families

Question 1

explain the conventional nuclear family

Answer 1

p- seen as ideal type of family in britain- male & female parents with own children, shown as best & normal type of family- preferred family of politicians, media
e- earned nickname of ‘cereal packet family,’ husband goes work , wife has housewife role preparing family’s breakfast
e- ANN OAKLEY- feminist: nuclear family is conventional family, shown as the only acceptable family
e- presenting 1 type of family as ideal shows other types of families as inferior, ignores problems e.g. dometic violence etc found in familiy

Question 2

explain functionalist definition of the family
gp murdock

Answer 2

p- positive view of family is encouraged by functionalist, family one of the most important insitutions in society, best way to bring up children- talcott parsons says if society is to operate as it should, children should grow up in nuclear family
e- GP MURDOCK- family vital for society, existed throughout world, family provides 4 key functions for society
- biological reproduction of next generation
- stable satisfaction = monogamous relationship
- socialises young -teaches norms/value
-meeting members of economicneeds: food shelter
e- his study in 1950s, studied 250 societies, found nuclear family or based on a nuclear family in every society = nuclear family universal and vital for society to survive
e-murdocks definition doesnt cover all families in current britain, doesnt include lone parent families/same sex couples/
he developed his ideas after ww2 (families left with 1 parent)
bc of tradition and influence of religion=considered as norm for children to grow in family with 2 parents of opposite sex

Question 3

explain ideas around families in britain

Answer 3

p- idea of family in britain today includes a variety of arrangements e- lone parent families and same sex couples, there is a variety of family types in britain not just one type
e- some of these arrangements only recently recognised e.g. same sex couples not allowed to adopt until 2005, not allowed to marry until 2014, only 1 of them could adopt at single couple
e- popular view of nuclear family seen as normal family in western society- challenged by sociologists: other family types have been developed, many prefer to use term -family- so definition is not simplified and narrowed

Question 4

explain extended families

Answer 4

p- arrangement common in african tribal communities or india, consists of relatives in addition to the immediate family
e- vertically extended= 3+ generations living together(kids,parent,grandparents)
horizontally extended= 2 generations with relatives (cousins,aunts,uncles)

Question 5

explain reconsituted family

Answer 5

p- made up of one or both partners with children from previous marriage/ relationship living with them, new partners may go have own children
e- according to statistics they are currently the fastest growing type of family in the uk, more reconsituted families than nuclear
e-divorce becoming increasingly popular, more accepted in society

Question 6

explain the lone parent family

Answer 6

p- family arrangement of 1 parent with their dependent children,
e- increasing in britain, 2015 , 25% families with dependent children were lone parent, most consist of mother & her dependent child
2015, 90 % were headed by female
e- theyre not new, wouldve been formed in past by death of a partner/ separation but this would be frowned upon: unlikely
e- more lone parent families due to divorce or women choosing to have children on their own

Question 7

explain single sex families

Answer 7

p- same sex families are more common too, same sex couples living together/ civil partnership
e-(since 2014 act allowing same sex couples to marry), the marriage (same sex couples ) act in 2013 allowed same sex couples to marry in civil ceremonies
e-cohabiting living together while unmarried(increase in modern society, fewer marrying even when they have children
e-an umarried heterosexual couple could not adopt children jointy until 2002, although 1 could adopt as a single perspm
in 2014, 84000 same sex cohabiting couples

Question 8

explain cohabiting family

Answer 8

p-couple living together in a close relationship as partners but unmarried,
e-national statistics: 3 million opposite sex cohabiting couples in families in 2014 at first seen as trial marriage to see if couple compatible but now its an alternative family form
e- increasing in modern society (secularisation=unmarried couples living together used to be seen as living in sin but due to decline in religion, opinions are not that common among population, church less strict )-fewer people marrying even when they have children

Question 9

bean pole family

Answer 9

beanpole- vertically extended, up to 4 generations, few children
e- modified extended family, members dont live together, keep regular contact through visits, calls etc to show importance of close extended family ties

Question 10

ethnic minority family forms -

Answer 10

p - RAPPORTS - family diversity is found among ethnic groups in britain. ppl from ethnic backgrounds may have migrated to Britain,follows norms and culture of own ethnic group but children born in britain meet alternative practices at school in neighbourhood & media, may combine both cultures when forming own family
e- e.g. british afro carribean has lower rate of marriage, higher rate of divorce & separation, less likely living w partner than white ppl, married more likely to separate & divorce
OR south asians- pakistani and bangladeshi, more likely to have large family, women less likely to work when having children, lower rates of separation/divorce, more likely to keep ties w extended family
e- more sign of change among younger members of asian community
eval- rapports see diversity in families today but robert chester diagrees and sees nuclear family as the main family type

Question 11

explain polygamy

Answer 11

p- one partner legally allowed to marry several partners at same time, most common form is polygny where man has several wives,
e- practice found in many small societies e.g. north africa
- its usually only wealthy members of society as man must be rich enough to provide for all wives and children
e- women in these societies regard this practice as unfair but in patriarchal systems they are unlikely to have a choice in this matter

