Families in Canada - Unit 3 Test

Historical Purpose of Marriage

Marriage historically served as a means for political status or monetary gain, with romance being less important. People often married within their social class or above for economic advantage.

Same-Sex Marriage in Canada

Same-sex marriage was legalized in Canada in 2005.

Legal Requirements to Marry in Ontario

In Ontario, individuals must be 18 years of age to legally marry.

Cohabitation

Cohabitation refers to two people living together as husband and wife without being legally married.

Explain evolutionary psychology’s perspective on mate selection. 

Evolutionary psychology suggests that mate selection is driven by the desire to ensure the birth and survival of offspring to adulthood for reproductive success.

Explain social homogamy/functionalist theory on mate selection.

People tend to choose mates who are similar in age, race, ethnic background, religion, and socio-economic status. They are also attracted to people of similar physical appearance.

Ideal Mate Theory/Symbolic Interactionism

Attraction is based on an individual's unconscious image of the ideal mate formed by positive and negative experiences. The relationship is based on romantic love and can lead to marriage.

Social Exchange Theory in Relation to Mate Selection

People find mates based on their personal characteristics and resources, considering who will be attracted to them as a possible mate. Attraction is based on reality rather than fantasy.

Conflict/Feminist Theory in Relation to Mate Selection

Explains why men are typically older than women in marriages, ensuring that men have greater resources and women rely on men's resources to improve their lifestyle. The age difference establishes a "dominant status" for men in the marriage.

Biological Determinism- The idea that most human characteristics, physical and mental, are determined by hereditary factors.

  -  Evolutionary Advantage. The idea is that attraction is based on any inherited trait that provides the individual with an increased chance of survival and reproductive success.

- Social Determinism -The theory that social interactions and constructs alone determine individual behavior.

- Reproductive Capacity- The idea that attraction is an expression of the capacity of a species to reproduce itself under optimal conditions.

List and explain the 4 reasons why we mate

Monogamous and Polygamist Relationships

Monogamy refers to the marriage of two people at a time, while polygamy involves a husband with multiple wives or a wife with multiple husbands.

List and explain Daniel Goldstine, Shirley Zucherman, and Hilary Goldstine's stages in marriage.

Stage 1 – relationships are romantic, warm and respectful, sexual attraction, and individuals build self-esteem as they develop into the relationship they want.

Stage 2 – Conflict arises as individuals become more demanding to meet their own needs. This results in instability in the relationship and requires both to change their behaviour. This allows the marriage to feel less rewarding.

Stage 3 – Couples compromise and negotiate a relationship that meets their needs as well as possible. The relationship becomes more realistic, mature, and stable. 

What is the life cycle framework, be sure to list all stages of the cycle.

The life cycle framework approaches marriage in a different way, where many developmental crises’ would arise in a relationship based on certain events such as 

• Adjusting to marriage

• Birth of a child

• Teenage years 

• Children leaving home

• Retirement

• Growing old together 

Definition of a Successful Marriage (Martin Whyte)

[No information provided]

Arranged Marriage

Arranged marriage is when two people choose to get married based on economic and/or personality compatibility, usually arranged by parents or matchmakers. It is not a forced marriage and is practiced in countries like India, Iran, and China.

Child Marriage

Child marriage refers to any formal or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child. Challenges can arise due to the young age and lack of maturity of the individuals involved.

Social Norms

Social norms are informal rules of behavior in a group that people follow to show their membership, due to social pressure, coercion, power holders, or tradition.

Explain the 2 types of infidelity

Emotional infidelity refers to engaging in an emotional relationship outside of a marriage or committed relationship, while sexual infidelity involves engaging in sexual activity outside of a marriage or committed relationship.

Explain evolutionary psychology’s perspective on mate selection.

• Desire based on mate is most likely to ensure that children are born and survive to adulthood to reproduce.

Explain social homogamy/functionalist theory on mate selection.

• People pick a mate who is similar in age, race, ethnic background, religion, and socio-economic status.
  

• Attracted to people of similar physical appearance.

Explain ideal mate theory/symbolic interactionism

• Attraction is based on a person’s unconscious image of the ideal mate formed by positive and negative experiences 

• The relationship is based on romantic love, “love at first sight”, which leads to marriage.  
  

Explain social exchange theory in relation to mate selection

• Everyone finds a mate because people are attracted to different people.

• People judge their personal characteristics and resources by considering who will be attracted as a possible mate

• Attraction is based on reality more than fantasy 

Explain conflict/feminist theory in relation to mater selection

• Explains why in most cultures and societies men are older than women in marriages.

• This ensures that men have greater resources and that women will need men’s resources to improve their lifestyle. 
  

• The age difference between men and women is needed so men can have a “dominant status” in the marriage. 

Divorce Legalization in Canada

Divorce was legalized in Canada in 1968 with the Divorce Act.

Theories of Divorce (Emily Nett and Exchange Theory)

• Emily Nett states that there are 2 categories of divorce. 

1. Marriage mistakes: 17% of divorces occur within the first 5 years of marriage – when your marriage ends within those first 5 years of marriage, it is said that you made the wrong decision with your partner (marriage mistakes). When your marriage ends AFTER those 5 years, there is a failure to adapt and adjust to the marriage. 
   

2. Marriage failures: Post 5 years of marriage, many things take place which may cause a fall down because of pressure. When one is unable to adapt to the pressures, it falls on the marriage. 

1. When was same-sex marriage legalized in Canada? Which country was the first to legalize same-sex marriage?

• The Netherlands was the first place to accept (legalize) same-sex couples in early 2000, and Canada legalized it in 2005.

List and explain the 3 phases of the divorce process.

1. Awareness phase: 1 person decides to initiate a divorce, after realizing ongoing problems. Withdraw begins to occur 

2. Separated phase: the couple's plan for the break-up of their mental system, settling custody and financial issues 

3. Reorganization phase: the 2 individuals establish their separate lives and parental roles if they have children 

List the top 5 reasons marriages end

• Infidelity 

• different values and interests

• substance abuse

• Experienced abuse; physical, emotional, sexual, or financially 

• Career-related conflict