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Families Flashcards

1
Q

Define family.

A

A couple whose relationship is based on marriage, civil partnership or cohabitation, with or without dependent children, or a lone parent and their child or children.

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2
Q

What is family diversity?

A

The variety of family types.

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3
Q

What is the nuclear family?

A

A family consisting of mother, father and their dependent children. Also known as ‘cereal packet’ family.

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4
Q

What is a household?

A

All the people living together in a domestic dwelling.

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5
Q

What is a dependent child?

A

A person living in the household who is under sixteen years of age or age between sixteen to eighteen and in full-time education.

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6
Q

What is a generation?

A

A group of people who live during the same period.

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7
Q

What does cohabiting mean?

A

Partners living together without being married.

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8
Q

What is a reconstituted family?

A

A new family formed when two adults remarry or cohabit and live together with children from a previous family. Also known as stepfamilies.

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9
Q

What is an empty nest family?

A

Parents living together in the family home when their children have left home.

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10
Q

What is a beanpole family?

A

The family tree is tall and thin. The tree is thinner because families are having fewer children then they did in the past and older relatives are living longer.

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11
Q

In 2015, 29% of households were one person households. Why?

A

Increase in divorce
Internationals migrants such as students
Increase in widows/widowers
People are living longer

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12
Q

What is cultural diversity?

A

Culturally based differences between people within a society in terms of religion, ethnicity, social class and so on.

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13
Q

Name the five aspects of family diversity. THINK CLOGS.

A 
Cultural diversity
Life-course diversity
Organisational diversity 
Generational (cohort) diversity 
Social class diversity
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14
Q

What is organisational diversity?

A

Differences between families in their structure and how they organise their domestic division of labour and their social network such as their links to their extended family.

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15
Q

What is cultural diversity? (Between families)

A

Families differ in their cultural values and beliefs. Affects lifestyle and ideas about gender roles, the domestic division of labour and child rearing.

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16
Q

What is social class diversity?

A

A families social class position affects the resources available to it. Affects child rearing practices eg discipline is more physical in working classes. In middle class families roles may be unequal because of demands of the husbands career.

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17
Q

What is life course diversity?

A

This relates to the stage in the family life-cycle that a particular family has reached. Eg newly weds are at a different stage to retired couples. The specific stage will determine the lifestyles that reflect the circumstances. Eg families with young children will have similar concerns.

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18
Q

What is generational (cohort) diversity?

A

The particular period in which a family passed through different stages of the family life-cycle. Eg the stigma attached to divorce has reduced over time, so you get couples ,au find it easier to get divorced today.

Differences created by the historical periods the family have lived through.

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19
Q

What type of sociologist is Murdock and what did he say about the family?

A 
MURDOCK - FUNCTIONALIST - 1949 
He believed that the family has four functions:
Education
Sexual function 
Economic provision 
Reproduction.
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20
Q

Explain Murdock beliefs about reproduction as a function of the family.

A

Society needs new members to survive over time.
Through procreation and child-bearing. The nuclear family has the main responsibility for bearing, rearing and caring for children.

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21
Q

Explain Murdock beliefs about education as a function of the family.

A

The family needs to ensure new members learn its culture.

Through the socialisation process, parents have the main role.

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22
Q

Explain Murdock beliefs about the sexual function as a function of the family.

A

Society needs a way of regulating sexual activity.
The woman and man who live together and have a sexual relationship is approved of by society. The nuclear family regulate sexual behaviour and maintains their relationship.

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23
Q

Explain Murdock beliefs about economic provision as a function of the family.

A

A way of providing people with economic support.
Murdock argues that economic cooperation is based on a division of labour between a husband and wife within a nuclear family. He believes all known societies have developed a sexual division of labour because it has definite advantages. Eg the men do the more strenuous tasks.

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24
Q

What did Parsons believe the two functions of the family are?

A

Primary socialisation.
Stabilisation of adult personality.

SO FOR PARON’S, OUR PERSONALITY IS PRODUCED THROUGH PRIMARY SOCIALISATION. ONCE THE PERSONALITY IS PRODUCED THE FAMILY KEEPS IT STABLE.

Having children benefits its stabilisation because adults can express the childish elements of their own personality. The family also helps adults cope with external pressures of work because they are a safe haven that offer emotional stability and support.

