Changing Family Patterns

Question 1

No. Divorces from 1961-1969-1972

Answer 1

Doubled then doubled again

Question 2

Explanations for the increase in divorce: changes in the law (3 examples)

Answer 2

Equalising the grounds for divorce among the sexes- led to a sharp increase in the petitions for divorce in 1923

Widening the grounds for divorce- doubled the divorce rate overnight

Making divorce cheaper- legal aid for divorce lowered the cost

Question 3

Explanations for the increase in divorce: declining stigma

Answer 3

Mitchell and Goody- since the 60s, there has been a massive decline in the stigma

Divorce is normalised and is now seen as a misfortune instead of a shameful thing

Question 4

Explanations for the increase in divorce: secularisation

Answer 4

Traditional opposition of the church to divorce holds less societal weight

People are less likely to be influenced by religious teachings

Question 5

Explanations for the increase in divorce: women’s increased financial independence (give examples)

Answer 5

Less financially deoendent on husbands

Proportion of working women rose from 53% in 1971 to 67%

Equal pay and anti discrimination laws have narrowed the pay gap

Question 6

Explanations for the increase in divorce: feminist explanations

Answer 6

Hochschild- women are more valued at work and men’s unwillingness to do housework makes marriage less stable

Radicals- Bernard- evidence of acceptance of feminist ideas especially since most petitions come from women

Question 7

When were gay couples allowed to marry?

Answer 7

2014

Question 8

Weeks- gay relationships

Weston- gay quasi marriages

Answer 8

Increased societal acceptance explains a trend towards monogamy that reflects straight couples

Many gay couples cohabit as stable partners vs the 70s where they rejected monogamy in favour of casual relationships

Question 9

How does the New right view divorce?

Answer 9

Undesireable because it undermines the nuclear family and creates an underclass reliant on benefits

Question 10

Average first marriage age

Answer 10

Rose by 7 years from 1971-2012 and is 32 for men and 30 for women

Question 11

Reasons for changing patterns of marriage: changes in position of women

Answer 11

Cohabitation and having children outside of wedlock are now socially acceptable

% of people who think couples that want to have children should get married declined from 70%-42% 1989-2012

Question 12

Reasons for changing patterns of marriage: education

Answer 12

People are postponing marriage to spend more time in full time education which contributes to the rising age at which people marry

Question 13

Stat about one person households

Answer 13

In 2013, 3/10 households were one person households which was 3 times higher than what it was in 1961

Question 14

Reasons for the rising no. lone person households: divorce

Answer 14

Following divorce, mothers are more likely to gain custody of any children so the father is more likely to leave the family home

Question 15

Reasons for the rising no. lone person households: people are getting married later

Answer 15

This means that more people are remaining single. Many of these adults choose to live alone

Question 16

Why is there a higher rate of single parent households among black people?

Answer 16

High rates of unemployment among black men mean that they are less able to provide for their families. This results in higher rates of desertion and marital breakdown

51% of black families were lone parent families in 2012

Question 17

(Reynolds) Why are stats about black lone parents households misleading?

Answer 17

Because many ‘lone’ parents are in supportive non cohabiting relationships

Question 18

No. persons per household in Bangladeshi and Pakistani households

Answer 18

4.4 and 4.3 respectively

Question 19

Reasons why Asians more likely to have beanpole families?

Answer 19

High value placed on extended families in Asian cultures

Bollard- extended family ties were important when migrating

Question 20

Which 2 demographic changes are responsible for the rise in beanpole families?

Answer 20

Increased life expectancy

Smaller family sizes