a sociology of the family Flashcards
where do most mass murders happen?
family; residence
working definition of family
a group of related people bound by connections that are biological, legal, or emotional
the personal family
the people to whom we feel related and who we expect to define us as members of their family as well
- allows for inclusion
the legal family
a group of individuals related by birth, marriage, or adoption
- state-imposed
institutional arena
a social space in which relations between people in common positions are governed by accepted rules of interaction
what are the three types of institutional arenas?
the family, the state, and the market
the family arena
the institutional arena where people practice intimacy, childbearing and socialization, and caring work
the state
the institutional arena where, through political means, behavior is legally regulated, violence in controlled, and resources are redistributed
- the state regulates families and redistributes resources based on family
the market
the institutional arena where labor for pay, economic exchange, and wealth accumulation take place
- market interactions with family include housing, childcare, wages, etc
how does the US Census count families?
people who live together in one household, and each person can only be counted as part of one household
how many families does the Census estimate there are?
84 million
what is the consensus perspective?
a perspective that projects an image of society as the collective expression of shared norms and values
- Talcott Parsons
- Order is essential to social life; consensus and harmony
structural functionalism
this is the dominant consensus theory; focuses on stability
- Emile Durkheim
breadwinner-homemaker family
key family concept of structural functionalism; husband as breadwinner and wife as homemaker considered complementary and in “harmony”
conflict perspective
the view that opposition and conflict define a given society and are necessary for social evolution
- Karl Marx
- social change comes from conflict
feminist theory
a theory that seeks to understand and ultimately reduce inequality between men and women; falls under the conflict perspective
what are the two important contributions of feminism to family theories?
- gender inequality is central to family life
- family structure is socially constructed
socialization
the process by which individuals internalize elements of the social structure in their own personalities
exchange theory
the theory that individuals or groups with different resources, strengths, and weaknesses enter into mutual relationships to maximize their own gains
symbolic interactionism
a theory concerned with the ability of humans to see themselves through the eyes of others and to enact social roles based on others’ expectations
- social roles are much like symbols
modernity theory
a theory of the historical emergence of the individual as an actor in society and how individuality changed personal and institutional relations
demographic perspective
the study of how family behavior and household structures contribute to larger population processes
- focuses on birth, death, and migration
life course perspective
the study of the family trajectories of individuals and groups as they progress through their lives, in social and historical context
what is the world population?
8.1 billion
what is the US population?
337 million
children under 18 as share of population
22%
adults 65+ as share of population
18%
official unemployment rate (July 2024)
4.3%
non-hispanic whites as share of population
58%
blacks as share of population
14%
hispanics as share of population
20%
asian / pacific islanders as share of population
7%
american indians as share of population
1%
immigrants as share of population
14%
total poverty rate
12%
child poverty rate
15%
top 5 most populous countries
China (1.4 billion)
India (1.4 billion)
USA (CIA estimate = 342 billion)
Indonesia (282 million)
Pakistan (252 million)
sample survey
a research method in which identical questions are asked of many different people and their answers are gathered into one large data file
longitudinal survey
a research method in which the same people are interviewed repeatedly over time
in depth interviews and observation
get a deeper understanding that sample surveys cannot accommodate
time use studies
surveys that collect data on how people spend their time during a sample period
