According to Murdock, which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the family?

Murdock's view on the family, as articulated in his study of family structures, emphasizes certain key characteristics that broadly define what constitutes a family unit. He posits that economic cooperation, a mixed-gender adult presence, and at least one child are fundamental to the family structure.

The characteristic of adoption of children is not considered a necessity for defining a family by Murdock. In his analysis, he identifies the biological ties as primary, which implies that while families may engage in adoption, it is not a defining characteristic of the family unit as he conceptualizes it. His model focuses more on the nuclear family, consisting of at least one adult of each sex and at least one biological child, thus making adoption a variable that does not necessarily apply to his definition.

Therefore, the assertion that adoption of children is a characteristic of the family is not aligned with Murdock's perspective, marking it as the correct choice in identifying a characteristic that does not fit within his framework.