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25
What are some criticisms of Parson’s?
``` His research was conducted on white middle class Americans so ignores ethnic, social class and religious differences. Therefore, the sample was not representative. Ethnocentric - only applies to one group. ``` Ignores any alternatives to the nuclear family that could fulfil the two functions such as the extended family. Parsons view is rose tinted and idealistic, it ignores the dark side of the family including incidents of child and domestic violence. Leach argues that family dysfunction is common in nuclear families and ,embers expect too much from ones other, expecting their needs to be met solely by family members and for children to be obedient. This can lead to conflict.
26
Why do Marxists believe that the family reproduces social inequality?
The rich pass down their wealth through family members Educational advantages are passes through families eg private school As family is an agent of socialisation the working class therefore learn to accept their position in an unequal society.
27
What does Zaretsky (MARXIST) say about the family?
It has moves from a unit of production to a unit of consumption.
28
What does Zaretsky (MARXIST) say are the three main functions of the family in a capitalist society?
The economic role Social class reproduction Unit of consumption for capitalism.
29
Explain the economic role of the family from Zaretsky’s point of view.
The women should partake in unpaid labour in the home such as child rearing. The men go to work and come home to a ready household due to the women’s devalued work. Women work for free to help the workers, therefore making more money for the bourgeoisie as the men are in good working conditions. The work the women do is not valued because it is seen as separate from the production of commodities.
30
Explain the social class reproduction function of the family from Zaretsky’s point of view.
The bourgeoisie family preserve its private property and transmits it from one generation to the next. The proletariat family reproduces the labour force by producing further generations of workers.
31
Explain the family as a unit of consumption for capitalism (function) from Zaretsky’s point of view.
Families buy and consume the products of capitalist system and, in doing so, enable the bourgeoisie to make their profits.
32
What is the solution to the artificial desperation of the family and public life?
Socialism (a society without social classes).
33
After the rise of industrial capitalism and production in factories, what happened to the family and the economy?
They were seen as two separate spheres. The private sphere and public sphere. This is because there was a split between family life and work.
34
What are the criticisms of the Marxist approach to families?
Marxists ignore the fact that many individuals are satisfied with family life. Feminists point out that Marxists tend to work with the traditional model of the nuclear family - where the male is the breadwinner of the house. In this way,Marxists ignore the diversity of families today. Some females see female oppression as linked to patriarchy rather than capitalism. They question the Marxist view that female oppression will simply disappear in a socialist society. Functionalists view the nuclear family in positive terms as meeting the needs of individuals and industrial society.
35
What is canalisation?
Describes how parents channel their children’s interests into toys, clothes etc. that are seen as gender appropriate.
36
Discuss Delphi and Leonard’s view on exploitation of women in families and marriage.
They are critical of the family as an institution because women have to do unpaid housework for their husband and family. Their work is in valued. Also, they are critical because the family is male dominated. They believe men exploit women because: Wives labour is used by their husbands. Wives work is not valued. Wives financial dependence on their husbands. Wives subordinate position in the family.
37
What does subordinate mean?
Less powerful in comparison to the man.
38
What are some criticisms of Delphi and Leonard?
They d’t consider families where the power is equally shared. Marxist approaches argue that inequality with families is linked to the working of capitalism rather than patriarchy. Functionalists see the structure of the family as benefit g individuals and society.
39
Define conjugal roles.
The domestic roles of married or cohabiting partners (who does what).
40
Define conjugal relationships.
The relationship between married or cohabiting partners.
41
Define joint/integrated roles.
The husband and wife do not have a rigid division of household tasks, and share many tasks.
42
Define segregated conjugal roles.
There is a clear division of labour in the household, with tasks divided into male and female roles.
43
What is the instrumental role?
Breadwinner.
44
What is the expressive role?
Looks after the house and the children.
45
What is the principle of Stratford diffusion?
Social changes start from the top and work their way down. This means that changes happen in the middle class first and filter down to the lower class.
46
Define symmetrical family.
A family form in which spouses carry out different tasks but each makes a similar contribution within the home.
47
Why has the symmetrical family emerged?
The rise of feminism has had an impact on gender roles. This has lead women to reject the traditional housewife role. More effective forms of contraception mean women can decide whether to have children, when and how many. This means that women can combine motherhood and careers. As a result of women’s increased participation in laid employment. Many women are now financially independent and have a status in and out of the home. People’s interest in home life have increased. Technological developments have created opportunities for home based leisure pursuits. Now, men and women are more likely to spend time at home. - equal rights - better contraception - financial independence - increased interest in home life.
