Household refers to all persons who occupy a housing unit, including both related family members and all unrelated persons.
In psychology, the term "household" might refer to the people who live in a single dwelling or home, such as a family or group of roommates. A household can be an important unit of analysis in psychology, as it can influence an individual's social, emotional, and psychological well-being.
Factors that can influence the functioning and dynamics of a household might include the number of people in the household, their relationships to each other, their roles and responsibilities, and their individual characteristics and needs.
Examples of how the concept of a household might be relevant in psychology include:
- A psychologist might study how the size or composition of a household (e.g., single-parent vs. two-parent, large vs. small) affects child development or family functioning.
- A therapist might work with a client to explore how their relationships within their household (e.g., with their spouse, children, or roommates) contribute to their overall well-being and satisfaction.
- A researcher might study how household stressors, such as financial or time constraints, affect mental health or family functioning.
- A person might talk about the "dynamics" of their household as a way of describing the patterns of interaction and communication among the members of the household.