Changing Family Patterns Flashcards
what is the general trend of divorce rates
- has been declining since the 1990s
the number of divorce was ______ in _____, about _ times higher than in _____
- the number of divorce was 120,000 in 2012, about 6 times higher than in 1960
name the 7 explanations for the increase in divorce
1) changes in the law
2) declining stigma/ changing attitudes
3) secularisation
4) rising expectations of marriage
5) women’s increased financial independence
6) feminist explanations
7) modernity + individualisation
outline changes in the law as a cause for the rise in divorces
- law changes have made divorce easier
- 3 changes in the law: equalising grounds (reasons) for D, widening grounds, making D cheaper
- The Matrimonial Causes Act 1923: grounds were equalised
- introduction of legal aid 1949: lowered cost of D
- The Divorce Reform Act 1969: widened grounds for D
what is an AO3 evaluation of changes in the law as a cause for the rise in divorces
- doesn’t explain why more people don’t divorce
define stigma
- stigma = a negative label, social disapproval or shame attached to a person, action or relationship
outline declining stigma/ changing attitudes as a cause for the rise in divorces
- in the past, D was stigmtised
- e.g. Churches condemned divorce
- Mitchell + Goody: the rapid decline in stigma of D is the main factor in the inc of it
- D is more normalised
outline 3 alternatives for divorce
- desertion: where the couple are broken up but remained legally married
- legal separation: where a court splits the financial + legal affairs without the official divorce
- empty shell marriage: couple continues to be together lovelessly and remain married in name only
define secularisation
- secularisation = the decline in the influence of religion in society
outline secularisation as a cause for the rise in divorces
- sociologists argue that religious institutions + ideas are losing influence and society is becoming more secular
- e.g. church attendance continues to decline
- due to sec., the opposition of the church to D carries less weight + people are less likely to be influenced by religious teachings when making personal decisions
- additionally, many churches have softened their view on D - perhaps due to fear of losing public support
outline higher expectations of marriage as a cause for the rise in divorces
- Fletcher (functionalist): says that the higher expectations placed on marriage are a big factor in the rise of D
- HE make people less willing to tolerate an unhappy marriage
- there’s importance placed on finding ‘the one’ - and if love dies within a relationship, there’s no reason to remain married
- in the past, marriage was considered a contract and the family a unit of production, and so there were less HE to be dissatisfied with
outline women’s increased financial independence as a cause for the rise in divorces
- improvements in women’s economic position have made them less financially dependent on their husbands so are therefore more free to D
- women are more able to support themselves in the case of a D
- Allan + Crow: marriage is less embedded within the economic system; spouses aren’t economically dependent on each other
the proportion of women in paid work rose from __% in _____ to __% in _____
- the proportion of women in paid work rose from 53% in 1970 to 67% in 2013
outline feminist explanations as a cause for the rise in divorces
- married women today carry a dual burden; this creates a new source of conflict between partners
- marriage remains patriarchal, with men benefitting from women’s triple shift
- Hochschild: for many women, the home compares unfavourably with work. at work, women feel valued, at home men’s reluctance to do housework causes marital instability
- Bernard: many women have a growing dissatisfaction with patriarchal marriage
outline modernity + individualisation as a cause for the rise in divorces
- Beck + Giddens: in modern society, traditional norms like the duty to have the same partner for life, loses their hold over individuals
- individualisation thesis: as a result, individuals becomes free to pursue their self-interest and relationships become more fragile as ind.s act in their self interest
- people seek what Giddens calls a pure relationship; one that exists to satisfy each partners needs - not out of a sense of tradition - results in more Ds
- the inc in Ds also normalises it
what does the New Right say about the high divorce rate
- New Right:
- high D rate is undesirable as it undermines marriage + the traditional nuclear family which is vital for social stability
- a high D rate creates a growing underclass of welfare dependent female lone parents who are a burden on the state + leaves boys without the role model they need
- it also results in poorer health and education for children
what do Feminists say about the high divorce rate
- Feminists:
- the high D rate is desirable as it shows women are breaking free from the oppression of the patriarchal nuclear family
what do Postmodernists + Individualisation theorists say about the high divorce rate
- Postmodernists + Individualisation theorists:
- the high D rate shows that individuals now have the freedom to choose to end a relationship when it no longer meets their needs