Question 12

explain polyandry

Answer 12

p- woman may marry several men at a time
e- in some areas of nepal, woman can marry all brothers from one family even if theyre young
e- it is rare but has become a custom in societies where there was a shortage of men.
e-wives expected to not show favouritism and have at least one child from each father

Question 13

explain arranged marriage

Answer 13

p- parents organise the marriage of ther children by choosing their spouse-
e- custom found in some areas of india and pakistani and sometimes pracitsed among these ethnic communities in britain
e- arranged according to economic and social standing, seen as a union of families rather than love match
e- different modern custom in britain, the norm is to fall in love but historically marriage was more linked to economic security than romance /
changes in muslim and hindu families in britain- coming in contact with different cultural practices in school means custom may not be practiced/ marriage of couple arranged may meet beforehand to see if they agree

Question 14

one child family policy

Answer 14

p- each family having max of 1 child introduced by chinese gov in 1979 to slow population growth
e- couples encouraged to have 1 child by giving them free child health care & education. those expecting more than one could face fines, loss of benefits/jobs, forced abortions
e-not all regions followed policy, fears over china ageing population led chinese gov to end poicy in 2015, allow couples to have 2 children
e- in britain people are free to choose how many kids they want, society less religious, significant developments in method of contraception, little government interference in personal decisions

Question 15

explain traditional marriage patterns

Answer 15

p= young people lived at home until they were eady to be married, married at a fairly young age and moved to own homes, had children
e- marriage was norm for most adults in 1950s, girls growing into adulthood in 1950s expected to keep a ‘bottom drawer’ to collect gifts in preparation for getting married, having babies, friends and families might give girls gifts like cutlery, table linen, baby clothes for future
e-marriage was the norm for most adults in 1950s, most were first time marriages, lasting until 1 partner died
e- marriage arrangments have changed greatly in the last 50 years as overall marriage rate has gone down

Question 16

explain how cohabitation, later marriages and remarriages have changed marriage patterns

Answer 16

p- more couples are cohabiting instead of marrying
e- overall marriage rate has gone down= official for national statistics, 3 million opposite sex couples cohabiting couple families in 2014, 84 000 same sex cohabiting coules ,many couples are marrying later, average age for first time marrigaes is at a later age (since 2012- 30-32) it was (22-24 in 1972)
more remarriages per year than first time marriages, divorce is increasing too
e- the Divorce Reform Act 1969-divorces easier- overall divorce rate increased since the introduction of the divorce reform act. 2015-total of 130,473 couples that divorced in the United Kingdom.

Question 17

explain how norms, religion and finance has changed marriage patterns

Answer 17

1- norm- perfectly acceptable to remain single, stigma for unmarried women is gone, acceptable to cohabit and have childrenoutside marriage
2- reliigion- influence of religion has declined, christianity supports idea of having sex ,children in marriage, unmarried couples were seen to be living in sin- church generally less strict than it used to be, because of decline in religion (secularisation), opinions not so common anymore, divorce easier to obtain, treated with less stigma as in the past, number of divorces increased leading to more marriages
3-economic changes for women, more independence to cohabit or remain single without having to marry for financial security, most women followed career path leading to different marriage patterns e.g. marrying later in life
also
high cost for wedding leads to later age of marriage/ puts couples off marriage(magazine brides conducted a survery among readers and found thatan average of 30,000 was spent on weddings )

Question 18

what do the rapports say about family diversity

Answer 18

p- 1980s, familys are becoming more diverse in britain, theyre moving away from one main faily form, they noticed that the nuclear family was only one of many family types
e- families are becoming diverse in how they are organised in term of structure, different roles between men and women, some are lone parents whilst others are extended,
e-trends like divorce, remairriage, cohabitation have made family structure more unpredicatable, they no longer follow set patterns

Question 19

explain the importance of the nuclear family according to chester

Answer 19

p- disagrees with family diversity, although there have been changes, the nuclear family is still not the main family type
e-data from office for national statistics- despite increase in cohabiting couple families/loneparent families, married couples and civil partnership families are still most common family type
e- majoirity of people still marry and do not divorce, most cohabiting couples go on to marry, many divorced people remarry, most live in a nuclear family at some time and the nuclear family is the family people aspire to be
e- cohabiting couples are the fastest growing family type

Question 20

what do post modernists say about family diversity

Answer 20

p- view trends towards family diversity in a positive light
e- people choose from a variety of family forms in a way that suits them best, not influenced by strict social norms/ economic factors
e- women have more freedom to live as they choose, old predicatble patterns where people tended to be restricted to living in set ways are passing and being replaced by people chosing the way they want to live

Question 21

explain how secularisation is a reason for family diversity

Answer 21

p- sex outside marriage, cohabitation, divorce, same sex relationships more acceptable due to religion having less influence
e- 1950s -marriage & nuclear family encouraged .stigma attached to children born outside of marriage & same sex marriage. those who broke norms faced sanctions e.g. disowned by family. norms based on religious ideas of marriage= insitiution set by god, marriage taken place in church, law supported marriage, children born outside marriage didn’t have same rights as children born inside marriage,
e- process associated with decline in religion in britain. secularisation

