3. Explaining Family Change Flashcards
How do changing norms and values contribute to family change
There have been social changes regarding morality and sexuality for example: the legalisation of same sex couples and the acceptance of children outside of marriage.
The national statistics reported in 2013 that the percentage of children born to unmarried mothers was 46.5%, this figure was below 5% in 1938. Because of this social change theres been a rise of cohabitation parents
How have legal changes contributed to family change
Due to the Introduction of civil partnerships in 2004 and the same sex marriage act in 2014 there has been an increase of same sex relationships.
Debates on abortions suggest that attitudinal shifts can be swift and affect public policy and law.
with the legislation being passed on the abortion act there were less deaths in women with illegal abortions.
How have economics contributed to family change
The loss of the single male breadwinner caused a shift in employment with new jobs being done by men and women so the jobs marketed for men have declined as they no longer rely on physical strength. This causes the families to less be headed by males and contributes to the triple shift.
Lewis in 2012 pointed out there have been government policies aimed at increasing female employment allowing women to have more decisions in the family. due to this women are delaying child birth or children are being looked after by their parents.
Flour and Bachanan in 2001 pointed out that marriage isnt financially necessary for women causing the average age of marriage to increase. Drew in 1998 suggested marriage is now a choice. There has been an increase in divorce as people are choosing marriage on happiness and will be more willing to start over as theres no longer shame in divorce.
Marxists claim that the family is a unit of consumption that is tailored to capitalist needs
How does changing technology contribute to family change
IVF technology has increased allowing women later in life to have children. Silvia in 2009 suggested that technology has changed due to response of a social need EG: mobile phones were able to connect families of immigration.
However Gergen in 1991 took a negative view on technology stated that the family has begun more fragmented as people no longer sit together and technology is the source of entertainment not the family.
He describes the saturated family in terms of family confrontation caused by people who no longer share values and opinions. Postmodernists see this is a form of family diversity.
