Changing Family Patterns Flashcards

Question

What are functionalists views on high divorce rates

Answer 1

-Its not necessarily a threat to marriage as a social institution, simply the result of peoples higher expectations of marriage today -High re-marriage rates shows ppls continuing commitment to marriage

Answer 2

-Aim to understand what divorce means to individuals Morgan: argues we cannot generalise about the meaning of divorce, as every person’s interpretation is different Eg some say their father leaving was best day of their life, some never recover

Answer 3

-Accepts that divorce can cause problems, eg financial, custody ect -But some (Smart) argue divorce has become ‘normalised’ and that family life can adopt without disintegrating-rather than seeing it a major social problem

Answer 4

-Fewer marrying, at lowest since 1920 -More re-marriages (1/3 we’re in 2012) leading to serial monogamy -Marrying later(rose 7yrs 1971-2012) -Couples less likely to marry in church: fallen by 30% since 2012

Answer 5

-Less pressure to marry, more freedom to choose what relationship they want -Widespread belief that quality is more important than legal status (norm everyone’s should marry weakened)

Answer 6

-Churches declining influence means people are freer to not marry

Answer 7

-Cohabitation, being single, having children outside marriage all now widely accepted so wedding doesn’t = a ‘shotgun wedding’ (1989:70%, 2012:42% thought people who want children should marry)

Answer 8

-Better education & career prospects, many women less dependent -Gives greater freedom to not marry -Feminists view its oppressive & patriarchal may also dissuade women

Answer 9

-With rising rates, may put ppl off marrying as they see the increased likelihood of it ending in divorce

Answer 10

-Cohabiting with children is a growing family type -1/8 now cohabiting hetero coupes -Estimates 69k same-sex coh couples

Answer 11

-declining stigma to sex outside marriage -Young are more likely to accept it -Increased career opp for W may mean they have less need for dependence -Secularisation: Young with no religion more likely than those without

Answer 12

-Although coh increasing as marriage decreases. Relationships not clear-cut -For some coh is a step to getting married, others it’s permeant

Answer 13

-Most do, and go on to marry if they have children or are awaiting a divorce -Although it’s permanent for some (Bejin: for some young ppl it’s a consious attempt to make a more personally negotiated&equal relationship) -So doesn’t mean the same for everyone, it covers a diverse/compex range of ppl.

Answer 14

-Campaign for lesbians, gay, bisexual rights estimates 5-7% of pop have same-sex relationships -Impossible to compare to past as stigma&illegality meant they were more likely hidden

Answer 15

-Evidence of increased acceptance in recent years. -M homosexual acts were decriminalised in 1967(over 21) now equalised to 18 -Opinion polls show tolerance of homosexuality

Answer 16

Now treats couple more equally -2002: coh couples- right to adopt as married couples -2004: Civil Partnership Act- same sex similar legal rights to married couples ie, pension, inheritance ect -Since 2014: same sex couples able to marry

Answer 17

-Argues increased social acceptance may explain same-sex coh trends -As gays create families on ‘friendship as kinship’/ chosen family. Offers same security & stability as heterosexual families

Answer 18

-Due to the absence of such framework until recently, some argue same-sex partners have had to negotiate commitment/responsibility more than married couples -May have made them more flexible& less stable than heterosexual

Answer 19

-Big rise, almost 3/10 are OPH (3x figure in 1961) -40% of OPH are 65+ (most are men under 65) -2033: predicted over 30% of adult pop will be single

Answer 20

-Inc in divorce/separation-esp men under 65 (kids often go to mother) -dec in marriages, marrying later (single pop risen by half since 1971) -Or may be a lack of available partners in age group (old windows)

Answer 21

-British Social Attitudes Survey found about 1in10 are in significant relationships but aren’t married or cohabiting (so not single) -Accounts for 1/2 classes as ‘single’-trend of less formal relationships

Answer 22

-Found both Choice: minority, simple want too, troubles passed relationships ect Constraint: Some cannot afford to move in together -LAT no longer seen as abnormal however so don’t face rejection

Answer 23

-Nearly half born outside marriage (2x as many in 1986)-but most cohab -W having kids later 1971-2012 av age rose by 4 years to 28.1yrs -W having fewer,peak:2.95 (1964), record low 1.63 (2001), rising 1.94(2010) -More childless

