In cultures, such as Singapore, the family is the first a person joins at birth. The interests of the family are expected to supersede those of the individual and loyalty (such as preferential treatment) is shown to fellow family members. Families also have a collective . The act of an individual will impact the perception of the entire family by others. This is especially true of Chinese and Indian Singaporean households. They often make long-term plans to maximise the success and income of their entire household and family into the next generation. Meanwhile, Malay Singaporeans have tended to conceptualise family from a more perspective and usually see their household situations as temporary, not constant, continuing bodies.
However, for all , the extended family has traditionally lived with the . The of the household has often been the father, with the mother’s role largely entailing domestic duties and caring for the children. Elders are consulted on all important family matters and parental control over children extends well into adulthood.
In 2013, the Survey of Social Attitudes of Singaporeans showed that 90% of respondents believed they had close-knit families and 80% still maintained ties with extended family. However, in modern industrialised Singapore, the multigenerational family structure is difficult to maintain and the has become the predominant household structure. There has also been a significant increase in people living alone and couples deciding not to have children.
Within the household , both parents now usually share disciplinary power over their children, whereas previously it was largely the father. Young adults can also get married and move out of the home without parental permission, and all siblings have equal inheritance rights.
The average Chinese Singaporean family dynamic is still influenced by the Confucian organisation of relationships. Age is the overriding factor determining seniority in the household, with elders honoured for their wisdom in accordance with . The family is expected to care for them into their old age; however, with an ageing population and the younger generation growing more , demanding and bold, maintaining these values is a point of difficulty for Singapore. In 1996, the government passed a law mandating that children“assume financial responsibility for their elderly parents should the need arise”. But, this is difficult to achieve as the multigenerational family structure is on a steady decline.
Relationships and Marriage
Singaporean families often include a combination of different . Marriages between citizens and noncitizens, as well as cross- marriages, are becoming more common. The Singapore government has strict restrictions on sexuality and related issues. p*rnography is entirely banned and many actions considered p*rnographic are illegal. For example, a person cannot be naked in a private place while being exposed to public view (e.g. it is illegal to be naked in one’s own home if others can see you).1
Social attitudes have traditionally been resistant to accepting LGBTQ identiities and relationships. In 2022, the Singapore government accounced it will repeal a -era law that criminalised sex between two men, which was previously punishable by up to 2 years in prison.2 While this will effectively make it legal to be hom*osexual in the city-state, there is still widespread opposition to same-sex marriage. The Singaporean Constitution defines marriage as a union between a man and woman alone.3
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1 Miscellaneous Offences Act s27A
2 Wong, 2022
3 Chen, 2022
FAQs
In collectivist cultures, such as Singapore, the family is the first group a person joins at birth. The interests of the family are expected to supersede those of the individual and loyalty (such as preferential treatment) is shown to fellow family members. Families also have a collective face .
What is the most common family type in Singapore? ›
This means that the traditional nuclear family is now in the minority. Instead, the majority of households in Singapore are now made up of married couples without children, married couples living apart from their children and one-person households.
Do Singaporeans value family? ›
Interviews were conducted face-to-face from November 2019 to March last year. According to the study, Singaporeans ranked family, friends and wealth as their top three priorities. This was followed by leisure, work and religion, with politics rounding up the bottom.
What is the relationship culture in Singapore? ›
Family units are important in Singaporean culture, and more than 50% of residents believe in meeting their partner's family within nine months of dating. Like in many Asian countries, local culture dictates that children should support their elderly parents.
What are Singapore's cultural traditions? ›
Singapore's Customs & Traditions
Some popular Singaporean customs and traditions are: While meeting a Singaporean formally or informally, make sure to shake hands firmly with all, even when departing. A slight bow while shaking hands is considered respectful. Take off the shoes before entering anyone's house.
How are the families in Singapore? ›
The vast majority (92.9% in 2020) were two- generation couple-based households (i.e. with a married household reference person and spouse) with children while the remaining 7.1% were mostly married household reference persons living with their parents as well as never-married household reference persons living with ...
Why is Singapore family friendly? ›
What makes Singapore good for kids? Discovering Singapore with children is a joy thanks to the country's efficient, accessible and sparkling-clean MRT train system. Child-friendly attractions abound and nearly all offer kid-centric tours, child-focused exhibitions or play parks.
What is a typical family like in Singapore? ›
The patriarch of the household has often been the father, with the mother's role largely entailing domestic duties and caring for the children. Elders are consulted on all important family matters and parental control over children extends well into adulthood.
What is the average family in Singapore? ›
In 2023, the average household size in Singapore was approximately 3.11 persons. The size of households in Singapore had been decreasing in the past ten years.
What are the characteristics of Singapore parents? ›
Singaporean parents are often strict with their children and they know the importance of hard-work and discipline comes first followed by rewards. This can often times that the children are pushed beyond the healthy studying limits.
Singaporeans are expected to give their parents and elders utter respect and devotion under the cultural concept of 'filial piety'. Filial piety is akin to the reverence of one's ancestors. In this way, Singaporeans tend to show more respect to the opinion of those older than them.
What is the gender relationship in Singapore? ›
Gender discrimination affects both men and women
In Singapore, women earned 4.3 percent less than men in 2020. Women also face various types of physical, sexual, and online harm. A 2021 survey showed that 2 in 5 workers encountered some form of workplace sexual harassment in the preceding five years.
What are 5 interesting facts about Singapore? ›
10 fun facts about singapore
- It's a city of not just one island, but 64. ...
- It's home to the world's first night zoo. ...
- It's a city of (man-made) waterfalls. ...
- The locals speak Singlish, not just English. ...
- Singapore pioneered the first F1 night race. ...
- It's one of the world's greenest cities.
Respect Your Elders
Elders are held in the highest esteem in Singapore. Always greet the most elder person present first. While there are a variety of ways to greet a person, a simple handshake and slight bow is widely accepted, especially in the business world.
How do Singaporeans greet each other? ›
Singaporeans greet each other by shaking hands and smiling. Also, expect people to say “Have you eaten yet?” or something similar, which has the same effect as the phrase “How are you doing?” However, note that who you can shake hands with will vary across ethnic groups.
What is the lifestyle in Singapore? ›
High standard of living: Singapore consistently ranks highly in global indexes for quality of life. It has a stable political environment, low crime rates, and efficient public services. The country also has a strong economy, with low unemployment and high salaries compared to other countries in the region.
What is the most common form of family? ›
Nuclear family
Though nuclear families seem to be on the decline, a 2016 U.S. Census study shows that 69% of children still live in nuclear families. This is the most commonly depicted and explored family type.
Which type of family is most common? ›
Nuclear Family
They're also called “elementary” families and tend to be among the most common types—though numbers have started decreasing in recent years. The core idea behind nuclear families is that parents raise kids together under one roof. Strengths: There are two parents to set good examples for the kids.
