Changing family patterns

Question 1

divorce AO2

Answer 1

the number of divorces had doubled between 1961 and 1969

65% of applications for divorce come from women

Question 2

explanations for the increase in divorce (7)

Answer 2

1. changes in the law
2. declining stigma and changing attitudes
3. secularisation
4. rising expectations of marriage
5. women’s increased financial independence
6. feminist explanations
7. modernity and individualisation

Question 3

explanations for the increase in divorce - declining stigma and changing attitudes

Answer 3

stigma refers to a negative label , shame or social disapproval attached to a person/ relationship - divorce in the past was stigmatised
e.g churches often refused to marry if it involved divorcees

as stigmas decline more couples resort to it

when its more common - it normalises it

Question 4

explanations for the increase in divorce - secularisation

Answer 4

As less people attend church
their opposition to divorce carries less
weight in society

people are less likely
to be influence by
religious teachings.

Question 5

explanations for the increase in divorce - rising expectations of marriage

Answer 5

functionalists see that higher expectations make couples less willing to tolerate an unhappy marriage

marriage should be based solely on love

in the past expectations were lower because individuals had little choice over who they married and marriages were done for economic reasons - so people are less likely to be dissatisfied by the absence of romance

today marriage is viewed as not being a binding contract but as a relationship of personal fulfilment and encourages divorce if its not found

Question 6

explanations for the increase in divorce - rising expectations of marriage AO3 - fletcher

Answer 6

fletcher -
optimistic
most adults do re-marry

Question 7

explanations for the increase in divorce - rising expectations of marriage AO3 - feminists

Answer 7

feminists- the view is too rosy
the oppression of women in the family is the main cause of conflict and divorce = why it’s mainly women who seek a divorce

Question 8

explanations for the increase in divorce - womens increased financial independence AO1

Answer 8

improvements in their economic position have made them less financially dependent on their husband and freer to leave an unhappy marriage

Question 9

explanations for the increase in divorce - womens increased financial independence AO2

Answer 9

girls greater success in eduction helps them achieve better paid jobs

equal pay act has narrowed gender pay gap

can support themselves in the event of a divorce because they aren’t dependent economically and the availability of welfare benefits

Question 10

explanations for the increase in divorce - feminist explanations

Answer 10

married women have a dual burden which has created conflict leading to higher divorce rates

big improvements in the public sphere but not in the family because - marriage remains patriarchal with men benefiting from wives triple shift

radical feminists -
many women feel a growing dissatisfaction with patriarchal marriage and the rise of divorce rates and the fact most petitions come from women as evidence of a growing acceptance of feminist ideas

Question 11

explanations for the increase in divorce - feminist explanations AO2 Hochschild

Answer 11

Hochschild study

for many women home compares unfavourably to work
at work they feel valued
at home - mens resistance to do housework = instability and conflict in the marriage

now that both partners work = less time to do the emotional work to fix the relationship

Question 12

explanations for the increase in divorce - feminist explanations AO3

Answer 12

Cooke and Gash found no evidence that working women are more likely to divorce - because working has now become the accepted norm for married women.

Question 13

explanations for the increase in divorce - modernity and individualisation

Answer 13

in modern society, traditional norms such
as, the duty to remain with same partner for life becomes less normal. so - each individual becomes free to pursue their own interests

pure relationship - one that exist solely to satisfy each partners needs
rising rate of divorce nromalsies it and strenghtnes the beliefe marriage only exists to provide personal fulfimnet

modern society encourages individualism by expecting both men and women to work and pursue career ambitions.

Question 14

the meaning of high divorce rate as AO3 - new right

Answer 14

Undesirable as it undermines marriage &the traditional nuclear family,

creates a growing underclass of Welfare dependent female lone parents who are a burden on the state and leaves boys without role model.
results in poorer educational outcomes.

Question 15

the meaning of high divorce rate as AO3 - feminists

Answer 15

High divorce rate is desirable as it frees women from patriarchal oppression of the nuclear family.

