SOC 2052 UVA exam 1

key terms, topics, and possible essay questions

Midas Mindset

• discounts the importance of marriage, friends, and family for fulfillment

• ONLY cares about personal success — especially regarding materials, careers, and freedom

• basic idea is — “money over everything”

how does the Midas Mindset play out today? Especially at UVA

• UVA students tend to be focused on there education and career, instead of getting into a serious relationship. — idea that LOVE is a risk but your CAREER is reliable.

• Americans today believe that education, work, and money will lead to extreme fulfillment like Midas wished. (Wilcox lecture)

does marriages boost happiness?

151% increase

Aristotle’s belief on marriage and humans regards to fulfillment

• believed that we are social animals who need close connections to our family and friends lead to higher fulfillment

• believed that giving and receiving care and providing care leads to higher fulfillment.

Left view points about Marriage

• bad for woman — idea that it doesn’t lead to happiness, limits financial opportunities.

• has no advantage for men or woman —- especially for men. (Andrew Tate talks about this) argues that men should stay single, make a lot of money, play with his “toys” but not completely invest into it.

Red Pill Right

idea that men should stay single, make a lot of money, play with his “toys”/women, while not completely investing into it.

Young adults raised in intact family household’s with both biological parents?

54%

Do kids that have intact family’s have higher college graduation rates?

125%

How do socioeconomic status shape us?

family shapes use but DOES NOT determine your socioeconomic status (education).

how high is the divorce rate now?

40%

4 core intellectual objectives

1. how do family shape happiness and meaning

2. how family shoes socioeconomic status

3. how does culture and social structure shape family life

4. how do family shape common good

Potential question: “what are some steps you can take towards creating a good marriage?”

Neofunctional perspective

• means looking at how a institution changed across time but ALSO mapping events in a sequential order

• IS AFFECTED BY CULTURE

Neofunctional perspective — marriage

• looking at marriage across time in a sequential order.

• marriage acts as a social structure/institution for stable producing stable relationships and practices revolving $ and power.

• ***culture affects how we see marriages and its practices. (norms, beliefs, and rituals)***

Potential question: How does single vs intact families affect children’s outcome economically?

• single parent households are a strong indicator of ………..

What is specific features required of an institution?

• norms that guide practices

• roles that are assigned to practices Ex: pastor and brother

• roles that are legit by the beliefs of practice

• are supported by structural and cultural resources.

• common social practices.

Do institutions need to do all these things?

• order specific areas of social life

• make areas of life meaningful

• serve functions associated with these areas of social life

What does Order in practice look like?

• institutions depends on formal rules — laws and policies — and informal rules — norms — to ensure that individuals are abiding in common practices.

• IF rules are not followed they can lead institutions trying to enforce practices through the state —law—- and through stigmas —-place on us by defying norms—

what does function look like in practice?

• institutions primary goal — ex: college is used for securing a good job after college.

why do we need meaning in institutions?

• helps use understand/feel that our roles matter.

what is an example of an institution?

the family

the family — institution —

• functions of families are: caring for children, socialization of children, assisting one another, organization of kinship relations.

• order of families are: doing what we need to do/ example would be providing.

• how do families make our lives meaningful: fulfilling social functions makes our life meaningful.

Do liberals and conservatives have different views on marriage?

yes, they do conservatives tend to value traditional marital norms, and overall the institution of marriage more because they believe it strong influences the family process. —liberals value freedom and quality of relationships, meaning that family depends on social structure more than family. —

5 core family functions that are almost universal

• caring for children

• socialization of children (helping them with values, language, manners, etc)

• mutual assistance between kin

• regulation of adult sexual relationships — idea that it only should happen in marriage with only your partner—

• family gives life meaning

What is the percentage of Americans who are currently married?

51%

how do liberals and conservatives view gender roles?

• liberals believe that gender is a socially constructed, believes that the institution of family creates inequalities, and mean and woman should both do 50-50 at home and work.

• conservatives believe that gender is biological, gender specialization is good for families when kids are at home, and that gender specialization is more efficient than 50-50

ultimate beliefs

• beliefs that shape our interpretations of facts and which facts we pay attention to.

derivative beliefs

expectations about the REAL WORLD that are manifestations of our ultimate values. —more logically based—

what are differences in Liberal ultimate beliefs vs Conservative ultimate beliefs?

• liberal ultimate beliefs are moral authority is found in the world, morality changes with time, family is constantly changing, not declining.

• conservatives ultimate beliefs are moral authority is a transcendent source,moral law is unchanging, and believes that family is on the decline because of decline in marriages and child centered families.

how many collegiate women report sexual assault?

