• Nuclear families are small and geographically isolated. Extended families are more crowded, include many members of the kin group and have geographic proximity.

• For nuclear families, marital bonds are more important than blood ties, thus they are named “conjugal families”. On the other side, blood ties are more important than marital bonds for the extended families, thus they are called “consanguine families”.
• Nuclear families are temporary units because they decompose with the death of the parents or the marriage of children, but extended families live much longer. Because of their shorter life, it is hard for nuclear families to transmit a family culture to the children. This process is easier in extended families.
• In nuclear families, there is minimal contact with the kin group. However, kin group contact on a daily basis in extended families. Therefore, extended families can provide more support and assistance to its members, and can more easily overcome crisis arising from deaths or divorces.
• Nuclear families are economically selfsufficient while economic dependence is high in extended families.
• Because nuclear families are small sized, members can increase their personal development and freedom much more when compared to extended families. Since nuclear families are autonomous, individualization is easier in these families. On the other side, there is intergenerational authority in extended families which may limit personal development and freedom.
• The members of the nuclear family have to get emotional support and protection from people outside the kin group. In respect of the extended family, the kin network within the family provides a source of emotional support and protection.