Question 22

explain how the changing position of women has caused family diversity

Answer 22

p- position of women is very different in britain today, opportunities at school have improved for girls,- positive for women in society has undergone change
e- husbands role traditionally as breadwinner and wifes role to look after children and home but now career prospects opened for women,
e- women now working, not dependent on men for financial support, remaining single,cohabiting,divorcing, developments in contraception allowing children to control how many children they have
e- feminism has encouraged these changes, helen wilkinson in 1980s says womens attitudes have changed so radically that a genderquake has taken place

Question 23

explain why changes in laws and norms have caused an increase in numbers of lone parent families

Answer 23

p- more lone parent families nw as a result of divorce, social and economic changes leading to single parenting
e- legal changes and changes in norms= easier to obtain divorce= increasing number in lone parent families as married coupels split,, norms around relationships and children have changed, in 1950s norm was to get married then have kids (stigma with humiliation and rejection attached to an unmarried woman with a baby)
e- this is no longer the case, peoples regard for religionhas generally declined, church strongly supported idea that both sexand birth of childen should take place in marriage only

Question 24

explain how the changing position of women has caused an increase in numbers of lone parent families

Answer 24

p - position of women has changed, opportunities at school and wokrplace have improved,
e- women are going university and gaining qualifications , taking up well paid jobs, realising they dont need to marry for financial stability
e- benefits from welfare state avaibale for lone parent families. divorce allows women to be independent too

Question 24

explain how the changing position of women has caused an increase in numbers of lone parent families

Answer 24

p - position of women has changed, opportunities at school and wokrplace have improved,
e- women are going university and gaining qualifications , taking up well paid jobs, realising they dont need to marry for financial stability
e- benefits from welfare state avaibale for lone parent families. divorce allows women to be independent too

Question 24

explain how the changing position of women has caused an increase in numbers of lone parent families

Answer 24

p - position of women has changed, opportunities at school and wokrplace have improved,
e- women are going university and gaining qualifications , taking up well paid jobs, realising they dont need to marry for financial stability
e- benefits from welfare state avaibale for lone parent families. divorce allows women to be independent too, women have ability to establish their own career

Question 25

explain the new right views on families

Answer 25

p- lone parent families are inadequate and the cause of many of societys problems
e- charles murray argues the boys brought up without a male role model will not see fatherly behaviour to aspire to be or understand what the role of is
e- the role of men is seen to work and provide money for the family
he says boys brought up by single mothers are unlikely to take responsibilitu for any children they have , clais that boys in lone parent families are more likely to turn to crime and fail at school
e- feminists argue high crime rates are because of poverty, women in lone parent families might not be able to work because they are the sole childcare provider ,benefits they qualify or might be inadequate

Question 26

what do feminists say about lone parent families

Answer 26

p- feminists support lone parent families as they see them as offering women a choice to escape traditional patriarchal marriages where men have power over women
e- higher crime rates for lone parent families are a result of poverty, women in lone parent families might not be able to work because they are the sole childcare provider ,benefits they qualify or might be inadequate
e- lone parenting frees women from dependency on men and allows them to bring up their children away from an unhappy relationship

Question 27

explain why changing norms is a reason for growth in single hood

Answer 27

p- Marriage and children were generally seen as the only acceptable goals for women
e- attitudes have changed, longer education and careers have become more acceptable ambitions for wome, change in attitude to sex outside marriage changing religious beliefs and advances in contraception(initially girls would lose respect if they lost their virginity, seen as wrong and sinful)
e- norms have changed now, women who didnt marry were insulted but now attitudes have changed as domestic life has less importance
e- divorce is a main reason leading to singlehood as well, high number of marriages ending in dovice make people wary of marriage

Question 28

how has contraception increased growth in singlehood

Answer 28

p-changes in technology has an impact on marriage rates
e- 1967- contraceptive pill made available to unmarried women
e- this development and changing norms of society meant unmarried men and women could have sex outside marriage without fear of shame or children

Question 29

how was the position of women increased the growth of singlehood

Answer 29

p- there is greater economic independence of women- increase in employment opportunities is linked to the growth in singlehood, more women choose to follow carrer, delay marriage, remain single
e- sue sharpe-in 1970s priorities of working class girls was love marriage family and career
in the 1990s it became a job and career
e- some women may choose singlehood and opting for a different form of fufillment and satisfaction than marriage and children

Question 30

what does sue sharpe say about the changing position of women

Answer 30

e- sue sharpe-in 1970s priorities of working class girls was love marriage family and career
in the 1990s it became a job and career
e- some women may choose singlehood and opting for a different form of fufillment and satisfaction than marriage and children