14%

are first year women more vulnerable to sexual assault?

yes

why does sexual assault happen on college campuses?

• part of the problem is alcohol consumption while giving “consent” to sexual behavior. — lead to people no being aware of severity of situation —

• another really big problem is Courtship becoming de-institutionalized.

Potential Question: how has the decline in courtship lead to the decline in marriages?

• ……

what are aspects of Courtship?

• courtship provides clear norms and practices for young adults to navigate romantic relationships.

• ex: creates clear gender roles in courtship —men = wooer and women = wooed.

what is courtship?

• courtship is the practice that involves a woman and a man spending intentional time together to get to know each other as a potential spouse.

• typically involves the family and community.

How is courtship an institution?

• function of courtship = providing a good marriage.

• sexual norms = waiting until marriage to preform sexual acts — if parties do not, they are told to get married.—

• gender norms = scrip for both female and male interaction

• roles = wooer and wooed

• institutional setting = family, friends and community tend to be involved in process along with multiple opportunities to learn each other.

what is calling?

think of this like Bridgeton, woman could accept or deny if a man could call onto her in the afternoon. men typically did this to pursue the woman. *** Family is heavily involved in this — especially the mother—

have Americans de-institutionalized courtship?

yes, Americans have removed courtship from family, friends, and church. —> this is resulting in confusion amongst relationships. —NOTHING is guiding courtship/dating.

how is there confusion in courtship in today’s society?

• today people are confused on what roles to play in relationships because we have mixed up hanging out, with hooking up, with joined to the hip, and semi traditional dating. —> results in no clear order or direction in relationships

what is “Hanging out?” refer to in dating/courtship

idea of spending time together without clear expectations. — hard to transition from hanging out to actually dating.—

what is hooking up?

idea of having sexual activity without commitment

does hooking up = a form of cheap sex?

yes, cheap sex is sex that doesn’t involve commitment, resources, or even emotions. — Regnerus argues that sex before any emotional or committed connection have been established is a form of cheap sex

what is joined to the hip?

idea that “we do everything together”/ no barriers in relationship.

what is dating?

taking it slow, no sex, tries to develop and maintain friendship first.

when do women/men typically get married now vs then?

• For women it used to be 21 in 1970 and 28 now.

• for men it used to be 23 and now it is 30

what is the divorce revolution?

• in the 1970s people made it acceptable for families to split.

what does career and work paramount mean?

idea that parents and educators put empathizes on career not marriage or family.

what percentages do parents stress work and marriage?

work = 88% and marriage = 21%

sexual revolution

sex is a causal thing rather than being in marriage. —happened in the 1970s—

• broke links between sex and marriage

college sex ratio

favors men over women. — how? there are more women in colleges. —

• 56% women and 44% men

how are there no clear gender norms?

• 2 shifts — 1. gender equality 2. women are expected to be successful and independent while men are not expect to follow distinct relationship norms like chivalry. (Glenn 2001; Regnerus 2017) — men lack a clear constructive role—

what are some benefits in de-institutionalization of courtship?

• education and work — allows woman to focus on their ambitions and goals.

what is the Laissez faire approach in relationships

• cares more about freedom, marriage is less constricted.

what are some costs in the Laissez faire approach?

emotional, social, and martial outcomes

• social = women are more likely to lose respect after a hookup, can create and expectation of commitment that is not shared.

• emotionally = women can experience higher risks of suicidiality and depression

• hooking up and hanging out results in weak marriages/ no marriage

how does sex affect woman regarding men?

• men have greater satisfaction regarding no strings attached sex. — sex can lead mean to value sexual investments over schooling

• women tend to have a negative enjoyment. (Soh 2020)

How women & men navigate relationships depends in part on these 3 things

• is the goal fun, success, marriage.

how is courtship among college educated early 20s people?

• most mix fun and career/education. — values freedom in relationship —

• put marriage on the back burner resulting in marriages in 30s. (50%)

do 20/early30 somethings date?

2/3 of single 20/early 30somethings not dating anyone seriously (IFS 2026)

most marriages take pack by 30s for mist Americans, why?

• USA values marriage still

• most Americans are religious

• received a good job/ a lot of money.

what is the digital revolution?

• the digital revolution is where to many people are addicted to their screens which makes us anxious and reluctant to socialization with others

how many hours did socialization go down per week?

went from 12 - 5

how does the digital revolution impact dating?

• do to the lack of socialization caused by the digital revolution, dating has went down by 50% due to anxiety and politics.

what does a 20 something man look like?

