Family Studies, Midterm 1

4 Types of "family" definitions

Legal, Social or Normative, Personal, Theoretical

Legal Definition of Family

-exists for the purpose of the law

-custody, common-law, cohabitation, disputes and civil disputes

-tax law relevant

-these are not fixed, they change due to varying court cases

-as social norms change, legal ones do too

Social/Normative Definitions

-social norms contribute to understanding a family

-Deviant behaviour= unacceptable behaviour in a family eg dating a stick

-shift and evolve

-nuclear vs extended, nuclear is husband, wife and kids (immediate fam), extended is the extra

Example of Legal definition of family

Census Family

-based on research of canadian families

-"Census family is defined as a married couple and the children, if any, of either or both spouses; a couple living common law and the children, if any, of either or both partners; or, a lone parent of any marital status with at least one child living in the same dwelling and the child or those children. All members of a particular census family live in the same dwelling. A couple may be of opposite or same sex. Children may be children by birth, marriage or adoption regardless of their age or marital status as long as they live in the dwelling and do not have their own spouse or child living in the dwelling."

Personal Definitions

-our own meaning of family based on personal experience

-intentional families based of personal definitions

-eg a close friend could be considered family

Theoretical Definition

-frameworks that aim to explain the family or parts of family life

-context of social theory

-involve bread concepts and propositions about how we should study families

-personal experiences shape our lens or theories because that is a way we look at things

Theories of Family

-family studies is related to sociology of the family

-studies how societies define the family, family life and family experiences

Theory 101, Macro vs Micro

-Macro theories are bigger picture= structural and conflict theory

-Micro theories focus on the individual or small groups= symbolic interactionism

Structural Functionalism -Theory 1

-Conservative theory; family is viewed as a normative institution in society

-view family in social normative ways

-issue could be is if family is viewed the way it was decades ago and not evolved changes

-traditional, family is a normative institution in society

Structural Functionalism; families provide 5 basic functions:

1) Sexual= still in the confines of a married couple

2) Economic= much easier to afford a family with 2 incomes

3) Reproductive= purpose to have children

4) Educational= two parents to educate the child

5) Emotional Support= provide support and security

*SF theory believes that these will be met through this theory

Structural Functionalism CNT (family functions, survival needs)

-social change and deviant behaviour are threats to society's institutional and functional stability

-families serve 2 functions

1) The primary socialization of children

2) The stabilization of adult personalities

-Survival needs of family:

1) Need for economic cooperation

2) Need for role differentiation

3) Need for solidarity

4) Need for integration

-Lead children to grow up into adults that fit the structural functionalist

-SF theory does a lot of research on various areas: (family structure, function, origin of family, family universality, marital structure, working women, expressive and intrumental roles

Strengths and Criticisms of SF

Strengths:

-explains how family is related to other institutions and how family contributes to society as a whole

-focuses on strengths of the families not weakenss

Criticisms:

-unclear in describing why and how societies and families change

-often ignore topics like family violence

-any family that deviates from traditional family is considered abnormal

How does family deal with these conflicts?

-always fight for scarce resources

-power is at its root, who makes decisions, who is the leader

-family needs open conflict, consensus has to be reached

-positive aspects of the fighting for leadership is growth, change and relfection

Conflict Theory -CT -Theory 2

-focuses on the power relationships and inequality

-Assumes that in every relationship there is a fight for power

-Marxist theory, the economic system og a society has influences on all social groups including the family

-family economic conflict

-worth may come from how much $ you or your family has

CT Cont'd -Different ways to go about [pwer

-assumes all members need access to power and these sources are:

1) Legitimate authority- the person that is the head of the household, typically male party

2) Money- who makes more money as the power

3) Physical coercion- in abusive relationships, this is used to maintain power

4) Love- affection, sexual gratification as means of power, whoever holds the key to the sexual relationship or physical relationship obtains more power

-throughout children and teenagers there is still conflict for power in the house, continuing process and directly relates back to conflict theory

Areas of research for conflict theory

conflict management, divorce, developmental changes, family violence, professional practice and policy

Strengths and conflicts of CT

Strengths:

-explains how families and societies change as a result of shifts in power

-reveals that family relationships aren't always harmonious

Criticism:

-not strong demonstrating how families contribute to society

-not good at explaining why social change is slow

Symbolic Interactionism -Theory 3

MICRO-smaller groups

-Looks at the meanings we make about our own experience

-inner workings of families and the dynamics of interpersonal relationships through examining meanings of words and actions