Question 31

what do postmodernists say about singlehood

Answer 31

p- people are free to choose their life situation and how they want to live in a contemporary socity
e- women are no longer under pressure to follow set patterns of marriage and family
e- they are free to choose alternative life that they want to follow and to live alone if thats their preference
e- they might exaggerate the degree of choice ppl have in contemporary society, some who are single may have not chosen to be single, although economic position of women has improved, some are still low paid and part time

Question 32

explain changes in divorce laws and divorce rates

Answer 32

p- about 42 percent of new marriages are likely to end in divorce
e- charges in divorce laws has contribted to increase in number of divorces, divorce used to be an expensive legal process, it was financially unrealistic for many in the working class
e- 1969 divorce reform act allowed people in unhappy marriage to divorce, a rise in number of divroces followed this act as many couples found that their situation fitted, they did not blame each other
1984- law that grants divorce after one year of marriage
e- 1996 family law act tried to slow down divorce process, introduced compulsory period of conciliation and reflection 9 months after statement

Question 33

how has change in norms and decline in religion caused change in divorce rate

Answer 33

p- divorce is now acceptable and no longer associated with shame, it now said that it is damaging for children to live in an atmosphere of conflict
e- changing attitudes have freed people from the stigma of divorce as divorce was commonly associated with shame (supported by religious beliefs )
e- decline in relgion meant people dont attach religious significance to marriage , over half of first time marriages dont talk place in church, changes in law have removed barriers to divorce, unhappy married couples can get a divorce

Question 34

how has the change to the position of women and expectationsof marriage change divorce rate

Answer 34

p- expectations of marriage have changed , economic security, tradition, wantig children have been major incentivesfor people to marry
e- many couples have different expectations and want love ,
ANTHONY GIDDIONS, couples expect intimacy, closeness
women tend to be less satisfied than men in marriage
66 percent of divorces requested by women
e- change in position of women has contributed to divorce , more women working in stable jobs, welfare benefits available , more women are able to support themselves

Question 35

explain new right views on divorce

Answer 35

p- new right have had influence on government policies in regard to family
e- sees nuclear family as best form of family, other family types are inferior
Charles Murray believes lone parent families are causing most of societys problems , sees divorce as a threat to future of nuclear families as it creates inadequate families
e-says children from lone parent families are more likely to fail at school and are more likely to be involved in crime
e- this might be due to poverty not family type, lone parent families with young children more likely to be in poverty due to childcare responsibilities , less able to work and relying on benefits

Question 36

new right views on change in laws for marriage

Answer 36

p- change to marriage laws e.g. divorce reform act - and cheap divorces have made divorce too easy
e- basic fees for divorce advertised on tv is less than 120.
e- couples rush into divorce without trying to work things out first, 1996 act tried to slow down pace of divorce
ease of divorce might make people rush into divorce without taking commitment seriously
e- divorce is expensive -legal aid for divorce fees is only available for certain cases like domestic abuse - even then evidence must be provided and paid for by person requesting divorce

Question 37

explain changes to family sizes due to the changing position of women

Answer 37

p- changing position of women can be a major cause as more women seek a careeer and eithe rpostpne having children or are deciding to not have children at all
e- higher proportion of women in 1964 having no children - 20 percent of women born in 1964 have had no children compared with 12 percent of women born in 1937

Question 38

explain changes to family sizes due to decline in religion

Answer 38

p- christian faith argues that the purpose of marriage is to have children , this became an obstacle to the use of contraception
e- increased secularisation in christian communities means people are less likely to follow religious teachings today
e- catholic church still opposed use of contraception but there is still change happening
e- catholic church has fought for the provision of free birth control in poor areas

Question 39

how has technological and financial factors caused change to the family size

Answer 39

p- medical advances in contraception
e- 1960s- breakthrough with development of contraceptiv pill, women could limit the amount of children that they had
p- there is an increasing expense for bringing up children,
e-child poverty action group said it costs around £148,000 to raise a child till age of 18
1/10 women had to limit family size due to expenses
e- standard of living was said to be mobile phone, 1 weeks holiday in britain, occassional take away = people might have to choose to have fewer children to maintain expected standards of living

Question 40

what are reasons for the ‘family’ being in decline

Answer 40

1- more children are born outside marrgiage, fewer people getting married, high youth crime, low educational attainemnt, drug and alcohol abuse

Question 41

is the nuclear family under threat

Answer 41

1- if nuclear family is considered as the proper family then they are as there is increase in cohabitation,divorce , family diversity, robert chester says fewer people are spending majority of lvies in traditional nuclear families
2- rapports agree but see other family types as desirable too, the family life is still flourishing as the defintition from general household survery says a family s ‘‘a married or cohabiting couple living alone with children, lone parent with his or her children
family has not declined but it has just changed
3- post modernists agree, people are now free to choose how they want to live their lives,the idea that there is onlyone acceptable family form is no longer relevant

Question 42

explain what conjugal roles are

Answer 42

p- parts played by men andwomen in a partnership and jobs are done in the family
e- sociologists distiguish between segregated roles where roles of two adult partners are different and there is a division between men and womens duties (intergraated is when they are similar)

