Changing Patterns: Divorce

Question 1

Changing patterns of Divorce

Answer 1

The Divorce rate in recent years has been in decline overall but there has been an increase in divorce in the over 60s

Question 2

Changing attitudes to relationships

Answer 2

• GIDDENS–> Confluent love has replaced romantic love and people are more willing to leave partners in search of greater fulfillment
• BECK–> Family is negotiated in late modern society and if conditions placed upon relationship are broken divorce ensues
• Higher expectations of marriage: While divorces have declined in recent years, so have marriages: people demand more satisfaction from relationships

Question 3

Reduced stigma and secularisation

Answer 3

• -The reduction in religious influence in society has led to divorce becoming more acceptable.
• People are no long being guided by the morality of church and therefore making their own judgements on relationships.
• Less social disapproval of divorces

Question 4

Increased life expectancy

Answer 4

• People are living longer and this is impacting both on the age when they marry and their likelihood to divorce
• With long to live, people are more likely to leave unhappy marriages and seek out new partners- as seen by increase in remarriages

Question 5

Changing gender roles

Answer 5

• Rise of feminism and the greater carer aspirations have been cited as reasons for the increase in divorce
• Two thirds of divorces are requested by females which reflects a growing dissatification with married life for women

Question 6

Growing individualism in society

Answer 6

Individualisation suggests that people are increasingly looking to satisfy their own needs rather than sacrafice their needs for the good of the family

• Confluent love (Giddens) and liquid love (Bauman) are based upon individuals having choice and looking to satisfy their own needs
• Relationships have become a transaction, one that ends when the relationship has fulfilled its purpose

Question 7

Consequences of divorce for family members

Answer 7

• Conflict within the family: impact on children of parental conflict over access and new relationships
  (However divorce is less damaging to children then a negative marriage)
• Greater number of remarriages, more lone parent families and more lone-person households within society
• Finanical issues for partners: loss of second income, additional costs of living aprt