changing family patterns- Divorce Flashcards
divorce
the legal termination of a marriage
how many marriages were there in 1971?
459,000
how many marriages were there in 1991?
350,000
how many marriages were there in 2015?
239,000
what does this show?
marriages are declining
how many divorces in 1971?
74,000
how many divorces in 1991?
158,000
how many divorces in 2015?
101,000
According to the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS), in 2019 there was how much increase in divorces between heterosexual couples in England and Wales, compared to 2018?
18.4% increase
reasons for an increase in divorce
-changes in law
-rising expectations
-secularisation
-decline in stigma
-changing position of women
changes in law
(1857)
-before 1857 divorce didn’t exist, a special act of parliament only way you could get one
-1867- men were only able to divorce wives, only if they had been unfaithful. It was also very expensive
1923
-1923 women were given same rights as men
Grounds for divorce were equalized in Britain.
1969
The Divorce Reform Act included ‘irretrievable breakdown’ as a ground for divorce. It made it possible for a couple to get a divorce, even if only one person desired it.
1966
the ‘family law act’ allows divorce by agreement after a ‘period of reflection’
rising expectations
(fletcher - 1966)
-functionalist sociologist fletcher argues that the higher expectations people place on marriage today is a major cause of rising divorce rates
-higher expectations make couples less likely to tolerate an unhappy marriage- leads to increasing divorce rates
expectations of marriage 1950s
-people did not expect much from marriages in the 1950s
-most people had little choice over who they married
-location, work and money were important factors
-romance was a ‘bonus’ but not an expectation
what do allan and crow believe are the fundamental components of a successful marriage?
love,satisfaction and commitment
Fletcher (1966)
people have started to expect their partners to be perfect lovers, parents, and counsellors, all at the same time. These expectations are difficult to meet.
David R. Gibson (1994)
argues that people in modern capitalist society regard marriage as a product. If it does not meet their needs anymore, or something better comes along, they can easily decide to ‘get rid’ of it.
secularisation
the declining influence of religion in a society
-led to marriages becoming less sacred and important, divorces are more widely accepted
consequences of divorce (religion)
-less people belive that getting divorced will sentence you to an eternity in hell, so more people will go through with a divorce
how many marriages involve a religious ceremony?
less than 50% of marriages now involve a religious ceremony
decline in stigma
what sociologists speak about this?
Mitchell and Goody (1977) since the 1960s there has been a declining stigma attached to divorce
what does sociologist Wilson (1966) argue this reduction in stigma is a result of ?
secularisation - the declining religious influence in a contemporary society
attitudes towards the effect of divorce on children shifted
-in the past couples remain together for the sake of the children (empty shell family) but now it is more commonly thought that children are better of if parents are split so are not exposed to parental conflict.
the reduced stigma of divorce means
couples less likely to remain together in order to keep up appearances, divorce has moved from being something abnormal to normal
Changes in the private sphere affecting divorce and marriage
(privatisation)
Privatisation of the nuclear family: there can be more stress and tension between the partners as they experience less support in their daily lives from the extended family.
Changes in the private sphere affecting divorce and marriage
(life expectancy)
Higher life expectancy: there is more time for problems to arise in a marriage.
changing position of women
Women have more work opportunities, so they are no longer dependent on their partners financially- and more likely to go through with a divorce
Spouses have separate wages, so divorce does not have to mean poverty for women.
changing the position of women
(better rights under divorce law)
-increased job opportunities and provision of state financial support enhance the bargaining position of women in conjugal relationships
The role of feminism in the changes of the position of women
(domestic abuse)
Domestic abuse; sexual assault in a marriage was not considered a criminal offence in England until 1992
Anthony Giddens(1992)
claims that women without children (or with fewer children) are freer to leave marriages.
evaluations
-divorce still expensive (£500)
-patronising to people, many couples know marriages aren’t perfect
-religion is actually increasing globally
-women still are not equal
divorce used to be seen as unacceptable as marriage used to be viewed as sacred. What does Goode argue?
Goode argues that marriage is less sacred today so there is less stigma around divorce
what does sociologist Ronald Fletcher argue?
people attach more value to marriage nowadays
-people are more ‘demanding’ , if marriage does not meet their expectations,they are more likely to want divorce
-high expectations channeled and developed through the media e.g in magazines and soap operas
