Sociology of the Family Exam 2

Socialization

The lifelong process of acquiring the language, knowledge, norms, roles, attitudes, beliefs, and values of one’s society

Gender Roles

How we're expected to act, speak, dress, groom, and conduct ourselves based upon our assigned sex

Gender Identity

A personal conception of oneself as male or female

Gender Role Stereotypes

A generalized view or preconception about attributes, or characteristics of the roles that are traditionally performed by men and women

Role Conflict

When two or more social roles overlap and are incompatible.

Social Learning Theory

Suggests that social behavior is learned by observing and imitating the behavior of others

Gender Schema Theory

Children learn about male and female roles from the culture in which they live. According to the theory, children adjust their behavior to align with the gender norms of their culture from the earliest stages of social development.

Instrumental Roles

- Typically played by the father
- A functionalist understanding of the male's function in the family.
- Discipline and provide economic support for the family
- Power brokers in the relationship
- They make all the decisions for the family

Expressive Roles

- Typically played by the mother
- A passive nurturer, providing emotional support, being responsible for the well-being of family members, and the socialization of children

Characteristics of Patriarchal Societies

- Male Dominance
- Male Identification
- Male-Centeredness
- Obsession with Control

Costs of Traditional Gender Roles

- Identity tied almost exclusively to work
- Limited range of emotional expression
- Fear of Intimacy
- Fewer friends more reported loneliness
- More likely to lose daily contact with their children after divorce
- More likely to abuse drugs & alcohol
- Higher suicide rate
- Shorter life expectancy

Division of Domestic Labor

Refers to the different roles and responsibilities that need to be completed within the household

Job Segregation

Occurs when one demographic group is overrepresented or underrepresented in a certain job category

Sexual Harassment

Intimidation, bullying, teasing, or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors

Sex Discrimination

Prejudice and discrimination based on sex or gender, not biological inferiority, are the social barriers to women's and girls' success in various arenas

Attachment Theory

Describes the dynamics of long-term relationships between humans. Its most important tenet is that an infant needs to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for social and emotional development to occur normally

Biochemical Theory of Love

PEA, Endorphins, dopamine, and VTA (Ventral Tegmental Area) stimulation

Wheel Theory

Love is a dynamic process of rapport, revelation, interdependence, and need fulfillment

Triangle Theory

Lovers must be well matched in Passion, Intimacy, and Commitment

Exchange Theory

Maintaining a balanced rewarding relationship

Lust

- Sexual arousal
- Respect is not necessary and may be entirely absent
- May occur without conscious attention or control
- It may (but most often does not) lead to romantic love
- Does not require caring about the lust object

Love

- Multi-faceted
- Based on respect
- Often demanding
- Often requires distinctly unromantic, mundane behaviors
- Involves making decisions to continue working on and committing to the relationship

Lee’s Six Styles of Loving

1. Eros- Erotic love
2. Mania- Obsessive, possessive love
3. Ludus- Carefree, casual, fun love
4. Storge- Long-term committed companionate love
5. Agape- Altruistic self-sacrificing love
6. Pragma- Practical, compatible love

Functions of Love

- Ensures human survival
- Enhances physical and emotional health
- Improves the quality of life
- Love is fun

Barriers to Love

- Technology and media limit face-to-face interaction
- Demographic factors such as age, income, and occupation
- Me-first individualism
- Personality and family characteristics

Jealousy and Controlling Love

More common in cultures that regard women as property
- More about power than it is about love

3 types of Controlling Behavior

1. Emotional and Physical Abuse
2. Extorting Love
3. Guilt Trips

Narcissism

People who have an inflated and impenetrable self-concept. They admire themselves and believe that they have a right to exploit and manipulate others. They believe they are smarter, more attractive, and all around better than other people

Stalking

Unwanted or obsessive behavior toward an individual intended to frighten or coerce

Unrequited Love

- Isn’t really love, it’s infatuation and lust after the idea of a person.
- Occurs when love is not reciprocated
- This type of love cannot develop long-term

Romantic Love

- Romantic activities
- Obsession and longing
- Playfulness
- Fantasy
- Physical attraction
- Loss of sleep and appetite
- Ecstacy
- Mood swings

Romantic Myths

- Love at first sight
- Our love was meant to be
- One true love
- Happily ever after

Sexual Identity

How one thinks of oneself in terms of to whom one is romantically and/or sexually attracted

