Families

The Nostalgia Trap

When you idealize the past so much that you stop appreciating or improving your current life, specifically in the context of families.

Traditional Family

A specific family structure common in the mid-1900s, characterized by two parents (a man and a woman), where the father works outside the home and the mother stays home to care for the children.

Nuclear Family

A small family unit consisting of two parents and their children living together.

Cohabitation Revolution

The rapid rise in couples living together without being married.

Smock and Manning

Researchers who study modern relationships, especially common forms of cohabitation.

Wedding Industrial Complex

The notion that the wedding industry pressures couples into spending excessive amounts on weddings.

Women’s second shift

The phenomenon where women, after working a job, return home to perform the majority of domestic responsibilities.

Intimate Partner Violence

A form of violence that can be physical, sexual, stalking, or psychological, often affecting women who remain in such situations due to economic dependencies.

Predicted areas of change in families

Key factors influencing family structure, including economic, demographic, sociocultural, political, and technological changes.

Entrenched inequality

Deep-rooted disparities in resources, power, or opportunities within society that are difficult to change.

First-Generation immigrants

Individuals born in one country who move to live in another.

Second-Generation immigrants

Individuals born in a new country whose parents have immigrated there.

Obergefell V Hodges (2015)

A landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

Multigenerational household

A living arrangement where more than two generations of a family reside together.

Sandwich generation

Adults who are caring for their own children while simultaneously supporting their aging parents.

Breadwinner-homemaker model

A family structure where one partner (usually the man) earns the income while the other partner (usually the woman) manages the household.

Dual-earner arrangement

A family setup in which both parents participate in the workforce and earn income.

Cognitive labor/mental load

The invisible tasks of planning and managing household responsibilities.

Leisure gap

The disparity in free time between individuals, often with women experiencing less leisure than men due to unpaid work.

Public Health Crisis

A widespread health issue that threatens a population's wellbeing.

Cohabitation effect

The trend of couples who live together before marriage having a higher risk of divorce or decreased relationship stability.

Social integration

The extent to which individuals are connected to and involved in their community or society.

Thin market

A situation with a limited number of potential partners available for relationships.

Relationship inertia

The tendency for couples to remain in relationships out of convenience rather than a conscious choice to stay.

Polygamy

The practice of having more than one spouse simultaneously.

Polygyny

A form of polygamy where one man has multiple wives.

Polyandry

A form of polygamy where one woman has multiple husbands.

Gray Divorce

Divorce occurring among older adults, specifically those aged 50 and above.