-assumes individuals are constructed by sociery, societal meanings and interpretations determine how a family member acts and reacts

-humans are active social beings

-less about dynamics, looks at interpersonal relations

-who you are in the family, personalities

SI Strengths and criticism

Strengths:

-places emphaiss on peoples responsibility in shaping their view of the world

-used a basis for family therapy

Critisism:

-has been criticized for its micro view, smaller scale

-hard to generalize

Symbolic Interactionism: Herbert Blumer premises of perspective

-argues we have our own perspective of the world and its all based on past experiences and the values you bring forward make you who you are

SI major concepts

status, role, role-taking, role-strain

-focus on what meaning you take away front his, they look at your perspective and how it will be different

-aim to minimize power imbalances between the family but how you develop your ego

-family is developmental of self

-areas of research: meaning, self, role of culture in social interactions, methodological issues

Feminist Theory -Theory 4

-Analyzes family from a macro and micro level

-power structure in society prioritize the viewpoint of men or white men (patriarchy)

-feminist theory hopes to tackle this issue

-gender is social construct

5 Places for feminism in family studies

1) Social construction of gender- how being a man in a family relates to family experiences

2) Theorists committed to gender equality and social change

3) To Question "the family"

4) To put beliefs into action- how to make changes

5) To emphasize the centrality of women's experiences

Gender Socializtion

process by which individuals learn the socially defined behaviour appropriate for males and females

FT- areas of research

-division of labour: dual income, if women is wokring and works more hours but women are still likely to do emotional labour and more with children in the household even with these changes

-family violence: feminist researchers

FT strengths and criticisms

Strengths:

-provides a gendered analysis of the family

-addresses inequality within society and its impact on the family

Criticisms:

-viewed as working against the traditional family

-too much attention on the oppression of women

-fails to consider oppression of other groups

Systems Theory -Theory 5

-Experience of family as different systems

-propose that family is a system with each individual making up a part

-System: the family, eg 5 people in family

-Subsystem: Married partners

-the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts

-ST says its important to research those sub-systems

Systems Theory Cnt'd

-This theory gives us concept of equilibrium

-families have members that affect both one another and the balance of the entire system

-when there is dysfunction, members try to correct the system by changing their inputs and outputs

-to be functional or heathy family must maintain balance if disfunction occurs (no equilbrium), family system may fall a part

-feedback, neg and positive

-How much you put into a relationshop and how much you get out INPUT VS OUTPUT

FOCUS ON:

-importance of roles, how problems result (balance), system as the problem not the individual members

Three basic types of Families

Open

Flexible boundaries, democratic, respect for one another

Interaction with outsiders is permitted

Open to growth and change

Random

No boundaries, disengagement

Receive information with evaluating the true impact on the system

Closed

Over involvement, isolated

Resist change

Common areas of research

-communication and family typologies

-family health and illness

-family dynamics and functioning

-relation to practice

- policy changes to impact family systems

Strength and Criticism of System THeory

Strength:

-accounts for the effect of members behaviour on the whole family

Criticism:

-Descriptive rather than explanatory

-Assumes all members want the family to stay together

-Overlooks experience of the individual

Fails to acknowledge societal influences

Exchange theory -Theory 6

-proposes that individuals have the rational capacity to choose actions determined to produce the greatest rewards

-individuals are self-oriented, maximize what we get and minimize how we get it

-self intrest EXAMPlE:having kids even tho financial drain, because they want kids

look at this innate human nature and how it shows up in the family and family relationships

views as a marketplace and business takes

within families

between families and others in society

Why we end up with who we end up with

comparison level is socially informed

what we feel we deserve

comparison level alternatives: acceptable outcome based on opportunities perceived

rewards (tangible and intangible)

profits

mutual reciprocity

always an expectation

unconscious

Are there any selfless good deeds? - FRIENDS episode*** lol

Areas of exchange theory research

-relationship formation

-dependence, commitment, and persistence

-reciprocity

-equity

Exchange theories CNT'd

Individuals enter, stay or leave relationships based on the personal benefits they receive:

-Compared with past or alternative relationships

-Comparison Level: a person's evaluation based on what they feel they deserve

-Comparison Level Alternatives: acceptable outcome based on opportunities perceived

-Rewards (tangible and intangible)

-Profits

-Mutual reciprocity

-Imbalance of power occurs the exchange to be uneven because if the husband has more

power, he has more resources, therefore, greater exchange.

