Definitions in changing patterns Flashcards
What is secularisation?
Decline in religious influence, contributing to more diverse family forms and attitudes towards marriage and cohabitation
What are changing attitudes to relationships?
Growing acceptance of cohabitation, same-sex relationships, and divorce
What is life expectancy?
Increased longevity impacts family structures, leading to multi-generational households
What is the conventional family?
Traditional nuclear family with distinct gender roles
What is the nuclear family?
A family unit consisting of two parents and their children
What are lone parent families?
Households headed by a single parent, often due to divorce or non-marital childbearing
What are lone parent households?
Individuals living alone, increasingly common due to ageing populations and individualisation
What are reconstituted/blended families?
Families formed through remarriage or cohabitation, combining children from previous relationships
What is cohabitation?
Couples living together without being married, reflecting changing societal norms
What are dual worker families?
Families where both partners are in paid employment, often balancing work and domestic responsibilities
What are same sex families?
Households headed by same-sex couples, reflecting greater social and legal recognition
What are beanpole families?
Multi-generational families with fewer children, characterised by longer lifespans
What is divorce reforms?
Legal changes making divorce more accessible, influencing family structures
What is organisational diversity?
Differences in family structures and roles, such as dual-earner or single-parent households
What is cultural diversity?
Family practices influenced by ethnicity, religion, and cultural backgrounds
What is cohort diversity?
Generational differences in family experiences due to historical and social contexts
What is life cycle/ life course diversity?
Families change over time, with different structures and needs at various life stages
What is social class diversity?
Family experiences shaped by economic and social status
What is living apart together (LATs)?
Couples in committed relationships who maintain separate residences
What are chosen families?
Non-biological family networks formed by choice rather than blood ties
What are matrifocal families?
Female-headed households, often centred around mothers
What are common law families?
Couples cohabiting without legal marriage, often with children
What are visiting relationships?
Couples maintaining separate households while in a relationship
What is the neo-conventional family?
A modernised version of the nuclear family, often dual-earner
What is the connectedness thesis?
Smart’s idea that individual choices are shaped by relationships and interdependencies
What is the individualisation thesis?
Beck and Beck-Gernsheim’s concept of greater personal freedom, leading to diverse family forms
What is loss of functionality?
Parsons argued that families have lost many traditional functions due to industrialisation
