AICE Sociology Chapter 3: The Family

Decline in marriage rate

People are marrying later in life and some are choosing not to marry.

Time for family completion

The time from the birth of the first child to the birth of the last child.

Secularisation impact on marriage beliefs

There is less pressure to marry and reduced importance placed on the idea of marriage.

Serial Monogamy

When an individual has multiple marital or sexual partners over their lifetime, but only one at a time.

Cohabitation

When two people live together and function as a married couple without being legally married.

Reasons for increased cohabitation (Smart and Stevens, 2000)

Changing attitudes towards marriage, testing compatibility, partners unwilling to marry, philosophical reasons, feminism.

Reasons married couples live together without love

Financial inability to live independently or fear of societal stigma.

Divorce trends and age

The age of divorce is increasing, suggesting that the age of marriage is also getting older.

Reasons for increasing divorce rates

Divorce has become cheaper and easier, societal attitudes have become more accepting, and increased life expectancy may lead couples to grow apart.

Difference between Romantic and Confluent Love

Romantic love is unconditional; Confluent love is based on an exchange between partners.

Single person household vs. single parent household

Single person households have no children, while single parent households involve children.

Three couple household scenarios

Couples without children, couples whose children have moved out, couples who choose not to have children.

Living Apart Together

Couples in a long-term relationship who do not live together.

Step-families also called

Reconstituted families.

Historical view of single parent families

Single parent families were viewed negatively.

Difference between vertically and horizontally extended families

Vertically extended families involve three or more generations; horizontally extended families involve aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Female focused vertically extended families

Matrifocal families.

Male focused vertically extended families

Patrifocal families.

Families of choice

Relationships chosen by individuals, often documented in the LGBTQ community.

Organizational Diversity

The different ways roles and responsibilities are distributed within families.

Single parent families and class

Single parent families are more likely to have working class origins, lower incomes, and live in poverty.

Beanpole family

Inter-generational, vertically extended family structure with weak intra-generational links due to low birth rates.

Working class family dynamics

More likely to have gender inequality in domestic labor, dominated by the male of the family.

Symmetrical family

Family roles shared equally within the home.

Joint vs. segregated conjugal roles

Joint roles involve sharing domestic duties; segregated roles follow traditional gender norms.

Middle class family involvement

More resource investment in child's education, leading to a sense of entitlement.

Cultural and ethnic diversity in families

Differences in attitudes and lifestyles regarding family expressed within and between cultural or ethnic groups.

Declining organized religion effects

Increased acceptance of cohabitation, divorce, and remarrying in some cultures.

Ethnic identity and women working

Yes, it influences attitudes towards women working after childbirth.

Reasons for greater family diversity

Social changes, changing attitudes towards family structures, increased life expectancy.

Explanations for increase in single person households

Older individuals living alone, middle-aged men post-divorce, financially independent individuals choosing to live alone, young adults leaving for college.

New Right perspective on family structure

Only the traditional nuclear family is acceptable; it promotes traditional gender roles.

New Right view of other family structures

They consider them unacceptable and dysfunctional.

Moral core of traditional nuclear family (New Right)

Caring for family, parental responsibility, economic cooperation, stable relationships.

Postmodernist family perspective

Family structure is chosen based on personal preference; encompasses various forms.

Elkins on postmodern families

Characterized by diverse family forms, including single parent and blended families.

Strength of postmodernist view on family

Breaking traditional family views allows recognition of varied living situations.

Changing role of family in functionalism

More functions are being assumed by the state.

New Right critique of single parent welfare

Claims single parents will not socialize children properly, perpetuating criminality.

Criticism of Marxist perspective on family

Welfare and education reform have provided long-term benefits for families.

Positive view of family-state relationship (feminism)

Liberal Feminism highlights policies supporting gender equality.

Domestic violence definition

Verbal or physical abuse towards family members within a domestic setting.

Liberal feminism

Feminist theory focused on equal opportunities for gender equality.

Liberal feminist perspective on conjugal roles

Men and women should freely choose their roles.

Marxist feminist viewpoint

Labels women as unpaid servants, exploiting economic conditions.

Causes of female economic exploitation (Marxist feminist)

Capitalism and patriarchy.