Exchange theory strengths and criticisms

Strengths:

-assists us to understand decision making within families

Criticisms:

-focuses on individual rather than family needs

-assumes people behave out of self-interest

-cynical view of human relationships

Ecological Theory- Theory 7

-Views the relationship between family and society and views families as a part of an interlocking system that influence each other at 5 levels

Ecological theory areas of research

-Microsystem and environmental interactions

-Program development

-Social issues into play, impact of these issues and programs to assist these issues

-poverty

-discrimination

-education systems

-Looks more at action, (similar to feminist theory), but broader issues rather than just females

5 Levels of ecology theory

1) Microsystem

-small groups in which people interact face to face

-focuses on relationships - quality and nature are important

2) Mesosystem

-the relationships between two or more microsystems

-quality of connections is important

-example, relationship between family and workplace (for parents)

3) Ecosystem

-institutions and organizations in society in -which individuals do not take an active part but

that affect them through mesosysetm or microsystem

-example for children, decisions made by school board

4) Macrosystem - biggest belief systems in the world

-society's culture and ideology

5) Chronosystem

-includes the dimension of time as it relates to the social environment

-internal and external influences

-Looks at the interactions of these systems with you and your family

Ecological theory- strengths and criticisms

Strengths: explains how society interacts with the family

Criticism: not specific family experiences

Developmental Theory- Theory 8

-Assumes that individuals, families and relationship exist as stages of development

-theory that textbook is based on

Also known as family life theory

-organizes the way we think about the family

-develops across certain stages

Developmental theory- Family views from multiple levels of analysis

1) Individual

2) relationshop

3) Family Unit

4) Stage

-As norms change the stages of the family change

- for example, right now we would choose cohabitation before marriage in the family cycle

-propose that the family is not static but it changes in response to:

-learned expectations from society, and norms change in each family stage of the family life span

-Views human development and aging as life long process

Developmental Theory: stages of development

-addition or subtraction of damily members

-stages of child development

-connections to social systems

Researching Families

-To understand: family behaviour, families relation to larger social structure

-To provide: practical implications & application, predict future trends

-Use: scientific approach, proper research methods, builds theories

DT- Major Concepts

Events

Stage

Roles

Role Configuration

Trajectories

Transitions

Pathways

Schema

Linked Lives

Context

Social time clock

AREAS OF RESEARCH:

-family life cycle, family career, dynamics within family stages

-Developmental tasks: tasks that an individual or a family is expected to achieve at a particular

stage in development

Social Time Clock: socially approved timetable for certain life events

"Children raising children"

Developmental Theory Strengths and Criticisms

Strengths:

-It allows researchers to compare family life in different cultures

-Relates to theories of child and adult development

Criticisms:

-May provide an idealized model that real families do not fit

-It depends on the concept of the nuclear family; often it does not account for alternative family forms

-It often focuses on a single generation and does not consider intergenerational relationships

Researching families terms

-Quantitative research: based on collecting data that are presented in form of numbers and

analyzed using statistical techniques

-Qualitative research: Concerned more with verbal descriptions of behaviour based on reports

from people being studied, on observation, and on the analysis of patterns

-Survey: A method of research that involves getting information from many individuals

- Experiment: A research method that involves changing conditions deliberately and observing

-Interview: A research method in which the researcher asks questions face to face

-Focus group: a research method in which group members discuss a particular issue

Content Analysis: a research method based on analyzing documents or other kinds of records

-Direct Observation: a research method in which the researcher watches and records

behaviour

- Cross-sectional research: a research method that studies individuals of different ages and

compares them in relation to the factor under investigation

Correlation: a mathematical method for showing the direction and strength of a relationship

between variables

Cohort effect: characteristics or attitudes that result from the period of history in which people

have lived

Longitudinal research: a research method in which the same individuals are studied for a

period of time

Researcher Bias

monolithic bias

sexist bias

ageist bias

micro structural bias

racist bias

heterosexual bias

FAMILY THEORIES SUMMARY

1) STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM

-a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. Two theorists, Herbert Spencer and Robert Merton, were major contributors to this perspective.

2) CONFLICT THEORY

-a theory propounded by Karl Marx that claims society is in a state of perpetual conflict due to competition for limited resources. It holds that social order is maintained by domination and power, rather than consensus and conformity.

3) SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONALISM

-the view of social behavior that emphasizes linguistic or gestural communication and its subjective understanding, especially the role of language in the formation of the child as a social being

4) FEMINIST THEORY

Analyzes family from a macro and micro level

-power structure in society prioritize the viewpoint of men or white men (patriarchy)

-feminist theory hopes to tackle this issue

-gender is social construct

5) SYSTEMS THEORY

-is the interdisciplinary study of systems in general, with the goal of discovering patterns and elucidating principles that can be discerned from and applied to all types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of

6) EXCHANGE THEORY

-Social exchange theory posits that human relationships are formed by the use of a subjective cost-benefit analysis and the comparison of alternatives. The theory has roots in economics, psychology and sociology.

7) ECOLOGICAL THEORY

-Ecological systems theory is an approach to study of human development that consists of the 'scientific study of the progressive, mutual accommodation, throughout the life course, between an active, growing human being, and the changing properties of the immediate settings in which the developing person lives, as this process is affected by the relations between these settings, and by the larger contexts in which the settings are embedded

8) DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY

-Family development theory is an approach to studying families, which is useful in explaining patterned change, the dynamic nature of the family and how change occurs in the family life cycle. Families move over time through successive stages. Each stage has tasks critically important and somewhat unique to the stage

LECTURE 2 -Definitions

-Race: physical differences between groups of people

-Ethnicity: used to refer to a group of people who share the same cultural heritage.

-Visible minority: a person, other than an -Aboriginal, who is non-caucasian in race or non-white in colour

-Aboriginal: a person who is Metis, First Nations, or inuit

-Minority groups: any group that holds less power

-Dominant group: a group that has the greatest power

Canadian Population -Aboriginal Peoples

-First nations communities not treated well

-officials intervening in their family life style

-causes higher rates of mental health concerns, losing their culture and language

-a lot of trauma (suicides, fires, substance use, violence)

-more likely to have kids at younger ages...

Canadian Population -English and French Canadians

-always seen family as being responsible for its members with chief responsibility to nuclear family members

-Quebec families more likely to not get married, be cohabited

-different cultures

-Families in quebec are less traditional, more equality in family relationships, getting married and having kids at older ages

-their family roles are defined by the Roman Catholic Church, large families idealized, men were patriarch and women sought motherhood

Canadian Population -Other Immigrant Groups

-1901 census =25 ethnic groups in canada

-2006 census= 200 different ethnic groups

-by 2031, 25-28% of population will be born outside of Canada and 29-32% will be visible minority

-Canada is place of freedom

-Immigrants are more willing to do unwanted, dangerous, low pay jobs with high death risk

-racist government system; education, language spoken, might have to redo specific schooling eg dentist and doctos

-we dont have a naturally growing population, having less kids so IMMIGRANTS ARE THE NUMBER ONE WAY TO MAINTAIN POPULATIONS

-we will see more immigrants coming and new policies

Canadian Population -Multiracial Families

-Have several variations

-marriage and common-law unions between visible and non visible individuals, children born to such parents, both within and outside of marriage and children adopted internationally or trans racially within Canada

Immigration

Historical patterns impacted by:

-desire to retain Canada's "british" character

-need for labour

-humanitarian motives

-changes to citizenship and immigration since WW2

Immigration Challanges

-doesnt matter where they come from

-have similar issues with lower incomes, finding employement, lack of knowledge of social supports, navigation of ethnic identity with Canadian culture

-hard to get work and when they do its low payigng

-affects children the most, in class and meeting new people

Acculturation Strategies

-Separation: A strategy based on the voluntary ejection of the dominant culture or involuntary exclusion from the dominant culture

-Assimilation: A strategy based on rejection of the heritage culture and full and exclusive orientation toward the dominant culture

-Integration: A strategy based on high levels of engagement in both the heritage and mainstream cultures sought

-Marginalization: A strategy where there is little possibility of interest in maintaining the heritage culture and little interest in having relations with others in the dominant culture

Immigrant Challanges Terms

-Prejudice: A negative attitude toward an entire group of people

-Discrimination: Negative treatment of a group of people based on prejudice

-Stigma: A trait or an attribute that is used to differentiate individuals and has a negative value

Race and Ethnicity

-different experience does not mean inferior

-Canadian population becoming more diverse

-black canadians more likely to be incarcerated

-different ways of learning

-impacts: struggle with self esteem, confidence, shame

-non white canadians more likely to experience violence in their life time, more substance and mental health problems

Gender Socialization

Occurs through:

-family

-education

-peer groups

-mass media

-personal views learned at a young age, also how to be a boy and girl

Gender Roles -Definitions

-Gender: One's personal, social and legal status as a male or female

-Gender Roles: Complex clusters of the ways males and females are expected to behave within a given culture

-Socialization: the lifelong process of inheriting and disseminating norms, customs and ideology providing an individual with the skills and habits necessary for participating within his or her own society.