Sexual Orientation

- Heterosexual
- Homosexual
- Bisexual

Homophobia

Prejudice against homosexual people and homosexuality

Heterosexism

A system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favor of female–male sexuality and relationships
- Heterosexual relationships are the only norm and therefore superior

Reproductive Sex

Sex with the goal of reproduction

Sexual Scripts

Blueprints and guidelines for what we define as our role in sexual expression, orientation, behaviors, desires, and the sexual component of our self-definition

Double Standard

- Men and women are judged by two different standards of behavior
- Women are judged more harshly for any sexual behaviors or relationship
- Makes it difficult to create relationships with mutual trust and respect

Sources of Sex Education

- Parents
- Peers
- Media
- School

Problems with Teaching Sex Education: Parents

- Use of euphemisms
- Parental embarrassment
- Generational embarrassment
- Parents lack correct information
- Children are not sophisticated enough to understand abstract discussions about sex

Parents as a Source of Sex Education

- Parents can be very influential BUT very few children get accurate information or enough information from parents
- Never the primary source of sex information
- Parents grossly overestimate themselves as a source of sex education

Peers as a Source of Sex Education

- Most common source of knowledge about sex
- A lot of information from peers is not correct

Media as a Source of Sex Education

- Movies: Lots of sex, but very little mention of contraception or disease prevention
- Television: Lots of sexual content (every 1 in 4 interactions is sexual), which gives a false impression about attitudes toward sex and the amount of sex in everyday life
- Magazines: Lots of “How to Please your Man (or Woman) articles”

School as a Source of Sex Education

- More than 90% of U.S adults approve of comprehensive sex education in public schools
- No school system in the U.S. offers a K-12 comprehensive sex education curriculum

What is the worse taught aspect of sex education?

Information about sexual identity and sexual orientation

Adolescent Sexuality

A stage of human development in which adolescents experience and explore sexual feeling

Marital Sex Definition

His or her sexual activities and desires will be confined to the marital relationship

Male Climacteric (AKA male menopause)

Some men develop depression, loss of sex drive, erectile dysfunction, mood swings, irritability, loss of muscle mass, and reduced ability to exercise

Marital Sex

- 77% are happy with their sex life
- 40% have sex 2 or more times per week
- Married people report that the quality of sex improves over time
- They report higher quality sex compared to single people

Single Sex

- 53% are happy with their sex life
- 20% have sex 2 or more times per week
- More people are staying single longer, however, double standards and worry over STIs affect the quality of the sexual relationship
- The quality of sex is rated lower

Sexual Activity in Later Life

- Frequency declines with age, but it is more to overwork, anxiety, and stress than lack of desire or access to a partner
- Physical changes associated with menopause and climacteria can cause variations in sex frequency

Effectiveness of Abstinence-only Sex Education

Theoretically effective, in actual practice, intentions to abstain from sexual activity often fail. These programs simply do not prepare young people to avoid unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases.”

Barrier Methods of Birth Control

- Condoms
- Diaphragm
- IUD- Intra Uterary Device

Hormonal and Chemical Methods of Birth Control: Pre-Conception

- Pills
- Shots
- Patches
- Rings
- Implants
- Spermicides

Hormonal and Chemical Methods of Birth Control: Post-Conception

- Plan B (Oravel)- This will work up to 72 hours after conception
- RU 486- This will work up to 8 weeks after conception. (Mifepristone, Misoprostol, Mifeprex)

Behavioral Methods of Birth Control

- Rhythm- Counting the days
- Withdrawal
- Abstinence- Works every time, but you must use it every time

Serialization

- Tubular Ligation
- Vasectomy

STIs

Sexually Transmitted Infections

STI as a social problem

There are thousands of STIs. There are about 50 STIs that are considered social problems because they cause infertility, cancer, disability, death, or are not curable
- Syphilis- Rapidly increasing especially among black men
- Gonorrhea- SC is 4th in the US in cases of gonorrhea
- HIV/AIDS- SC is 13th in cases of HIV/AIDS
- Chlamydia- This is the most commonly reported STI
- HPV- This is the most common STI over a lifetime

Albert Bandura

Developed the social learning theory as an alternative to the earlier work of fellow psychologist B.F. Skinner, known for his influence on behaviorism

Sandra Bem

Developed the Gender Schema Theory

Benefits of Traditional Gender Roles

- Higher income and occupational status
- More positive self-concept
- Less job discrimination
- Freedom of movement
- Less likely to be victims of domestic violence
- More sexual partners
- Happier in marriage

