Family Studies - Key Concepts (Video)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the video notes.

Feminist theories (family studies)

Emphasize diversity in family structures and challenge traditional gender roles.

Public vs. Private families

Public families provide goods/services for society; private families focus on intimate family life.

Agents of gender socialization

Family, peers, media, and education shape gender norms.

Patrilineal descent

Descent traced through the father's lineage.

Matrilineal descent

Descent traced through the mother's lineage.

Kinsey Report

Revealed widespread sexual diversity and that same-sex behavior was more common than previously believed.

Family structure change

Historical shift from extended families to nuclear, then to diverse modern family forms.

Interactionist approach to gender

Gender differences are socially constructed through daily interactions.

Education as income predictor

Education is the strongest predictor of income.

Social Exchange theory

Relates relationships to exchanges of rewards and costs between people.

Intersectionality

Framework for analyzing overlapping inequalities (race, gender, class, etc.).

Symbolic Interactionism

Focuses on daily interactions and how people assign meaning to symbols.

Cult of True Womanhood

Ideals of piety, purity, domesticity, and submissiveness for women.

American social classes

Upper, Middle, Working, Lower.

Two types of American individualism

Utilitarian (self-interest/success) and Expressive (self-expression/autonomy).

Hookup culture

Most common in young adulthood, especially during college years.

Criticisms of the socialization approach to gender

Ignores biology and can oversimplify the complexity of gender development.

Industrialization and urbanization (1900s–1800s)

Industrialization, urbanization, and the rise of wage labor spurred family changes.

Life chances

Opportunities available to individuals; strongly influenced by education.

Primary causes of family homelessness

Job loss, lack of affordable housing, and family instability.

Baby Boom (1946–1964)

A period of sharply higher birth rates in the United States.

Social institution

Organized system of beliefs/behaviors (e.g., family, education, religion).

Assortative marriage

Marrying someone with similar traits (class, education, race).

Barrio

A close-knit Hispanic neighborhood or community.

Singlehood among Black women

Higher due to structural inequalities and systemic factors.

Reflexivity

Reflecting on life choices and identity; linked to individualism.

Cohabitation vs. marriage trends

Cohabitation rising; marriage declining; higher rates among educated/wealthy individuals.

Monogamy

Having one partner at a time.

Polygamy

Having multiple spouses.

Kinship types

Blood, marriage, adoption, and chosen family.

Gender identities beyond male/female

Transgender, nonbinary, and two-spirit identities.

Chosen family

A family formed through emotional bonds rather than biology or legal ties.