Structural Functionalism on Gender Roles

1) Preindustrial Society:

-hunting and gathering, farming, in essence assigned gender roles

-Men: assigned hunting roles, women cooking and cleaning

-frequently gone for a long time

-Women had the domestic roles, pregnancy, childbirth and nursing, care taking.. and were seen as weak and not to be trusted

2) Contemprary Societies

-Husband-father: instrumental role, expected to maintain physical integrity of family by providing food and shelter and linking family to world outside the home

-Wife-mother: Expressive role, she is expected to cement relationships and provide emotional support and nurturing activities that ensure the household runs smoothly

-"weak" perspective until the 1950s

-women were wife and mother.

-they should have the decision, they were limited

Conflict Theory on Gender Roles

1) Capitalism:

-Interest of the dominant class is to maintain its position of power the subordinate class

-Exploiter-exploited relationships occurring in broader society are translated into household

-most gender socialization happens in household, youre told youre different

-capitalistic labour structures profited upon woman's unpaid labour, taking care of household and children, take away from housecleaning and child caring sevices

-they deserve to be reimbersed

2) Labour:

-In modern societies, mens work has dollar values

-conflict theorists would agree with the idea that domestic labour should have some monetary value!!! mothers get $

-if domestic labour isnt given a monetary value, or if women remain tied to this role, male dominance will continue

Symbolic Interactionism on Gender Roles

-reality is what society agrees it is -includes gender

-gender emerges not as an individual attribute but something that is "accomplished" in interaction with others

-symbolic interactions, through media, family members

-identify the influences that determined sense of self, arguing that we learn gender through each other

-Doing gender -Dramaturgy

-best way to understand social interaction is to consider it as an enactment in a theatrical performace

Conditions Underlying Family Paterns of Gender Roles Attitudes

-Family socio-economic status

-parents time spent on gendered household tasks

-parents time with children

-gender roles in family have impact on the family

-higher income= well educated =more gender equality in their family relationship

-also in lower income levels, out of necessity

-religion, has ideas of how its supposed to be

-how much time is spent on household tasks and time with children

-even though NOW women are wokring more and more hours than men, they still do more work at home than their partner

Lecture 3 -Forming Couples

First stage of family life style

Dating

-process of courtship that was highly regulated; at any age, doesn't always lead to marriage

-TODAY is transformative

-has changed in the past 10 years from being regulated to very informal

-hook up culture, formal, short term with low emotional depth

-first step in family formation, marriage

-any age

Functions of Dating

-Form of recreation, socialization, status or achievement or mate selection

-date because youre bored?

-first step to mate selection

Dating Definitions

-A couple who are attending functions together (Bogle, 2007)

-The process of collecting information about a potential companion (Briggs, 2012)

-The process of exploring, investigating, and gauging the possibility of eventually reaching 'commitment' with another person (Rowan & Hallen, 2010)

-Interview stage

-Do something with people while really thinking about if its more

History of Dating-ANCIENT GREECE

-passionate love was viewed as dangerous, arranged marriage, gendered interest

-good love: altruistic

-friendship love

-everything was based on status and you would be matched based on your level

-you'll learn to love each other, but love didn't really matter, women's role was to have children

History- Pre WW1

PRE WW1

-ww1 gave rise to custom of dating

-young people interacted only then their intentions were serious and courtship took place mainly at community activities and in the parents home

-romantic love not good

-thought people of different status couldnt understand each other

-then ww happend and people were worried about dying and continuing the population

History -EUROPE IN MIDDLE AGES

EUROPE IN MIDDLE AGES

-prior to the 12th century no form of dating

-during 12th century courting was normal in mate selection

-follwoing revolution in the 17th and 18th centuries romantic love was seen as preferred for marriage and mate selection

-womens bodies were the property of their spouse or father before that

-no form of mating but mate selectoin was done through courting

-make interests knwon, family supervises their interaction until they decide if they were a good fit , decisions made by parents, personal connection not important

History- Post WW1

-"golden age of courtship"

-less supervised

-change associated with increase in urban living, automobile, telephone, co-educational colleges, increased status of women, and increased leisure time activities

-over this 40 year period, households had telephones

-also automobiles lack supervision

-added casual dating at this stage, can choose a mate!!

