Families Flashcards
DefinitionS of Family- excludes?
Excludes:
- Same sex marriage
- More then 2 parents (polyamory)
- Single parents
- Parents that do not reside together
What makes up a family?
- Common residence
- Husband and wife
- Children
- Married
Nuclear Family
Is composed of an adult male, adult female and their offspring
Extended Family
Includes multiple generations of adults living with their spouses and children
Family of orientation
Is the family into which one is born
Family of procreation
Is the family a couple created by having children or adopting children
According to Statistics Canada, what are the two types of family?
1) Census family = includes married couples, common law couples (with or without kids) or lone parents (with kid); includes homosexuals
2) Economic family = includes people living in the same house related by blood, marriage, common-law or adoption; includes homosexuals; includes foster kids
As of 2006, who is now considered in the Statistic Canada definition of Family? (2)
1) Same-sex married couples
2) Previously married children that are now living back with their parents
What does Margrit Eichler argue?
That we operate with a monolithic bias when we think in terms of “the family”…. We consider one ideal type of family to be ‘normal’
What are the seven biases of family research according to Margrit Eichler?
1) The ageist bias
2) The conservative bias
3) The heterosexual bias
4) The microstructural bias
5) The monolithic bias (1 traditional way of seeing family, other are deviant… married then kids after)
6) The racist bias
7) The sexist bias
What are the six important aspects of family according to Margrit Eichler?
1) Socialization
2) Emotional relationships
3) Residence
4) Economics
5) Sexuality
6) Reproduction
Is it possible to have a universal definition of family? Why?
Non because thoughts on family are different everywhere due to law, government, policy, religious doctrine, etc.
What has happened over the past quarter-century with married couples?
The proportion has declined, more couples are choosing to live in common-law relationships
1961 - 92% of families were married couples
2011 - 67% of families were married couples
What are two factors associated with the rise in cohabitation (common-law = not married, living together)?
1) Increased labour force participation
2) Increased education levels
What did the Divorce Act in 1968 imply?
Divorces were granted only on the basis of adultery, desertion, or imprisonment
- or after living separately for over 3 years
- It established grounds for divorce*
What happened as a result of the 1968 Divorce Act?
The number of divorces continued to rise until it leveled off in the early 2000s
What was established in1985? What was the effect?
“No fault” divorces, lead to a huge increase in the number of divorces
- decrease in waiting time period
- state control (dangerous)
- only needed one spouse to make the decision of leaving
Pronatalist society
It is normal for a married couple to have kids, it is expected
Involuntary Childlessness
Want to have kids, but are unable to reproduce
Voluntary Childlessness
Want to be child free, done by choice
What are the two factors influencing voluntary childlessness? Examples for each
1) Pull factors = pull you towards wanting to be child free -> focus on work, travel, don’t want to sacrifice their relationship
2) Push factors = push you away from becoming a parent -> loss of time, energy, identity, don’t want to change diapers
Which are the 4 stigma’s of childlessness?
1) Passing = pretend they want to have, but in reality they don’t (young women)
2) Identity substitution = ‘claim’ that they are unable to have kids so they don’t have to confront the normative expectations
3) Justification: Condemn the Condemners = saying having kids is selfish (overpopulated, using kids to take care of them)
4) Excuses: Appeal to Biology = “I wouldn’t be a good mom”, doesn’t challenge the normative expectations
From 1961 to 2011, what has happened to the type of lone parents?
Never married, divorced, widowed
1) Never married = # increased
2) Divorced = # increased
3) Widowed = # decreased
Who tends to be more satisfied with their marriages?
Men
Which 5 forces shape marital satisfaction?
1) Economic forces
2) Divorce laws
3) The Family life cycle
4) Housework and childcare
5) Subjective aspects of the marital experience (love, affection, friendship, sex)
How do Economic forces increase/ decrease marital satisfaction?
Decrease - when struggling financially = more tension
Increase - when women works = more satisfied because there is more money
How do Divorce laws increase/ decrease marital satisfaction?
Increase - feel happier knowing they could leave if they needed to
How does the family life cycle increase/ decrease marital satisfaction?
- dips and peaks in marriage
- renegotiate their roles a few years in
- most divorces happen after 7 years