Changing patterns of family/family diversity

Question 1

Plastic sexuality- Giddens

Answer 1

-Reflexivity= the ability to think and reflect upon one’s own needs and a desire for self-improvement
-Changes perceptions of relationships- family was not everything
-Led to plastic sexuality= removal of the function of child-bearing from the act of sex allowed more choice and freedom in partners

Question 2

Confluent love- Giddens

Answer 2

-A form of love that only exists if it benefits the individual
-Similar to negotiated family- continue as long as both partners are benefiting from the relationship
-Serial monogamy- moving from one relationship to another to satisfy individual needs

Question 3

Reflexivity and identity- Giddens

Answer 3

-People choose their own identity and what they want from a relationship
-This impacts on sexual identities as more fluid forms of sexuality emerge as people try to find out ‘who they are’

Question 4

Evaluations of Giddens

Answer 4

-Ideas are only applicable to those not bound by traditions- usually white M/C
-Offers changing patterns of family life with a variety of factors
-Ignores structural factors that shape an individual’s behaviour- social class, gender and ethnicity etc

Question 5

Reasons for decline in marriage

Answer 5

-Changing role of women in society
-Changing social attitudes
-Rising divorce and insecurity of relationships
-Changes to social institutions

Question 6

Changing social attitudes

Answer 6

-Alternatives to marriage- such as cohabitation or living apart together (LATs) relationships as a response to changing attitudes to relationships
-Gidden’s confluent love and Bauman’s liquid love= people opt for serial monogamy over long-term relationships

Question 7

Changes to social institutions

Answer 7

-Process of secularisation has led more people to see marriage as an outdated institution
-Less stigma attached to alternatives to marriage

Question 8

Increase in cohabitation

Answer 8

-Sociologists suggested cohabitation acts as a form of trial marriage- couples see if they can live together harmoniously
-Backed up by 88% of couples who married in 2017 were previously cohabiting

Question 9

Reconstituted families

Answer 9

-Increased life expectancy= second marriages are increasing
-Increase number of remarriages after age of 65 in UK in 2017

Question 10

Lone parent families- increased life expectancy

Answer 10

-Increase in elderly living alone

Question 11

Increase in same-sex relationships

Answer 11

-Greater social acceptance
-Changes in legislation
-Changes in attitudes to relationships
-Changing representations in the media

Question 12

Changes in legislation

Answer 12

-Decriminalisation of male homosexuality 1969
-Adoption allowed for same-sex couples in 2002
-Same-sex marriage allowed in 2013

Question 13

Evaluations of same-sex relationships

Answer 13

-Census may not be reliable due to social stigmas within some communities
-Broader range of sexualities and gender identities in UK= difficulties in defining some forms of relationship as one form of sexuality