Marriage and family

social institutions

basic modes of social activity followed by vast majority of members of society

involves norms and values to which large numbers conform

protected by strong sanctions

important “bedrock” in society because key in structuring social behavior

what is the most basic.social institution?

serves critical function of reproduction and socialization

primary agent of socialization

tremendous variation across cultures

continually evolving within cultures

nuclear family

parents and unmarried children, typically living together

the nucleous or core upon which larger family groups

extended family

broader network of relatives connected through blood and marriage

family

two or more people living together, related by blood, marriage, or adoption

household

one or more people who occupy a house, apartment, or other residential unit

important trends in US

declining share of Americans living in married couple families, those with kids in particular

increasing share living in families of other types and non family household arrangements

accompanying decline in overall household size

factors related to declining share of married couple families with kids

divorce and rise of single parent families

declining fertility

increasing numbers delaying or forgoing marriage

rise in single parent families

most single parent families are headed by women

driven by rise in divorce during the 1960s and 1970s

increasingly the path to single parenthood bypasses marriage

today, just over half of single mothers have never been married

rise in single parent families part 2

major focus of the national debate on poverty and welfare

most single moms and their kids are not poor, BUT do face greater odds of being poor compared to other family types

key issue in political “culture wars”

declining fertility

women are having fewer children than in the past

advances in reproductive control and changes in societal norms

delaying or forging marriage

more people postponing entry into first marriages or choosing not to marry at all

remaining single is a clear departure from traditional social expectations

trend related to normative and economic change

cohabitation

increasing numbers are living with unmarried partners

among adults 18-44, currently, it is more common to have ever cohabitated (-60 %) than ever married (50%) (pew 2019)

motivations for cohabitation vary

in 2015 US supreme court rules states must allow some sex marriage

living alone

increasing numbers of Americans are living alone

huge departure from historical norms, especially for women

why is the US family changing?

Changing Norms

changing gender roles and increasing the economic independence of women

greater acceptance of divorce, cohabitation, and sex outside marriage

greater acceptance of non-traditional living arrangements and lifestyles

why is the US Family changing part2

a changing economy

economic restructuring

deteriorating economic position of men, especially the less educated

marriageable men hypothesis

increasing benefits of college education