-some women were now liekly to go beyond highschool

4 stages of Post WW1 dating

1) casual dating

2) steady dating

3) engagement

4) marriage

History- 1960 to present

-Dating became less formal

-associated with increase in women's rights and technological advances

-goal of dating to have fun and increase social opportunities

-advent of hooking up

-free choice dating

-less romantic, dating for fun rather than mate selection, helps discover who you are for fun

Hook Up Culture

-4-7 hu partners avg for university students over 4 years

-campus culture hu, heterosexist, antagonistic, beauty oriented

-30% opted out of hu

-goals of this: pleasure, meaning and empwerment, not cohesive with hook up culture

-comes with sexual double standard

Sexual Double Standard

-describes social principle that men are allowed more sexual freedom than women

-women seen as pure, sexuality controlled and mate was supposed to be chased

-belief system was that only men had pleasure in sex and women were meant to pleasure them

-during 1800s, women were regarded as being pure and sexless

-sexual revolution intriduced sex within dating couples

4 types of premarital sexual standards

-Abstinence

-permissibeness with affection

-permissiveness without affection

-double standard

Adolescent dating goals

-identity

-intimacy

-status

-sex

Dating and Internet

-Social forces driving online dating:

-growing proportion of population composed of singles

- career and timing pressures are increasing so they need more efficient ways of meeting others

-single people are more mobile

-workplace romances are on the decline because of sexual harassment

Theories of Attraction

-How you explain you are attracted to someone

-research is generally about heterosexual research

-research focuses on rural or small town communities

1) PROPINQUITY

-we are attracted to those around us, attractions change when there is more option

2) SIMILARITY THEORY

-we are attracted to those similar to us , choose who to date and attractions are based on similarities

-special expeirences together

-Assortative mating: practice of choosing partners based on certain traits

-Homogamy: practice of choosing individuals with traits similar to our own

Theories of Attraction CONT

3) COMPLEMENTARY THEORY

-We are attracted to those who have opposite qualities to us

- opposite of similarly theory , opposites attract

4) PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTANCE

-you are attracted to people you cant have due to internal or external barriers

-feels risky and exciting

5) STIMULUS-VALUE-ROLE THEORY

-attraction is a staged process

-initially attracted to those attainable (attraction drives also ) and is (stimulus), --> then attraction based on similarity of attitudes beliefs and interests (value stage) --> then based on how each partner functions based on role experience, what do you expect from partner

Tshirt theory

people smell each other and the people they pick are similar to themselves, pheromones

Theories of Love- What is love??

-Nuclear family systems are based primarily on interpersonal attraction or the romance ideal of love

-types of love:

-romantic: based on attraction to a partner

-companionate: supportive love, between freinds, heart to heart connection

-want both in love

Rubin 4 feelings connected with love

1) caring for other and wanting to help the other

2) Needing the other as expressed as a strong desire to be near the other

3) Trusting the other is the ability to exchange confidences

4) Tolerating the other, which is the acceptance of the others faults

Developmental theory of love

DEVELOPMENTAL

- Love occures in staged process

-Larsons model of development of love, love as a continuum

1) limited rapport (relationship)

2) Rapport

3) Limited transparency- begin to share inner secrets but are selective

4) creative inderdependancy- now can depend more

5) Crucial transparency- can share everything, deepest secrets and past

6) Self discovery- learn about yourself through the relationshop

7) Vital transparency

-most dont make it to the end stage

Biochemical Theory of Love

BIOCHEMICAL

-love as a natural high

-biological, chemical and hormonal

-natures way of assuring reproduction

-tshirt study

-why do we choose who we do end up with and why do we end up loving who we choose

-attracted to people similar to us

-genetically that is the message

Attachment theory of love

ATTACHMENT THEORY

-love is based out of primary motivation to be connected with other people

-three attachment styles of love

-secure, avoidant and anxious/ambivalent

-babies! small and they draw in affections of parents so they want to take care of them

-can change attachment type

-secure; can trust others, theyll be there for you and meet your needs

-avoidant; taught early in life that they cant trust anyone, needs not met and theyre not important