Answer 24

-(more kids outside marriage)= declining stigma & increased coh eg only 28% 25-34yr think marriage should come before parenthood -(Later age, less kids, childless)= W now have more options than motherhood. Many seek careers before parenthood

Answer 25

-1 in 4 children live in LPF -Over 90% headed by lone mothers -Until early 1990s- divorced W were biggest group of lone mothers -From early 1990s single (never married) overtook -LPF children 2x more likely in poverty than 2 parent homes

Answer 26

-Has risen due to inc divorce, separation, never-married W (decl stigma) -In past, death of a parent was a common reason, no longer very significant

Answer 27

-Widespread believed W by nature are suited to expressive role -Divorce courts usually give W custody -M may be less willing to give up work to care for children

Answer 28

-Many female LPF choose to as they may not wish to marry, cohabit or just wish for little involvement from the father -cashmore: some wc M chose to live on benefits, often due to past abuse -Feminist ideas/ opportunities may also encourage never-married LPF

Answer 29

-New right: see growth in LPF due to an over-generous welfare state -Has created a ‘perverse incentive’-it rewards irresponsible childbearing -Creates a dependency culture, ppl assume the state will support them

Answer 30

-Abolish welfare payments, reduce dependency&Births outside marriage

Answer 31

-Argue welfare benefits are far from generous, LPF more likely in poverty: -Lack of affordable childcare- prevents working-60% are unemployed -Most LP are W- generally earn less than men -Failure of father to pay maintenance

Answer 32

-Account for over 10% of families -Similar to first families-childcare ect(positive) but higher risk of poverty

Answer 33

-Some Face problems of divided loyalties and issues such as contact with non-resistant parents. Can cause tensions.

Answer 34

-They’re formed when LPF form relationships, so divorce ect -more children from W, as she’s likely to get custody -Greater risk of poverty- often more children -Tension-lack of clear social norms about behaviour for these families

Answer 35

-Imm since 1950s helped create diversity -2011 consensus: 14% ethnic minorities- Main groups Asian/asian british (7.5%), Black/Black british (2.2%), Mixed (2.2%) -Has contributed to changing family patterns in the UK

Answer 36

-LPF, (2012-over 1/2) compared to on, 1in9 Asian -High rate sometimes seen as evidence of family disorganisation that can be traced back to slavery or recently high unemployment of B men (less able to support family)

Answer 37

-Say higher rate of LPF not due to disorganisation but higher value black women place on independence

Answer 38

-Bangladeshi, pakistan and indian homes tend to be larger than others. -sometimes contain 3 generations, most are nucleur tho -Partly result of younger age profile- childbearing age -Sometimes reflects value placed on extended fam in asian culture

Answer 39

Provided an important source of support in 1950s&60s among asian migrants -In this period the often shared houses -Later on, although most asian homes were nuclear, lived nearby & visited

Answer 40

-Existence among minority ethnic groups raises questions of how widespread or important it is in the Uk today. Funct: Parsons saw it as dominant in pre-industrial soc, now it’s nucleur

Answer 41

-It continues as a ‘dispersed extended family’. Ie geographically separated but maintain frequent contact via visits/phone

Answer 42

-Both wc and mc families had emotional&support bonds w/ kin Mc: more financial help from father to son Wc:had more frequent contact (lived closer) & more domestic help from mothers to daughters (Bell)

Answer 43

-Particular type of extended family that Bells findings suggested it’s importance. -Its extended vertically: via 3+ generations -Not extended horizontally:not aunts, uncles, cousins ect

Answer 44

-Increased life expectancy: means more surviving grandparents & great grandparents -Smaller family sizes: mean people have fewer siblings and thus fewer horizontal ties

Answer 45

Despite the rise of the beanpole family, many still feel a sense of obligation to help the wider extended kin. -Found that over 90% of people had given or received financial help, and about half had cared for a sick relative. -More expected of women over men -Principle of balance is also important – people felt that help received should be returned to avoid any feelings of indebtedness

Answer 46

-Personal care for an elderly woman is preferred by a daughter/daughter in-law (but is dependent) if husband is not available (Sons is rarely chosen) -But daughters rarely chosen as an appropriate person to provide money

Answer 47

-It continues to play an important role for many people today, providing both practical & emotional support when called upon. -However this is very different from Parsons classic extended family, whose members lived and worked together and were bound by strong mutual obligations (Nevertheless some sense of obligation remains at least to some kin and as a last resort in times of crisis)