Question 16

the meaning of high divorce rate as AO3 - functionalist s

Answer 16

not necessarily a threat to marriage as the higher rate of re marriage shows continuing commitment to marriage

Question 17

the meaning of high divorce rate as AO3 - interactionist

Answer 17

cannot generalise the meaning of it because every interpretation is different

Question 18

changes in the patterns of marriage trends AO2

Answer 18

fewer people are marrying - rates at lowest since 1920s

there are more re-marriages - in 2012 1/3 of marriages were re-marriages
this is serial monogamy = the pattern of divorce and re-marriage

people are marrying later - 2012, 30yrs old for women and 32 for men

Question 19

marriage - reasons for changing patterns (3)

Answer 19

changes in the position of women

fear of divorce

secularisation

Question 20

marriage - reasons for changing patterns - changes in the position of women

Answer 20

with better educational and job prospects women are less economically dependent on men

the feminist view that marriage is patriarchal and oppressive may also dissuade

Question 21

marriage - reasons for changing patterns - fear of divorce

Answer 21

with rising divorce rates some are put off as they see the increased likelihood of it ending in divorce

Question 22

marriage - reasons for changing patterns - secularisation

Answer 22

as church influence declines, people feel freer not to choose to marry

Question 23

cohabitation AO1

Answer 23

involves an unmarried couple in a sexual relationship living together

it can be viewed as a trial marriage

Bejin argues cohabitation among young people represents a conscious attempt to create more equal relationships than a conventional patriarchal marriage

Question 24

cohabitation AO2

Answer 24

the number of marriages decrease and the number of couples cohabiting increases

shelton and John - women who cohabit do less housework than those married

Question 25

reasons for cohabitation

Answer 25

young people with no religion are more likely to cohabit than those with religion decline in stigma attached to sex outside marriage increased career opportunities for women mean they have less need for the financials security of marriage

Question 26

cohabitation AO3

Answer 26

cohabitation does not mean the same to every couple. the term covers a diverse range of partnerships and the relationship between cohabitation and marriage is complex

Question 27

relationship between cohabitation and marriage ____ is increasing as ______ decreases

Answer 27

Cohabitation is increasing as marriages decrease - for some this is a step towards getting married - for others it is a permanent alternative chester - for most people cohabitation is a part of the process of getting married

Question 28

same sex relationships - AO2

Answer 28

5-7% of the adult population today have same sex relationships male homosexual acts were decriminalised 1967 for consenting adults over 21

Question 29

AO3 of same sex AO2s

Answer 29

its impossible to judge whether they represent an increase as in the past stigma and illegality meant such relationships were most likely hidden

Question 30

same sex relationships - Weeks

Answer 30

increased social acceptance may explain a trend towards same sex cohabitation and relationships gays create families based on the idea of 'friendship of kinship' - he describes these as 'chosen families' and argues they offer the same security and stability as heterosexual families

Question 31

same sex relationships - Weston

Answer 31

describes same sex cohabitation as 'quasi-marriage' and says many gays are now deciding to cohabit as stable partners - contrasts gay lifestyle of 1970s which rejected monogamy

Question 32

same sex relationships - AO3 Allan and crow

Answer 32

argue that because of the obscene of a framework until recently same-sex partners have had to negotiate their commitment and responsibilities more than married couples they made same-sex relationships both more flexible and less stable than heterosexual.

Question 33

one person households AO2

Answer 33

in 2006, 3/10 households contained one person 40% of these are pensioners men under 65 are most likely group

Question 34

one person households - reasons for the changes

Answer 34

increase in seperation and divorce - following divorce any children are most likely to live with mother and the father will leave the family home decrease in numbers marrying and trend towards marrying later = people are remaining single too few partners available in age group

Question 35

LATs - AO2

Answer 35

1/10 adults is a LAT

Question 36

Living apart together (LATs)

Answer 36

in a significant relationship but not married or cohabiting - some people can't afford to live together and a minority choose to live apart so they can keep their house Duncan and Phillips - being a LAT is no longer seen as abnormal - public attitudes towards LATs are favourable, a majority believe a couple doesn't have to live together to be strong

Question 37

childbearing - children born outside of marriage AO2

Answer 37

nearly 1/2 of all children are born outside of marriage

Question 38

childbearing - how many children women are having AO2

Answer 38

women are having fewer children in the 20th century. children per women fell from 2.95 to 1.63 in 2001