Question 43

explain what conjugal roles are

Answer 43

p- parts played by men andwomen in a partnership and jobs are done in the family
e- sociologists distiguish between segregated roles where roles of two adult partners are different and there is a division between men and womens duties (intergrated is when they are similar)

Question 44

explain the traditional domestic division of labour

Answer 44

p- relationships between husbands and wvies have greatly changed over the last 60 years
e- 1950s, man was breadwinner, wife to look after women and children(difference in suties divided among woman and man)
e- men responsible for some house tasks like repairs and decorating, women-cooking,cleaning
some women worked part time but main role was home

Question 45

explain the symmetrical family

Answer 45

1970s
p-relationships were equal but not identical
e- wage earning,domestic rolw, childcare shared between men and women, both contributing to home
WILMOTT AND YOUNG
their study showed married women were going to work and a ‘new man’ was emerging that was more likely to engage in domestic tasks
leisure involved the man at the pub or playing golf and the woman with extended family
e- roles were similar and balanced
e- this is emerging bc more women are going to work, using extra money to spend on the home, families moving away from wider extended family, man willing to spend time at home

Question 46

explain wilmott and young- stratified diffusion

Answer 46

p- principle of stratified diffusion to predict what would happen to a family = the way of life of those at the top of the class structure will filter down to those below them
e- symmetrical family (stage 3) started among the middle class and spread to the working class (stage 4) those at bottom copes family patterns of those above them
e- they observe managing directions of large companies and corporations (near top of class structure) centred lives around work , wilmott and young call stage 4 asymmetrical as wife gave up work ,
Wilmott and young predicted that the family pattern will filter down

Question 47

explain the continuity inequality in the home

Answer 47

p- feminists question the extent that families have become symmetrical
e- ann oakley did not find evidence of symmetrical family in her research in 1970s (working class households)
e- criticised Wilmott and young, argued that they exaggerated the extend to which men’s roles changed in the home

Question 48

how far have conjugal roles changed

Answer 48

1- hours spent on household talks, time use study 2006, women who worked outside home spent 21 hours a week on housework, men spent 12 hours= still traditional division of labour where women does most domestics, men do diy

-decision and money making, - 1980, stephen edgell, women had control over decisions at home, men had more control over finance concluding that men were still in control of domestic decisionmaking

3-Jan Pahl 1993- most common form of managing family money was husband controlled pooling= both partners earning and benefits collected, husband had more control over how it was spent, women had more control over household finance

Question 49

explain what the triple shift is
by ann oakley

Answer 49

1970s- women who worked ended up with a dual burden, they still did majority of housework as well as doing paid work(anm oakley)
e- duncombe and marsden added emotion work to this = management of emotions in home and listeing to/ sorting out problems - significant family of aspect of family life,

Question 50

explain what the triple shift is
by ann oakley

Answer 50

1970s- women who worked ended up with a dual burden, they still did majority of housework as well as doing paid work(anm oakley)
e- duncombe and marsden added emotion work to this = management of emotions in home and listeing to/ sorting out problems - significant family of aspect of family life,
e- dunscombe and marsdens study in 1995 = overwhelmingly done by women, they extended oakley’s dual burden to call this triple shift , women went for work, household& emotion work
eval- study by ester dermott 2003- many fathers wanted to be involed in childcare, wanted to spend more time with children, willing to help them with their hw and play with them

Question 51

how does the media reflect conjugal roles

Answer 51

p- media can sometimes reflect or change attitudes
e- men/boys rarely shown on tv doing hw or caring for others, they have the jokey man who is useless and cant do household tasks, he is saved by his domestic goddess partner
e- changes, advert for Tide , popular washing powder in america , shows a stay at home dad braiding his daughters hair and doing laundry

Question 52

duncombe and marsden on conjugal roles

Answer 52

e- dunscombe and marsdens study in 1995 = overwhelmingly work done by women, they extended anne oakley’s dual burden(taking care of household and doing work) to call this triple shift , women went for work, household& emotion work
eval- study by ester dermott 2003- many fathers wanted to be involed in childcare, wanted to spend more time with children, willing to help them with their hw and play with them
e- their study involved 40 couples , its not sufficient to make a representative sample, lone parent families parent carries out all roles,
but high income dual career (both parents spending significant amount of time at work ) able to pay people to do domestic tasks so they can concentrate onjobs

Question 53

changing role of men in society- explain traditional masculine roles

Answer 53

p- many men had jobs requiring strength and physical work e.g. coal mining, street manufacturing
e- these jobs were significant as they defined men , men were hardworking breadwinners, men had authority in home , regarded as head of household bc they worked hard to earn the money their family needed
e- this gives men status and respect, boys are socialised to prepare them for this role

Question 54

reasons for change in role of men
-industry

Answer 54

p- traditional industires e.g, coal mining have declined= male emplymen= loss of breadwinner role , manual jobs replaced in service industries which dont need physical strength and can be done by both men and women

Question 55

reasons for change in role of men - feminism

Answer 55

p-women succeeding in education and following a career, challenging male role as bread winner, expecting more involvement from men in the home
e-feminism has questioned right of men to have power over men in home and society