• known for being child men — meaning men who do not grow up to be prepared for marriage and family. (Hymowitz 2011)

how many men do not work in their prime age?

1 in every 5, are not working full time

what is amazonian detachment?

a legendary nation in Greek mythology, whose nation was all females that didn’t need men for anything.

how many single women are not looking to date?

39%

where do most couple now a days meet?

online

potential question: How does cohabitation affect marriages?

…..

why do people cohabit

• shared expenses,

• opportunity to evaluate potential spouse

• convenient sex

• breaking up is easier than divorce

• freedom and flexibility

• concerned for divorce

• family reasons (Sassler and Miller 2017)

3 central points of cohabitation

1. cohabitation is growing in popularity

2. cohabitation ≠ increase martial odds

3. experience differs amongst social classes

how many marriages today come from cohabitation in US

70%

rise in cohabitation was a consequence of what?

de-institutionalization of courtship

when cohabiting how are men and women looking at it?

• men are more likely to mention sex

• women are more likely to mention love

are men more hesitant to commit?

yes men are more hesitant to commit and are less likely to.

Do cohabitation increase or decrease divorce rates?

30% higher increase. but produces equality regarding house chores (Rosenfeld & Roesler 2018)

how does cohabitation affect womens divorce rates?

if a women has cohabited with other men, they are 2x more likely to end in divorce.

sliding means

once you are cohabiting you have factors pushing you to slide into marriage. — problem is that we build up physical intimacy but not friendship.

how does an increase in cohabitation, affect marriage as an institution

makes marriage lose it’s authority

how much decline in marriage is cause by cohabitation?

75%

how many children are now in a cohabiting household

40%

how in stable are children in cohabiting environments compared to married?

3 times more likely

cohabitation in Sweden

75%

what is the success sequence

• education = getting at least hs degree by mid 20s

• working a full time by mid 20s

• marrying before having kids

how are people who follow the success sequence?

97% of people are not in poverty

How to date intentionally in your 20s?

follow the 10 rules.

what is rule #1 to how to date intentionally in your 20s?

1st rule is “Ask her out”

• this is typically calling the man to action and telling him to be brave regardless of a yes or no.

• women value courage and confidence in a partner more than men do

(mills 2011 — 93% of women do) —→ women tend to be more picker than men, but the woman’s role in this scenario is to give him a chance.

what is rule #2 to how to date intentionally in your 20s?

2nd rule is “Pace it”

• meaning to take the relationship slowly. — helps with building a strong foundation of communication, trust and emotional sexurity.

what is rule #3 to how to date intentionally in your 20s?

3rd rule is “the value of symmetrical commitment”

• this means a partnership where both people share the same level of commitment —- Note: commitment is really important for men.—-

what is rule #4 to how to date intentionally in your 20s?

4th rule is “dont wait too long”

• means do not wait until your 30s, **happiest marriages are seemed to be made by mid 20s

• husbands tend to be more satisfied sexually and emotionally (14 pts and 10 pts)

what is rule #5 to how to date intentionally in your 20s?

5th rule is “seek out advice of wise friends and family members

• meaning rely on them for support and emotionally support

what is rule #6 to how to date intentionally in your 20s?

6th rule is “a good wo(man) is hard to find”

• meaning do not just marry someone because they have the right personality but marry them thinking about your future family

what is rule #7 to how to date intentionally in your 20s?

7th rule is “do not just rely on chemistry”

• idea that we should search for people similar values and interest as us

what is homogamy?

• idea that we should search for people similar values and interest as us

what is rule #8 to how to date intentionally in your 20s?

8th rule is “avoiding negativity”

• meaning trying to have more positive interactions then negative ones.

what is stone walling? and what sex participates the most in it?

idea of a partner closing off their emotions/ distancing themselves from their spouse.

• men participate the most in this

what is excessive nagging? and what sex participates the most in it?

idea of a partner constantly criticizing their spouse with phrases like “you never/ you always”

• women participate the most in this

what is the rule of thumb for understanding if you are in a negative or positive relationship?

for a positive relationship — for every 1 negative interaction there should be 5 positive ones.

what is rule #9 to how to date intentionally in your 20s?

9th rule is “do not accumulate multiple partners.

• if you sleep with a lot of people you have a whopping 130% increase of divorce. — more partners = less happiness.

what is rule #10 to how to date intentionally in your 20s?

10th rule is “putting the family-first model over soulmate”

• idea that a couple should focus on something larger then themselves regardless if that is children or religion.

what is the soulmate model?

focuses on feelings fro partner, which can be conditional and individualistic.