Ch 14 Relationships, Marriage, and Family Flash Cards

Definitions

  • Marriage: A legally recognized social contract between two people, often accompanied by legal and social expectations.

  • Family of Orientation: The family into which a person is born; this family provides the initial socialization and context for personal identity.

  • Family of Procreation: The family that is formed through marriage and arises when individuals create a household and raise children.

Partnerships and Family Structures

  • Monogamy: The practice of marrying one person at a time, considered the most prevalent form of marriage in many cultures.

  • Polygamy: A marriage system in which one person has multiple spouses simultaneously. This can be further divided into:

    • Polygyny: One man married to multiple women.

    • Polyandry: One woman married to multiple men.

  • Nuclear Family: Consists of two parents and their children, representing a common family structure in many societies.

  • Varying Family Organizations and Structures: Includes diverse forms such as single-parent families, extended families, and blended families.

  • Kinship and Lines of Descent: Kinship refers to the social links that connect individuals through blood, marriage, or social ties; lines of descent determine how lineage is traced (e.g., patrilineal or matrilineal).

  • Residence: The patterns determining where couples live after marriage (e.g., patrilocal, matrilocal).

  • Culture: Influences family structures and norms through traditions, laws, and societal expectations.

  • Stages of Family Life: Typically includes formation, child-rearing, and dissolution phases, each with unique challenges and changes.

Theoretical Perspectives

  • Functionalism: Focuses on the structures and functions of families within society, emphasizing the roles and contributions of family members.

    • Questions:

      • What is the structure of family?

      • What are the functions of the family in relation to societal needs?

  • Conflict Theory: Analyzes power dynamics within families and how these reflect broader societal power disparities.

    • Key concepts:

      • Power struggles in family relationships.

      • Power in society regarding family matters.

  • Symbolic Interaction: Examines the social construction of family and how families symbolize collective meanings and values.

    • Concepts include:

      • Family as a social construct enriched by personal and cultural meanings.

      • Symbolic interactions help create and maintain family relationships.

Family Challenges

  • Divorce: The legal dissolution of marriage, which can impact family stability and dynamics.

  • Remarriage: The process of marrying again after divorce, often leading to blended families and new dynamics.

  • Family Violence: A critical issue affecting many families, encompassing physical, emotional, and verbal abuse.

  • Other Inequalities:

    • Economic Inequalities: Disparities in wealth and resources affecting family well-being.

    • Racial Inequalities: Variations in family structures and treatment across different racial groups.

    • Gender Inequalities: Differences in roles and rights within familial relationships, often favoring traditional roles.

    • Sexuality Inequalities: Challenges faced by LGBTQ+ families against societal norms and legal recognition.