Changing Family Patterns

Question 1

Why do feminist support divorce

Answer 1

Because women are breaking from oppression

Question 2

Why does The New Right see divorce as undesirable?

Answer 2

Because it undermines the traditional nuclear family which is important to maintain social stability

Question 3

What are the reasons for the changing of family patterns?

Answer 3

• changing attitudes to marriage- less pressure to marry
• secularisation- churches are in favour of marriage
• declining stigma- having children outside marriage is seen as acceptable
• changing in the position of women- less dependant on men
• fear of divorce

Question 4

Three reasons for the decline in marriage?

Answer 4

1) Fewer people are getting married
2) people are waiting longer to get married
3) there are more re marriages

Question 5

What are the explanations for the decline in marriage?

Answer 5

• changing attitudes to marriage- less family pressure
• secularisation
• cohabitation is no longer socially unacceptable
• changes in the position of women-many choose to follow success
• cost

Question 6

What is the definition of cohabitation?

Answer 6

A couple in a sexual relationship living together but not married

Question 7

Why does Charles Murray believe that single parent families has been encouraged by the welfare state? And what is his solution to this

Answer 7

Because it encourages dependancy and this then traps them into poverty
- the solution for this would be to demolish benefits so that they can provide for theme selves

Question 8

Reconstituted family is..

Answer 8

A step family in which one or both partners have children from their previous relationship

Question 9

What is the bean pole family?

Answer 9

A family that is vertically extended but not horizontally extended
E.g parents, children, grandparents but not aunts cousins or uncles

Question 10

Reasons for lone parent family

Answer 10

• the rise in divorce
• decline in stigma
• many women are single parent by choice- they want a child but not a permanent partner
• comfortable with living on benefits

Question 11

Name 4 reasons for the increase in divorce

Answer 11

1) changes in the law-easier by making it cheaper to divorce
2) declining stigma- become more socially acceptable
3) secularisation- decline in influence of religion in society
4) rising expectations of marriage