Question 56

reasons for change in role of men - how have men received conflicting messages

Answer 56

changes have challenged the respoect and status that men traditionally enjoyed

agents of socialisation like media e.g. tv- show men in traditional masculine roles , male heroes e.g. avengers- physically powerful, assertive, most car adverts male

feminism and many women in lives of men expect men to be caring, sensitive and in touch with their feminine side

Question 57

explain the crisis of masculinity

Answer 57

p- men are losing their traditional roles and are taken for granted by authority and are left confused and unsure of their identity

Question 57

explain the crisis of masculinity

Answer 57

p- men are losing their traditional roles and are taken for granted by authority and are left confused and unsure of their identity
e-concept has been taken up by many mental health groups e.g. calm and mens health form - charities tackling male inequalities in health care (linked to suicide,depression) research shows men are less likely to ask for help
e- young men have higher rates of suicide and depression , lower rates of educational achievement and are more likely to be homeless than any other group in british society

Question 58

explain how childhood is a social construction

Answer 58

p-how children are viewed and treated varies between societies.
e- in contemporary britain, childhood is viewed as stage of life where children are protected frin adult concerns
e– in some parts of world , at the same time children will be working or even fighting in wars (previous centures in britain children worked alongside parents on farm , no formal education, seen as an ecomic benefit )Phillipe Aries says childhood did not exist and children were mini adults

Question 59

explain how the importance of children has changed over time

Answer 59

p- previous centuries, britain, kids worked along side parents farming, children seen as economic benefit working in factories
e- laws were passed distinguishing childhood from adulthood , gave children special rights and protection
e- compulsory schooling for children was enabled, extended to age of 16 , parents made responsible for welfare of children
1989 childrens act= child has say in who they want to live with = main concern in legislation is welfare of child

Question 60

explain how child centred families work
phillip aries

Answer 60

p- living standards have risen, families smaller to focuse care on fewerc children
e- working hours reduced, parents have more leisure time with children
PHILLIP ARIES- 20th century seen as the century of the child as position of child has improved, focus of family
e- still differences in temrs of social class, gender rights, ethnictiy
unicef wants to improve position of childten throughout world but poor childten much more likely to die in childhood and achieve lower results
nearly 3000 children on uk’s child protection register

Question 61

what does neil postman say about child centred families

Answer 61

argues that child centric trend is in fact reversed, childhood is actually disappearing in contemporary society, children becoming more like adults
due to tv culture, may watch adult content
computer games expose kids to adult themes

Question 62

explain the role of older people in the family - modified extended family

Answer 62

p- extended family is important source of support - might not live close but keep in contact
e- children and parents see elderly relative on a regular basis, keep in touchwith visits
e- grandparents help out financially by babysitting, caring for children when ill
with increase of women working and cost of childcare , grandparents look after children while parents are at work
(studies show grandparents with grandchildren is good for their health and wellbeing, parents benefit from support and can pursure their career while bringing up children)

Question 63

compare traditional families to modified extended family

Answer 63

more traditional family found in some working class areas
close extended family found by Janet Foster in a study in east end
adults in a family lived only a few streets from each other and saw each other on most days, supported each other with monetary help
modified extended family- family members dont live as close to each other but keep in regular contact

Question 64

how was the increase in elderly population led to a growth in beanpole families

Answer 64

this refers to a family of many generations but with few members in each generation. - 3/4 generations including great grandparents and children , few brothers and sisters at each level,
= result of people living longer , families have fewer children then divorce, ties between generations tend to be strong due to fewer relatives
evaluation- other elderly people living over 80 may live in poverty, have health problems,and rely on the family for support

Question 65

explain what the sandwich generation is

Answer 65

of middle aged/ older women who act as carers for elderly parents and provide help for their children
- may have grown up being known as boomerang children, they return to to live at home as a result of a breakup/ cant afford to rent/buy a home
- government has delayed age of retirement to 67(may affect how elderly parents and child care for each other)
- elderly women likely to live alone as life expectancy is generally higher than men as they usually marry older men, many find themselves in isolation and needing support from family

Question 66

explain what the consensus theory is - functionalist view of the family

Answer 66

p- people agree with same values and want the same thing out of life, family is vital (cornerstore) for society, organised to teach its members its core vaues, help them achieve their goals, become good members of society
eval- some disagree with consensus view, society and family works to benefit certain groups e.g. feminists= society and family is organised to benefit men
marxists= society and family is organised to benefit the upper ruling class

Question 67

what does the functionalist gp murdock argue the functions of the family is

Answer 67

p- families throughout world perform functions that are needed for society to survive
e-1- sex within marriage stablises couple therefore society
2-reproductive- ensures members of society are born
3- economic - family provides resources and financial stability for its members
4- educational - socialises children into societys values and norms, values
e- without the family performing these fucntions, society could not exist