Long Term Love

- Patience
- Independence
- Putting other before self
- Marriage or long-term commitment
- Making the other feel wanted and secure
- Stability and emotional balance

Recreational Sex

Sex for fun or pleasure

Four Fundamental Categories used to Create the Global Gender Gap Index

1. Economic Participation
2. Educational Attainment
3. Political Empowerment
4. Health and Survival

Caring

- Involves wanting to help or support another person
- It involves responding to the needs of another

Intimacy

A feeling of closeness

3 Types of Intimacy

1. Physical
2. Affective
3. Verbal

Four Patterns of Attachment

1. Secure
2. Anxious/Avoidant
3. Anxious/Ambivalent
4. Disorganized/Disoriented

Emotional and Physical Abuse

Sarcasm and humiliation are hallmarks of emotional abuse. Violence or threat of violence to one’s self or a loved one or pet is NEVER a manifestation of love

Extorting Love

- “If you loved me you would…” “You don’t love me because you haven’t…”
- Used to manipulate one’s partner
- Withholding sex is also a form of control
- Sex should never be used as a weapon, a bribe, or a conditional reward in relationships

Guilt Trips

- This is a form of psychological manipulation
- Parents as well as adult romantic partners use this tactic
- There is a difference between being disappointed in someone’s behavior and manipulating that person’s guilt

“Falling Up”

- Occurs when a person desires a romantic relationship with someone holding a superior status or characteristic
- Age
- Appearance
- Differences in social class, income, education, or popularity

Conception

- One step on the way to becoming pregnant
- Only about half result in pregnancy
- Pregnancy does not start at conception

Four Pre-embryonic Stages: Conception to day 14

1. Zygote
2. Morula
3. Cleavage
4. Blastocyst
- Pregnancy begins when all 4 stages are completed and the embryonic stage begins

Zygote

When a human zygote is formed, the united egg and sperm may undergo a successful series of divisions to give rise to multicellular organisms

Morula

This is a collection of large cells at the periphery of the ball

Cleavage

Cells begin to divide more rapidly within the outer casing

Blastocyst

Implants in the inner layer of the uterus, called the endometrium, approximately 8 to 10 days after fertilization, where it will obtain nourishment

Embryonic Stage: Weeks 3-8

- Neural tube forms which will later develop into the central nervous system including the spinal cord and brain
- Buds that will form the arms and legs appear
- The embryo has all of the basic organs and parts except those of the sex organs

The Development of the Heart

- Begins to develop at about 19-20 days after fertilization
- It does not have 4 defined chambers until about the 8th week
- It does not have fully organized muscle tissue until the 20th week

The Development of the Brain

- Around the sixth week, the first early signs of electric brain activity begin to occur
- Brain network connections have developed by 30 weeks gestation

Fetal Stage: Weeks 9-40

- This stage of prenatal development lasts the longest and is marked by amazing change and growth
- During the second trimester (months 4-6), the heartbeat grows stronger, and other body systems become further developed
- During the final trimester (months 7-9) The lungs begin to expand and contract to prepare the muscles for breathing

Types of Birth Control

- Hormonal and Chemical Methods
- Barrier Methods
- Sterilization
- Behavioral Methods

Vasectomy

- A surgical procedure performed on males in which the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles to the seminal vesicles are cut, tied or cauterized
- 99.6% effective
- Vasectomy is the most reliable method of contraception

Tubal Ligation

- A permanent form of birth control in which the fallopian tubes are surgically cut or blocked to prevent conception
- Normally takes about 20-30 minutes and is performed under general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia
- The woman can generally leave the hospital on the same day

The Average Age of Intercourse

- Males: 16.9
- Females: 17.4

Forced Sex

- Nationwide 11% of high school girls and 5% of boys say they have had sex when they did not want to
- For those having their first sex at 14 or younger, 18% said it was forced

Infidelity

- Over a lifetime 21% of men and 12% of women report ever having had extra-marital sex
- Men and women disagree somewhat on what constitutes infidelity
- Men focus on physicality
- Women focus on emotional aspects

Gender Role Socialization

The process through which children learn about the social expectations, attitudes and behaviours typically associated with boys and girls

Damaging Sexist Things Men Learn

1. Don't play with dolls
2. Pink is a girl's color
3. Boys don't cry
4. You throw like a girl
5. Men are also judged on their looks