cohabiting couple: Two unmarried adults who are involved romantically and live together with or without children.

Communication Privacy Management Theory: A theory suggesting that individuals create informational boundaries by choosing carefully the kind of private information they reveal and the people with whom they share it.

conformity orientation: The degree to which family members believe communication should emphasize similarity or diversity in attitudes, beliefs, and values.

consensual families: Families characterized by high levels of conformity and conversation orientation. For example, Dan’s parents encourage their son to be open but also expect him to maintain family unity through agreement or obedience.

conversation orientation: The degree to which family members are encouraged to participate in unrestrained interaction about a wide array of topics.

extended family: A family type consisting of a group of people who are related to one another—such as aunts, uncles, cousins, or grandparents—and who live in the same household.

family: A network of people who share their lives over long periods of time and are bound by marriage, blood, or commitment; who consider themselves as family; and who share a significant history and anticipated future of functioning in a family relationship.

Family Communication Patterns Theory: The idea that two dimensions—conformity orientation and conversation orientation—underlie the communication between family members.

family privacy rules: The conditions governing what family members can talk about, how they can discuss such topics, and who should have access to family-relevant information.

family stories: Narratives of family events retold to bond family members. For example, Katie’s mother often recounts how Katie was born on the day of a crippling blizzard.

interparental conflict: Overt, hostile interactions between parents in a household.

laissez-faire families: Families characterized by low levels of conformity and conversation orientation. For example, Samantha’s parents prefer limited communication and encourage their daughter to make her own choices and decisions.

nuclear family: A family type consisting of a father, a mother, and their biological or adopted children.

pluralistic families: Families characterized by low levels of conformity and high levels of conversation orientation. For example, Julie’s parents encourage her to express herself freely, and when conflicts arise, they collaborate with her to resolve them.

protective families: Families characterized by high levels of conformity and low levels of conversation orientation. For example, Brian’s parents expect their son to be respectful, and they discourage family discussions.

single-parent family: A household in which one adult has the sole responsibility to be the children’s caregiver.

spillover hypothesis: The idea that emotions, affect, and mood from the parental relationship “spill over” into the broader family, disrupting children’s sense of emotional security.

stepfamily: A family type where at least one of the adults has a child or children from a previous relationship.

triangulation: Loyalty conflicts that arise when a coalition is formed, uniting one family member with another against a third family member.