Question 68

what does talcott parsons argue the functions of the family are

Answer 68

p- sociologal role of family has changed overtime , he suggests the family has lost some of its functions but has been left with
1-primary socialisation of children= children taught shared norms and values of their society, as they grow they committ to these rules of society
2- stabilisation of adult personalities= married couples provide comfort and emotional support for each other
‘warm bath’ theory = provides relaxation from stress of modern life for husband after a busy day to have stress washed
eval- parsons argues theres a clear division of labour between men and women in family needed to carry out functions , men better suited as breadwinner, women beter suited to domestic duties

Question 69

explain the criticims of functionalist views on the family

Answer 69

1- criticisms mainly because it is so positive, ignores dark side of family life, violence against children and partners is widesprea, each year in britain some children are actually beat to death by parent , nearly 30,000 on child protection register
2- feminists criticise, family works well for men and benefits family more than women, draws attention to domestic abuse endured by wome and inequality in home
3- functionalist view on family is dated and not relevant to contemporary britain , talcott parsons idea of division of laboue does not fit families where both partners work / are the same sex (he put forward his views in 1950s) makeup of families and position of women has changed

Question 70

what are the 2 basic irreducible functions of the modern family

talcott parsons

Answer 70

1- loss of traditional family functions
p- 150 years ago= little help in time of poverty sickness: family acted as system of mutual aid esp. for working class
e- family responsible for health of members, many could not afford doctor
e- family no longer needs to perform this function as insitutions have grown took responsibility of family ,nhs provides free medical care= assists poorer family members and social care for elderly
(functionalist Robert Fletcher, family has benefitted from change and functions are better performed by specialists from outside the family )
2- ISOLATION AND LACK OF CONTACT WITH WIDER KIN
p- family has moved from extended to nuclear, extended does not fit with modern society, , staying withfamilies would interfere with movement and labour= moving to areas where job is available
so privatised nuclear family has risen= nuclear family more seprated, more home centred
e-functionalists Willmott and young= changes in working class 1950s - extended family ties were strong, women of family share their lives, later study in 1970s= family for has moved from extended family, became isolated, home centred , relationships between husband and wife more symmetrical
extended family still thrives in traditional working class areas, modern nuclear family is not isolated but modified, ties between members kept by visits

Question 71

explain the conflict theory from marxists

Answer 71

p-society is marked by conflict , society is made up of proletariat and bourgeoisie
e- families are serving interests of bourgeoisie and capitalism , families organised in such a way to benefit capitalism (means of making wealth are owned by individuals who run them for profit) structure and acitivites of family keep capitalism going
e- bourgeosie pays workers as little as possible bc pay comes out of their profit even though they already have more power and wealth, they have so much power that they can even control the family

Question 72

explain zaretsky’s cult of private life
marxist

Answer 72

p- capitalism is a very unfair society, this revolution doesnt happen as workers are persuaded that happiness lies in family lfie no working for a fairer society,
e- cult of private life is where people bury themselves and close their eyes in the injustice of capitalism= capitalists are focusing on the family to sell their products too to make profit
e- families persuaded through adveritising

Question 73

explain examples and the theory of cult of private life

Answer 73

p- zaretsky argues that family keeps capitalism going,
e- children are brought up to do as theyre told by parents = getting ready to accept authority, prepares them for work and doing as bosses say
e- family provides emotional support for workers = more able to cope in boring tasks= if a worker has a family they will not complain about pay and conditions in fear of losing job
eval- post modernists say consumption of goods can be enjoyable, offers people a lot of choice, good standard of living bringing up children without instruction would not work
feminists say marxists ignore the power men exercise over women in any class
functionalists say marxists ignore benefits family provides for members and community

Question 74

what are criticims of the marxist conflict theory

Answer 74

eval- post modernists say consumption of goods can be enjoyable, offers people a lot of choice, good standard of living bringing up children without instruction would not work
feminists say marxists ignore the power men exercise over women in any class
functionalists say marxists ignore benefits family provides for members and communityg

Question 75

explain feminist view on the family- conflict theory

Answer 75

p- inequality between men and women in society, women are oppressed by men
e- relationships between men and women in western society based on patriarchy, society organised in a way that benefits interest of
e- traditionally men have dominated institutions in society
believes family is also organised in a way to benefit society
e- feminists insist on change , demand a society where men and women are equal = many continue to fight to gain a change in laws

Question 76

explain how the feminists see the family as a patriarchal institution

Answer 76

radical feminists= delphy and leonard see family as patriarchal and mainatining power over men. women contribute most to family in terms of domestic, emotional work, men benefit most

ann oakley- from birth children are taught that men and women have different places in the world and that male role is superior
e.g. little boys given toys like action man = teaches them their role is stronger in outside world
little girls = dolls/mini pushchairs= better suited to looking after babeis
division in roles benefit men as it gives them more power and status

Question 77

explain feminists on domestic abuse

Answer 77

p- men dominate women through domestic violence and abuse
e- official for national statistics in 2015- 2 women murdered every week in england and wales by current/ former partner
SYLVIA WALBY =domestic violence against women is cause of inequality = devalues women
e- some changes have been achieved= e,g, right to contraception and abortion, rape in marriage has been against the law since 1997

