Who Are Your Family Members? Survey Experiments on how Chinese People Define Family Boundaries

Zhang Chunni, Sun Yan

 Published in Sociological Studies, 2025, Issue 1.

Abstract: The definition of family boundaries in China involves a theoretical issue pertaining to the unique characteristics of Chinese families, a practical concern regarding the changing dynamics of family structures in modern society, and a methodological challenge in accurately measuring family boundaries in household surveys. This study attends to the perception elasticity of, and the criteria for, defining a family's boundaries in contemporary China. Based on survey experiments, this study finds that Chinese respondents' perceptions of family boundaries change depending on different contexts. Immediate family bonds precede co-residence and economic interdependence in identifying family relationships. Additionally, intergenerational co-residence and intergenerational childcare support are important factors that people consider in defining a stem family. This study provides empirical evidence for both classical and contemporary Chinese family theories and discusses the challenges faced by social surveys in measuring family boundaries in China.

Keywords: Chinese Family, Family Size, Nuclear Family, Survey, Survey Experiment