Question 39

childbearing - when are women having children AO2

Answer 39

women are having children later - average age of woman at birth of first child = 28.1 - rose by 4 years since 1970

Question 40

childbearing - reasons for the changes

Answer 40

decline in stigma and increase in cohabitation e.g only 28% of 25-34year olds think marriage before parenthood later age women are having children the smaller family sizes and the fact that more women remain childless reflect the fact that women have more choices than motherhood - e.g careers

Question 41

lone-parent family trends

Answer 41

a child living with a lone parent is 2x more likely to be in poverty as a child with both parents 1/4 children live in a lone-parent family

Question 42

lone parent families - reasons for the patterns

Answer 42

the number of Leo parent families has risen due to the increase of divorce increase in unmarried women having children few lone parent families are father headed because: - the belief that women are by nature suited to the nurturing role - divorce courts usually give custody of th children to mothers - men may be less willing to give up work

Question 43

lone parent families - single by choice

Answer 43

mothers are single by choice they may not wish to marry or cohabit or want to limit the fathers involvement Cashmore - some WC women with less earning power chose to live on welfare benefits without. partner often because they've experienced domestic abuse feminist ideas and greater opportunities for women has increased unmarried women

Question 44

lone parent families - welfare state and poverty

Answer 44

new right - Murray - argues that lone-parents are creating a 'dependency culture' in which people assume the state will support them and their children

Question 45

lone parent families - welfare state and poverty - critics of Murray AO3

Answer 45

welfare benefits are far from generous and lone parent families are more likely to be in poverty because: - most lone parents are women who earn less than men - lack of affordable childcare prevents lone parents from working - 60% are unemployed

Question 46

stepfamilies AO2

Answer 46

account for 10% of all families in Britain in 85% of step families at leats one child is from mothers previous relationship - 11%, one child from mans

Question 47

stepfamilies AO1

Answer 47

Ferri and Smith - stepfamilies are similar to first families in that child rearing is positive but they are at a greater risk of poverty Allan and Crow - stepfamilies may face particular problems of divided loyalties and issues of contact with the non-resident parent

Question 48

what factors are responsible for increase in stepfamilies (2)

Answer 48

divorce seperation

Question 49

why are more children in stepfamilies from the women's previous relationship than the man's

Answer 49

when marriages and cohabitations break up children are more likely to remain with mother

Question 50

why are children in stepfamilies at greater risk of poverty

Answer 50

there are often more children in step families and because the father may also have to support children from previous relationship

Question 51

ethnic differences - 2011 consensus Ao2

Answer 51

86& o fUK population = white 14% = ethnic minorities - main groups asian

Question 52

ethnic differences - black families AO2

Answer 52

over half of families with children headed by. black person were lone-parent families

Question 53

ethnic differences - black families AO1

Answer 53

the high rate of female headed Lone parent black families can be traced back to slavery - when couples were sold separately children stayed with the mother - this established a life pattern male unemployment and poverty have meant that black men are less able to provide for their families Mirza - the higher rate of alone families among blacks is because of the high value black women place on independence

Question 54

ethnic differences - asian families

Answer 54

larger than those of other ethnic groups reflect the value placed on the extended family practical considerations - when migrating the need for assistance is important

Question 55

the extended family - AO2 Charles 'extinct'

Answer 55

the classic 3 generation family all living together under one roof is now extinct

Question 56

the extended family - Willmott 'continues' Ao1

Answer 56

the extended family is not extinct but - continues to exist but as a dispersed extended family where relatives are geographically separated but maintain contact

Question 57

the extended family - beanpole family Ao1

Answer 57

its extended vertically (grandparents etc) but not horizontally (aunts etc)

Question 58

the extended family - beanpole family is the result of 2 demographic changes

Answer 58

increased life expectancy = more surviving grandparents smaller family sizes = people have fewer siblings

Question 59

the extended family - beanpole family - obligations to relatives AO2

Answer 59

people still feel a sense of obligation to help their wider extended kin 90% of people had or given financial help