-anxious/ambivalent; taught that sometimes they can trust but other times they cant, parents are sometimes responsive sometimes not

Wheel theory of love

-Reiss

-4 stages of love that incorporates social and cultural factors

-rapport (development of relationshop and feelings), self revelation , mutual dependance ( seen as unhealthy, knowing that you are moving towards life together, moving from 1 and 1 to being 2), and intamacy

-similar to larsons developmental theory

Triangular Theory of love

TRIANGULAR

-sternberg identified three components of love- need thse three

-passion (sexual attraction)

-intimacy and

-decision/commitment; decision to be together

-Types of triangles

-non love

-romantic love

-infatuation love

-fatuous love

-empty love

-Companionate love

Lee's 6 styles of love

-6 Styles of love that can be expressed within a relationship

-Eros, mania, ludis, agape, storage, pragma lol what

Bio-social theory of mate selection

-based in an evolutionary perspective

-choose mates for the purpose of procreating

-also have biochemical theory for this, most theories contain bio-socail perspective

-choose mates biologically similar to us, easier (same religion and culture)

-purpose of procreating, all want children, choose mates to make this most successful

Mate Selection- what is it

*difference between mate selection and dating

-dating leads to this; the time when people are actively looking to find life partner

-dating tends to focus on finding those deemed to be attractive and desirable

-mate selection tends to focus on stability and love

-arranged marriages starts at this phase

-dating= fun, attraction

-mate selection= stability, who can be my partner for a long time

Social Exchange Theory of mate selection

-actually chooses mates based on own self interest

-economic theory

-mate selections are motivated by self-interest to maximize profit and minimize loss

-can be rewarded in two ways:

1) a person can give you something pleasent

2) they can take away something unpleasant

-how are we rewarded by relationship and waht do we get from it

-want someone to make us profitable for the next 50 years, long term needs

Equity theory of mate selection

-based on social exchange thoery

-economic theory

-mate selection based on maximizing outcomes, rewards minus costs

- more a person contributes, the more a person should gain

-your outcomes/ your contributions = your partners outcomes/ your partners contribution

-all comes down to what we perceive that we gain

-taking that in mind, education, values, beliefs and desired life styles

Filler model, theory of mate selection

-most popular mate selection theory

-process of mate selection occurs over time

-must narrow the total number of options to a small group by filtering for:

-gender preference, -geographical proximity,

-Sex ration dynamics, see two things

1) marriage squeeze, some people are pressured at certain ages

2) mating gradient components, men select younger mates who have less education

But there is more education opportunity for women, getting smarter

-happens in stages like some other ones but over time and occurs based on field of eligibles

-proximity

- because of timing of mating, they wanna work and find their needs in a career and live, average age of marriage is moving up

-more women who want to have children on their own

Filter model, theory of mate selection

FILTER MODEL

-must narrow total number of options to a small group by filtering for:

-endogamy/exogamy

-homogamy

-value and role similarity

-remove people for cultural and religious differences

-weed out based on interests values and beliefs

What does research say about mate selection???

-Proximity:

-According to a national study, 2.3 of married couples were introduced by friends, family, co-workers, classmates or neighbours

-Norm segregation:

People marry other with similar cultural norms which are reflected in residential clusters

-Age:

In Canada, 75% of wives are younger than their spouse, 15% of wives are older than their spouse.

-Religion:

Couples with the same religion report more stable relationship

-

Cohabitation

-Arragement where two people not married live together in an intimate relationship on a long term or permanent basis

-biggest change in the last 30 years, as traditional rules and dating has lessened

-viewed as a transitional status as 90% of those who cohabit either marry or break up

-more of this rather than marriage

-stigma has decreased

-seen as a part of the dating process, mate selection

Common-Law Partner

Person who is not your spouse with whom you are living in a conjugal relationship and to whom at least of of the following applies:

-Have been living in a conjugal relationship for 12 consecutive months

-Is the parent of your child by birth or adoption

-Has custody of your child and you child is wholly dependent on that person

-legal status awarded to couple living together for 12 consecutive months

Historical trajectory of cohabitation

- 50% in 90s, now 60-70% in USA

- In Canada rates are highest amongst first nations and also in quebec - 80% live together in Norway

-Traditionally, western civilization gave preference to monogamous heterosexual relationships legitimized by religious edicits or state of law

-what changed??

-secularization, feminist movement, birth control, sexual revolution, divorce, changing social norms regarding intimate relationships