Abercrombie and Warde say there is tendency to think of the family as natural and as a good thing. What have sociologists found out about the family?

The statement gives the initial impression that the concept of the family comes instinctively to any person that may come across it. The suggestion that the family is natural and a good thing instantly encourages one to think of the stereotypical image of a family, being that of a nuclear family, consisting of a female and a male assuming the roles of mother and father with their children as dependants.  However the statement can be questioned in several ways. One example of this is what characterises a tendency? In this situation, a tendency can be interpreted as meaning leaning towards the definition of being natural and a good thing….(short extract)