Radical feminist perspective

Blames patriarchy for female oppression.

Firestone's theory on pregnancy and gender discrimination

Pregnancy is a cultural gender difference; removing it could decrease discrimination.

Friedan and Millett's solution to gender inequality

Abandoning patriarchal family structures in favor of matrifocal families.

Traditional mother role in nuclear family

Raising children at home.

Traditional father role in nuclear family

Financial provider working outside the home.

Gershuny's research on maintenance responsibilities

Women perform routine maintenance while men handle repairs.

Kans' research on housework levels

Paid employment lowers the amount of housework women perform.

Household labor distribution according to Ramos

Even distribution occurs when the male is unemployed but his partner works.

Evidence for Sullivan's ‘quiet revolution’

Increased housework and childcare involvement by men, family becomes more home-centered.

Wilmott’s factors determining division of labor

Time and preference influence labor distribution in households.

New man definition

A man balancing provider and domestic roles while nurturing children.

Stratified diffusion definition

Gender roles gradually evolving during industrialization, spreading from upper to lower classes.

Instrumental role definition

Emotionally detached, objective role typically associated with males.

Expressive role definition

Emotionally connected and nurturing role typically associated with females.

Three Marxist family economies

Political (income management), moral (conjugal roles), emotional (interpersonal relationships).

Reasons victims don't report domestic abuse (Kirkwood)

Low confidence, economic dependence, fear of consequences.

Consensus perspectives on family needs

Companionship, security, child-rearing.

Negative effects of globalization

Increased uncertainty about identity and expected behavior.

Becker's concept of psychic income

Psychological pleasure from relationships involving commitment and affection.

Conflict perspectives on family

View family as harmful, oppressive, and having a dark side.

Percentage of female murder victims killed by male partners

70%.

Forms of abuse in families (conflict perspective)

Domestic abuse and child abuse.

Archard's view on childhood concept

Childhood varies by society and is not purely biological.

Philippe Aries on the development of childhood

Developed with the transition from pre-industrial to industrial society.

Education system's impact on child development

Children spend less time with adults and more with peers.

Malinowski's research findings

Children had more rights, supportive adult-child relationships, and less guilt around sexuality in pre-industrial societies.

Postman's argument on technology's impact on children

Exposes children to adult content such as violence and sexuality.

Postmodern view of children

Children shape consumer products and develop their own cultures.

Dependency ratio definition

Relationship between economically inactive and active population.

Aging population and dependency ratio

Increased older population raises the economic burden on younger generations.

Pivot generation definition

Generation caring for both children and elderly parents, usually women.

Grandparents' role in family (Smallwood and Wilson)

Provide childcare.

Increased life expectancy impact

More generations simultaneously being cared for.

Traditional view of elders in communities

Seen as wise leaders.

Elders in Western societies

Often seen as less useful and weak.

Social status key factors for elders

Control over social and economic resources.

Hecht's study on nurtured vs. nurturing children

Wealthy nurtured children receive care; poorer nurturing children provide care.

Cultural capital definition

Non-economic resources impacting children’s success, typically provided by higher social classes.

Class impact on early school leaving

Working class children are most likely to leave school early.

Treatment of ‘Beth’ vs. ‘Adam’ by young mothers

Beth received more affection and nurturing than Adam.

Regulation of behaviors in children

Parents more likely to regulate female children's behavior.

Martin and Ruble's concept of children

Children are active in understanding gender differences.

Peer reinforcement of gender identity

Through shared gender activities and social sanctions.

Extended childhood in societies

Noticed in industrial societies due to compulsory education.

Economic contribution of children in certain ethnic groups

Identified in Chinese and Italian communities.

Changes in motherhood in the UK

Declines in birth rates and family sizes and increase in age of first-time mothers.

Child-centered family structure changes

Smaller families create higher expectations on mothers.

Social construct perspective on motherhood and fatherhood

Roles vary greatly among different societies.

Benefits of preschool or daycare for children

Provides early secondary socialization.

Fathers’ traditional role barriers

Fear of stigma prevented nurturing roles.

Changing position of men in society

Factors include unemployment, changing attitudes towards domestic violence, women’s independence, questioning traditional masculinity.

Modern men's relationship aspirations

Desiring to be more involved fathers than their own.