- its a major cause of family diversity
what do Functionalists (Fletcher) say about the high divorce rate
- Functionalists/ Fletcher:
- a high D rate isnt a threat to marriage as a social institution but is simply the result of people’s higher expectations of marriage today
- the high rate of re-marriages shows peoples commitment to marriage
what do Interactionalists say about divorce
- Interactionalists:
- Morgan: the meaning of D cant be generalised, as every individuals interpretation of it is different
- Mitchel + Goody: one interviewee said that the day her dad left was the best of her life; in contrast to another interviewee who had never recovered from her dads’ leaving
what does the Personal Life Perspective say about divorce
- the Personal Life Perspective:
- accepts that D can cause problems, such as financial ones, and a lack of daily contact between children + non- residential parents can be distressful
- Smart: argues D has become normalised and that family life can adapt to it without disintegrating
what are the 4 general pattern of marriage rates
- fewer people are marrying
- there are more re-marriages
- people are marrying later
- couples are less likely to marry in churches
marriage rates are at their ______ since the ____
- marriage rates are at their lowest since the 1920s
what are the 6 main reasons for changing marriage patterns
1) first marriages
2) changing attitudes to marriage
3) secularisation
4) declining stigma attached to marriage alternatives
5) changes in the position of women
6) fear of divorce
outline changing attitudes to marriage as a reason for changing marriage patterns
- there’s less pressure to marry + more freedom for individuals to choose the type of relationship they want
- there’s more of a widespread belief that the quality of a relationship outweighs its legal status
- the norm of getting married is significantly weakened
outline secularisation as a reason for changing marriage patterns
- churches are in favour of marriage - but with the declining influence of them, people feel freer to not marry
- 2001 Census: only 3% of non-religious young people were married, compared to 17% of those religious
outline declining stigma attached to marriage alternatives as a reason for changing marriage patterns
- cohabitation, remaining single, having children outside of marriage, are all widely regarded as acceptable
- 1989: 70% believed that couples who want children should get married, by 2012; only 40% thought so
outline changes in the position of women as a reason for changing marriage patterns
- with better educational and economic prospects for women, they are less economically dependent on men
- gives them greater freedom to not marry
- more women may choose to focus on their careers rather than relationships
outline fear of divorce as a reason for changing marriage patterns
- with the rising divorce rate, some may be deterred from marriage as they see the increased likelihood of marriage ending in divorce
define cohabitation
- cohabitation = an unmarried couple in a sexual relationship living together
outline the general trend of cohabiting families
- the fastest growing family type
outline 3 reasons for the rise in cohabiting
- a result of the decline in stigma attached to sex outside of marriage
- increased career opportunities for women means less need for the financial security of marriage
- secularisation; non-religious young people are more likely to cohabit
whats an AO3 evaluation for the rise in cohabitation
- Chester: for most people, cohabitation is part of the process for getting married
- Coast: 75% of cohabiting couples say that they expect to marry each other
outline the concept of trial marriage
- many view cohabitation as a trial marriage and intend to marry if successful
- for some, cohabitation is a temporary phase before marriage because 1 or both partners are awaiting divorce
- however, Bejin: cohabitation among young people represents a more conscious attempt to create a more equal relationship than conventional patriarchal marriage
outline acceptance of same-sex relationships
- there is increased social acceptance of same sex relationships
- the law treats all couples equally
- 2013 Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act: SS couples can marry
outline the reasons for the rise in one-person households
- the increase in separation/ divorce has increased this - esp among men under 65, as following separation, children are likely to live with the mum
- the decline in those marrying + people marrying later, means more people remaining single
- many may be opting for ‘creative singlehood’; the deliberate choice to live alone
outline chosen families
- Weeks: gays base the idea of family based on the idea of ‘friendship as kinship’. these chosen families offer the same stability as heterosexual families
- Einasdottir: whilst the LGBT welcome their partnerships legally recognised, others fear it may limit the freedom of relationships
outline one-person households stats
- 2013: almost 3 in 10 households contained 1 person - 3x that of in 1961
- pensioner 1PH have doubled since 1961
what’s an AO3 evaluation for ‘creative singlehood’