Question 78

explain the criticisms of feminist views in the family

Answer 78

1- they ignore the benefits of the family life for women e.g. the pleasure of bringing up their children in a safe stable environment
2- functionalists say the family is orgnised in a way that benefits both society and family members
3- marxists would say the family benefits capitalism and upper class,not men in particular

Question 79

what do feminists says about social control in the family

Answer 79

p- family is a patriarchal institution benefiting and serving interests of men more than women. family exercises social control over lives of young girls & women at every stage of familylife= forces them into mould of femininity formed by men
e- christine delphy& diana leonard argue; in adulthood, social control of women passes to husbands and boyfriends, relationships in family are patriarchal , men more controlling, dominant,powerful over money and decisions as head of household
e- e.g. in domestic abuse, feminists argue statistics are inaccurate as it’s more common than they suggest- mainly an abuse committed by men against women, may involve restricting woman’s freedom to leave her house, repeated verbal attacks

Question 80

explain examples of social control of females within the family

Answer 80

p- family socialises children into gender roles
e- ann oakley argue young girls are from birth steered to a mother/ housewife role, encouraged to take care of toys
e- for older girls , feminists argue parents are stricter with girls than boys , monitoring movements , expecting them to be home earlier than boys
e- idea is reinforced in ‘double standard of morality’ =sexuality of girls is controlled , young women with several sexual partners are branded, gossiped
young men with several sexual partners encouraged, regard it as an achievement

Question 81

explain how domestic violence now differs from how it was during the victorian era

Answer 81

p- progress has been made as it is now illegal.
in victorian era, women were considered to be the property of their male relatives who were allowed by law to beat them
until recently, domestic abuse tended to be regardedas a private matter between partners

FEMINISTS see domestic abuse as a significant problem in society and its the reflection of the biased view that men still have a right to control women.

Question 82

what does sylvia walby argue

Answer 82

leading feminist
p- argues domestic violecne is rooted in a cultures where women are regarded as inferior
eshe challenges the idea that domestic violence has become a gender neutral crime
more emphasis is needed on male victims of domestic abuse
after a review on domestic abuse cases, walby argues statistics understate extent of violent crime by men against women in home
although there are male victims of domestic abuse, figures are lower, men tend to experience less severe violence, less likely to be seriously injured

Question 83

give statistics showing the extent of the problem of violence against women

Answer 83

1 woman is killed every 3 days in england or wales by a current or former partner
-1 out of 4 women in england and wales experience domestic violence in their lifetimes
- globally 1 out of 3 women experince violence at hands of male partner
- on average, a woman is assaulted 35 times before her first call to police
– domestic violence has a higher rate of repeat victimisation than any other crime
- every minute police in uk receive domestic assistance call

Question 84

summarise the functionalist view on the family

Answer 84

p- family is beneficial for the individual and society, it is necessary for socialising children into the culture of that society(forms their identity and keeps society stable)
e- nuclear family is best family structure for contemporary society as there are 2 adults of oppositr sexes performing different functions, male is best suited for breadwinning and female for caring role
e- another benefit of nuclear family is mobilityit can move around freely for work= benefits itself and society

Question 85

summarise the marxist view on families

Answer 85

p- family benefits economic system of capitalism and upper clas. family in capitalist society stops workers from bringing out a more equal society and from rebelling against capitalism
e- teaches children to be obedient to fit in hierarchical capitalist system
family acts as a unit of consumption= buying lots of goods and services make profit for bourgeoisie
e- people are socialised into thinking happiness is found in personal life and family life= therefore they strive to improve this rather than society as a whole

Question 86

summarise the feminist view

Answer 86

p- family benefits men, source of inequality between men and women, ensures inequality continues
e- argue that this is achieved by socialising young girls in to caring, serving domestic role while parents and husbands exercise social control over behaviour of young girls and women in their families
e- children taught patriarchal roles about different roles of men and women in their families , children taught patriarchal ideas of different roles of men and women in society when growing up and are brought up to see men as superior=this belittling of women leads to domestic abuse , nuclear family is patriarchal , men dominate and benefit most of family life

Question 87

how do post modernists view the family

Answer 87

there is a wide variety of family forms in society today
range of family structures shows the choice that people have today
family is adapting to social changes
new family forms are emerging
people no longer forced into a particular mould of family life, free to choose how they want to live

Question 88

what does it mean if functionalism is known as a consensus theory

Answer 88

functionalists see people of society and institutions of society as sharing the same goals and values and working together to reach all the goals
e.g. main value in british societyy is wealth,
e- functionalists would say that the family helps people to achieve this by socialising children into that goal
=provides stable, loving environment to help them reach their goal

Question 89

explain why marxism and feminism and conflict theory

Answer 89

• they see one particular group ruling society and running it for their benefit this creates conflict for the rest of society
  = sees the family being used to help the ruling class achieve goals regardless of how it affects others
  e.g. marxism - upper classes rule and use family to help capitalism which benefits them
  feminism= men rule and use power to maintain power over women