48
Why was Oakley (FEMINIST) critical of Young and Willmott’s findings (SYMMETRICAL FAMIKY)?
She was not convinced at the quality of their evidence. They regarded simple tasks performed by men, such as washing up once a week as helpful. In her own research she discovered very little symmetry and even women in paid employment still had a major responsibility for housework.
49
What do Scott and Clery (FEMINIST) note?
Gender inequality at home makes it difficult to achieve equality in the work place. Many women now work and care for the family. Women feel that they Dom more than their fair share of housework.
50
Define double-shift.
Married or cohabiting women doing paid work as well as housework.
51
Define triple shift.
Married or cohabiting women doing paid work, housework and emotional work.
52
Define new man.
A caring, sharing man who gets fully involved in the housework and childcare.
53
What is Gatrell (FEMINIST) study? What did she find?
2008 Studies the changing role of fathers in families. She found that many fathers play a greater role in their children’s lives than father did in the past. She found that some men had absent fathers so sought to do things differently. However, she notes that many women don’t want their traditional maternal roles to be lost which may cause tension within the household. Some women believe that men will CHERRY PICK the most rewarding tasks and avoid domestic jobs, such as ironing. Women say that if men want to divide ‘parenting time’ more equally they should also divide housework equally.
54
Who has identified four types of father?
The Equal Opportunities Commission.
55
What are the four types of father?
Enforcer dad Entertainer dad Useful dad Fully-involved dad.
56
What is an enforcer dad?
Not involved with the day to day care of children. He provides a role model and clear rules for children.
57
What is an entertainer dad?
Often entertains the children while mother does things like cooking and cleaning.
58
What is a useful dad?
Helps with the day to day childcare and household tasks, but still takes lead from mother about what needs doing.
59
What is a fully involved dad?
Equally involved with the running of the home and family, at least some of the time. Mother and father roles are virtually interchangeable.
60
What did Paul (FEMINIST) find?
Husbands are more likely than wives to be dominant in decision making. She does say that more couples share decisions about how the household income has spent. However, there are still many marriages in which the husband controls finances.
61
Define domestic violence.
Violence by men against women within the home, and violence by women against their male partner. It also includes the physical, physiological or sexual abuse of children, violence between brothers and sisters, and neglect or abuse of the elderly.
62
What types of domestic violence are there?
``` Psychological abuse Physical abuse Sexual abuse Financial abuse Emotional abuse Cultural based abuse. ```
63
Why might domestic violence statistics be underestimated?
1. Victims may be unwilling to report it to the police. | 2. Police and prosecutors may be reluctant to record, investigate or prosecute cases.
64
How can power be measured in families?
By looking at statistics on domestic violence.
65
Which sociologists studies the types of family diversity?
Rapoport and Rapoport
66
What are some reasons for family diversity?
``` Divorce Act 1969 Equal pay act 1970 Same sex couples marriage act 2013 Changing gender roles - women choosing not to get married. Benefits for single parents. Longer life expectancy. Decline in religion Immigration. ```
67
What is the conventional family?
According to Anne Oakley - traditional nuclear family containing a married couple and their children who live together.
68
What do statistics say about the conventional family?
No longer the norm but is still powerful in society.
69
What did Young and Willmott discover about relationships with the extended family?
In Bethnal Green during the 1950s the extended dead family flourished. However, in 1975 the nuclear family had become more separated from the extended family.
70
What are some reasons for the extended family becoming more separated?
Geographical mobility - moving to live in another area, region or country. Women’s involvement in full time work. Technological development.
71
What did Charles et al discover about relationships with the extended family?
Mother and daughters were still central to kinship relationships. 2/3 of married children lived close enough to see their parents at least every week.
72
What reasons are there that suggests the extended family is still important?
Sand which generation - women who are grandmothers, mother and daughters and have the responsibility of looking after multiple generations. Eg a lady looking after her grandchildren and her mother. Boomerang kid - a young adult, who after living in heir own for a time, returns to live in the parental home, usually due to financial problems causes by unemployment or high cost of living independently.
73
What is a boomerang kid?
Boomerang kid - a young adult, who after living in heir own for a time, returns to live in the parental home, usually due to financial problems causes by unemployment or high cost of living independently.
74
What is the sand which generation?
Sand which generation - women who are grandmothers, mother and daughters and have the responsibility of looking after multiple generations. Eg a lady looking after her grandchildren and her mother.
75
What is the trend in the number of reconstituted families?
Decreasing - | The census shows it has fallen from 631000 to 54400 families.
76
What are the reasons for the decrease in reconstitutes families?
