In family structure discussions, which term best describes households that include multiple generations and relatives beyond the immediate parents and children?

• A. Nuclear family
• B. Extended family
• C. Blended family
• D. Multi-generational household

Answer: (B)

Understanding family structure terminology helps distinguish how kinship networks differ from living arrangements. The term that describes a network of relatives beyond the immediate parents and children—often including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins—is extended family. It captures the idea of a broader kin group, not just who actually lives together.

A nuclear family refers to just the core parents and their children, without the wider relatives. A blended family describes a household formed through remarriage, bringing together step-relatives. A multi-generational household describes who lives under one roof, focusing on multiple generations in the same dwelling rather than the broader network of extended kin.