Family life cycle stages are an essential research model, but sometimes cannot reflect current social variations. This study reviews that model and different empirical typologies that could be used in other studies in order to clarify the types of households in need of policy concern and intervention.
This study reviews the effectiveness of the ‘family life cycle’ as a research model, as well as different empirical typologies that could be applied across other studies. The information can help clarify the types of household more in need of policy concern and intervention.
The family life cycle concept has a wide range of applications:
- housing decisions
- fertility decisions
- income and labour force participation
- investment in education
- leisure patterns
- household assets acquisition.
The report concludes that when compared to alternative explanatory variables, ‘family life cycle’ stages seem to be slightly better across a range of fields and distinctly powerful across a few fields.
‘Family life cycle’ remains a useful analytical tool, but may be optimised by further analytical work comparing alternatives.
Purpose
The research objective of this study is to use appropriate data to develop an empirical typology which will then be tested out in relation to ‘attributes’ of the household: eg household assets and amenities. In particular, data are used from the 2000 MSD’s SOL survey on members of the household and information on their relationship within the household, including their membership (or not) of a ‘core economic family’. The literature review and data analysis then provide a platform from which to review and critique pertinent literature and statistical agency practices.