Average age at which children have their baby is increasing. Therefore, children are more likely to be born into children who are less likely to break up. ‘Living apart together’. Line parents are more lie,LG to be one half of a couple who live apart. This is not considered a reconstituted family on the census.
77
What is the trend for the number of dual worker families?
Increasing.
78
What is the trend for the number of lone parents families?
Increasing/steadied out.
79
What are some reasons for the increase in lone-parent families?
Increase in divorce - many lone parents families are headed by divorced women. Changing attitudes - more socially acceptable for single women to have a child without a partner. Changes in how people view the family eg marriage is less important. Decline in moral standard eg part of an underclass.
80
What is fertility?
The average number of children that women of child bearing age (15-44) have in a society.
81
What is fertility rate?
The number of live births per 1000 women of child bearing age.
82
What is the trend in fertility?
Women are having less children | Women are having children at an older age.
83
What are some reasons for the decrease in the number of children women are choosing to have?
``` Women focus more on work/career. Better contraception eg introduction of the pill in the 1960s/legal abortion. Changing attitudes in society. Marrying later. Other opportunities. Different gender stereotypes. Bringing up children is expensive. Laws on sex discrimination. Labour market uncertainty - people are waiting to have children due to uncertainty about jobs. ```
84
What is marriage?
A legally recognised unit of a man and a women by religious or legal ceremony.
85
What is monogamy?
The practice of being married to only one person at a time.
86
What is a spouse?
A marriage partner, husband or wife.
87
What is bigamy?
The illegal practice in a monogamous society of having more than one spouse.
88
What is divorce?
The legal ending of a marriage.
89
What is serial monogamy?
A pattern of divorce and monogamous remarriage.
90
What is an arranged marriage?
A marriage in which a parents have a say in the choice of a bride of bridegroom for their son or daughter.
91
What is polygamy?
The accepted practice in some societies of having more than one spouse.
92
What is polygyny?
The accredited practice in some societies of having more than one wife.
93
What is polyandry?
The accepted practice in some societies of having more than one husband.
94
What is a civil partnership?
Legal recognition of same-sex couples.
95
What does Garrod say the main difference between forced marriage and arranged marriage is?
Consent.
96
What is the marriage rate?
The number of marriages per 1000 single people ages 16 or over.
97
What is the trend for the marriage rate?
Decreased.
98
Why are people marrying later?
Increased educational and employment opportunities, particularly for women. Changed attitudes to premarital sex, which is generally considered more acceptable.
99
What is the trend in the number of people cohabiting?
Increased.
100
Why has the number of people cohabiting increased?
Long term alternative to marriage. People may live together while saving to get married. Changed in social attitudes towards sex outside of marriage. Browning secularisation. Higher expectation of marriage.
101
Reasons for an increase in births outside of marriage?
Changing attitudes in society, no longer stigmatised.
102
Civil partnership laws?
Since the Civil Partnership Act in 2005, same-sex couples can have their relationship legally recognised in the form of civil partnership.
103
In what year could same-sex couples get married?
2014.
104
What is the trend for the number of divorces?
Increase. (Levelled off recently)
105
What are some reasons for the increase in divorce?
Changes in the law. Changing social attitudes. The impact of the secularisation process. Changes in the status of women in society. The influence of the media (high expectations). Increase life expectancy. The reduced functions of the family (fewer bonds linking couples together). The growth of the privatised nuclear family (fewer people to as for help).
106
What is an empty shell marriage?
No love with the marriage.
107
What are some of the consequences of divorce?
Changes to family structures. Relationship breakdown and emotional distress. (Men tend to lose support - fathers4justice) Financial hardship. Remarriage. (Want a partner to help with children/love)
108
What did Duncan find about teenage parenthood?
Having a baby is not usually a total disaster for young mothers. Instead, it can be seen as more of an opportunity.
109
What is moral panic?
Unjustified public concern caused by sensationalised reporting.
110
What are some social issues related to families?
The quality of parenting. Lone parent families. Relationship between teenagers and adults. Care of elderly people.
111
How have the relationships between families and children changed?
Changed from authoritarian to democratic relationships.
112
How does class effect the relationship ship between parents and their children?
Middle class families are more likely to have a democratic relationship whereas working class families are more likely to have authoritarian relationships.
113
What did Quereshi find about the number of lone-parent families?
The proportion of lone-parent families among British Asians is rising.
114
What is a commune?
A group of people who share living accommodation, possessions, wealth and property.
115
What is a Kibbutz?
A group of people who live together communally, and value equality and cooperation between members.
116
What is the original concept of a Kibbutz?
To form a community with shared values/everything equally shared.
117
What is de-schooling?
to abolish or phase out traditional schools from, so as to replace them with alternative methods and forms of education.

Sociology (12 decks)

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