- some live alone due to the fact that there are too few partners available in their age group
- these are mainly older widows
outline ‘living apart together’
- 2013 British Social Attitudes: 1 in 10 adults are ‘living apart together’ / LATs - they are in a significant relationship but live apart
- this shows a trend towards less formalised relationships
outline the 4 trends of childbearing
- nearly half of children are being born outside of marriage
- women are having children later
- women are having fewer children
- more women are remaining childless
outline the 3 reasons for the rise in lone parent families
- inc in divorce, separation, single women having children
- decline in stigma attached to births outside marriage
- many lone mothers are single by choice; to limit father’s involvement, to not marry/ cohabit
outline lone parent family stats
- 25% of children live in lone-parent families
- over 90% of these families are matrifocal
- a child living with a lone parent is 2x as likely to be in poverty as a child living with 2 parents
outline 2 causes for the changing trends in childbearing
- there has been a decline in the stigma attached to births outside marriage
- women have more options than just motherhood - many seek to establish a career before starting a family, instead of having children at all
outline 3 reasons why lone parent families are usually female headed
- the widespread belief that women are by nature suited to an expressive/ nurturing role
- divorce courts usually give mothers child custody
- men may be less willing to give up work to care for children
outline the the New Right’s view on lone parenthood, the welfare state and poverty
- Murray (New Right): views the growth of LPFs as a result from an over-generous welfare state providing benefits for lone mothers
- M says this has created a ‘perverse incentive’; it rewards irresponsible behaviour
- the welfare state creates a ‘dependency culture’
- Murray’s solution is to abolish benefits which would reduce the dependency culture
what is an AO3 evaluation of the New Right view on lone parenthood, the welfare state and poverty
- welfare benefits are far from generous as LPFs are much more likely to be in poverty
outline black families
- B Caribbean + African households have a higher proportion of LPFs
- 2012: more than 50% of black families were led by LPs
- these high rates can be traced back to slavery or high rates of unemployment among black men;
- in slavery, when couples were sold separately, the children stayed with the mother - this established a pattern that we see today
- male unemployment means the man is less able to provide for the family - causing conflict
outline reasons for why lone parent families are in poverty
- lack of affordable childcare prevents LPs from working
- 60% of LMs are unemployed - double that of married mothers
- inadequate welfare benefits
- most LPs are women ,who generally earn less than men
- failure of fathers to pay maintenance - esp if they have a second family to support
stepfamilies/ reconstituted families account for over _% of UK families
- stepfamilies/ reconstituted families account for over 10% of UK families
outline the reasons for the formation of stepfamilies
- SF are formed when LPs form new partnerships; so the factors causing an increase in LPs (divorce, separation) also apply to this
- there’s more chance of the child being from the woman rather than the man because in separation, children are more likely to stay with the mother
- SFs are more likely to be in poverty as the parents may also have to pay for other kids
what does Mirza say about black families
- Mirza: the higher rates of black LPFs isnt the result of salvery or male unemployment, but rather the value black women place on independence
outline Asian families
- Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian households tend to be more populated than those of other ethnic groups
- they have an avg of 4 kids per household compared to white and black families with an avg of 2 kids
- asian households can be extended - but most are nuclear
- asian extended households can be a reflection of their culture but is also for practicality - e.g. for assistance when immigrating
outline the beanpole family
- beanpole family = a multi-generational family that is long and thin with few aunts, uncles and cousins
- its extended vertically; up and down through generations of children, not horizontally; doesn’t involve aunts, uncles, cousins
outline the extended family today
- in pre-industrial society, the ext family was the dominant family type, but in modern society, the nuclear family is
- charles: the 3 gen household is all but extinct with exceptions from the Bangladeshi community
- Wilmott: there is now a ‘dispersed extended family’ in that relatives are geographically separate but maintain regular contact through visits + phone calls
what are the 2 main causes of beanpole families
- increased life expectancy; more surviving grandparents + great-grandparents
- smaller family sizes; less siblings and so less horizontal ties
outline obligation to relatives
- many still feel an obligation to help their extended family
- Finch + Mason: over 90% of people had given or received financial aid from a relative
