Changing family patterns Flashcards
what are 3 other solutions to an unhappy marriage apart from divorce?
Desertion= when one partner leaves the other, but the couple remains legally married
Legal separation= where a court separatees the financial and legal affairs of the couple buy they remain married
Empty shell marriage
However, as divorce became easier to obtain these solutions have become less popular
what did Mitchell and Goody argue about declining stigma and changing attitudes
an important change since the 1960s has been the rapid decline in stigma related to divorce
what are the 7 explanations for the increase in divorce?
- changes in the law
- declining stigma and changing attitudes
- secularization
- rising expectations of marriage
- women’s increased financial independence
- Modernity and individualism
-feminist explanations
what did fletcher say about the rising expectations of marriage?
fletcher (functionalist) argues that the high expectations of marriage are the major cause of divorce rates. Higher expectations make couples less willing to accept an unhappy marriage. This is linked to the ideology of romantic love- a belief that a marriage should be based solely on love
what did graham and crow say about the rising expectations of marriage?
love, personal commitment and mutual satisfaction are now seen as the cornerstones of marriage
how do feminists critique the rising expectations of marriage as an explanation for more divorce?
argue that the oppression of women within the family is the main cause of divorce. functionalists fail to mention why it is mainly women seeking divorce.
what percentage of women that now petition for divorce are women?
65%
what does Hoschild argue the reason for higher divorce rates is- feminist explanation
argues that for many women, they prefer work over the home, as they feel valued. At home, men’s continued resistance to do housework is a source of frustration which makes marriage more unstable
what does Bernard argue the reason for higher divorce rates is- feminist explanation
many women feel a growing dissatisfaction with patriarchal marriage. They have become more accepting of feminist ideas and rejecting patriarchy.
what is a reason the dual burden is leading to higher divorce rates is- feminist explanation
Feminists argue that women today face a dual burden= do paid work and unpaid work. This has led to higher divorce rates
what do beck and Giddens argue about traditional norms in modern society?
argue that in modern society, traditional norms like staying with the same person for life, lose their hold over individuals. As a result, each individual pursues their own self- interest
How do the New right view high divorce rates?
see divorce rates as undesirable as it gets rid of the traditional nuclear family which is vital to society. It creates a growing female lone- parent (burden to the state) and leads to poorer health and educational outcomes for children
what is fragmentation in postmodernity?
In postmodern society, things are no longer unified or fixed. Fragmentation means that identities and cultures are broken up into smaller parts. Instead of everyone having the same values or beliefs, people today have different lifestyles and choices.
what is globalization in postmodernity?
Globalisation is the process where the world becomes more connected. Because of globalisation, things like travel, media, and technology have made the world smaller. Postmodernity sees this as breaking down national borders, mixing cultures, and making everything more interconnected.
How do functionalists view high divorce rates?
see high divorce rate as not a threat, but as a result of people’s higher expectations of marriage
How do feminists view high divorce rates?
see high divorce rate as desirable, shows that women are breaking free from oppression in the patriarchal nuclear family
How do interactionists view high divorce rates?
aim to understand what divorce means to the individual. Mitchell and Goody provide a good example of this. One of their interviewees described the day her father left as the best day of her life, another said she never recovered.
How do postmodernists view high divorce rates?
see high divorce rates as showing that individuals now have the freedom to choose to end a relationship, when it no longer fits their needs. (fragmentation of society/ globalization)
what is the number of cohabitating couples in Britain?
The number of cohabitating couples continue to increase. There are 2.9 million cohabiting couples in Britain
what does chester argue that most people see cohabitation as ?
Many see cohabitation as a trial marriage and intend to marry if it goes well.
Chester= argues that for most people, cohabitation is part of the process of getting married.
what did the civil partnership act do?
gave same sex couples similar legal rights to married couples e.g. inheritance and property
describe what the 3 sociologists who spoke about chosen families said.
Weeks= the increased social acceptance explain the trend towards same sex co habitation and relationships. He describes gay relationships as chosen families and argue that they offer the same security and stability as heterosexual families.
Allan and Crow= argue that same sex couples have had to negotiate their commitment and responsibilities more than married couples which made them more flexible but less stable than heterosexual couples
Anna Einasdottir= notes that while many gays and lesbians welcome the opportunity to have their partnerships legally recognised, others fear it may limit the flexibility and negotiability of relationships, they wish their relationships to be different from heterosexual relationships.
