ðə fˈæmɪli ɪz pɚsˈiːvd æz ɐ mˈaɪkɹoʊ sˈoʊʃəl ɡɹˈuːp wɪðˌɪn ɐ mˈækɹoʊ sˈoʊʃəl kˈɑːntɛkst—ˈeɪ "kəlˈɛkʃən ʌv ˌɪndᵻvˈɪdʒuːəlz wɪð ʃˈɛɹd hˈɪstɚɹi hˌuː ˌɪntɚɹˈækt wɪðˌɪn ˈɛvɚtʃˈeɪndʒɪŋ sˈoʊʃəl kˈɑːntɛksts əkɹˌɑːs ˈɛvɚɹ ɪŋkɹˈiːsɪŋ tˈaɪm ænd spˈeɪs" bˈɛŋtsən ænd ˈælən nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti θɹˈiː, pˈiː. fˈoːɹhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti.
The family is perceived as a micro social group within a macro social context—a "collection of individuals with shared history who interact within ever-changing social contexts across ever increasing time and space" (Bengtson and Allen 1993, p. 470).