Nuclear Family Universals: Fact and Faith in the Acceptance of an Idea

Abstract

Murdock’s (1949) assertions on the universal functions of the nuclear family have gained general acceptance in sociology, in spite of conceptual and empirical weaknesses in his formulation. The conceptual weaknesses are pointed out, and the empirical problems examined through research using the Humans Relations Area File, which has much of the same data that Murdock used. The results show much missing data and several contrary cases. It is concluded that sociologists have accepted Murdock’s assertions mostly on faith rather than fact, and some possible reasons for this acceptance are discussed.

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