as schools, hospitals, and social services.

- Statement 2: Reformulated division of labour in society

Industrialization brings about a new division of labour both inside and outside the family, often moving productive and supportive roles away from the kin group into workplaces and formal roles.

- Statement 3: Conjugally bounded nuclear family

The nuclear family, focused on the conjugal unit (couple and their children), assumes some functions that larger kin groups once held, like emotional support and socialization, but not all.

Options explained:

- Option 1 (1 and 2 only): Misses the role of the nuclear family.

- Option 2 (1 and 3 only): Misses the clear structural shift in division of labour.

- Option 3 (2 and 3 only): Misses the formal institutions' critical role.

- Option 4 (1, 2 and 3): Correct. In industrial society, all three—formal institutions, a new division of labour, and the nuclear family—have combined to take over the broader kin group’s functions.