Families and households Flashcards
Name the four key trends in marriage.
- Fewer people are marrying
- Remarriages are increasing
- People are marrying later
- Civil ceremonies have increased
What is the difference between a family and a household?
A family is two generational who live together sometimes with dependent children
A household is usually one generation, one person living alone or a group who share resources e.g. shopping, chores, finances etc.
Identify 3 reasons for fewer people marrying.
- Financial costs
- More socially acceptable
- Secularisation
- Changes of the roles in women
- Don’t need marriage for children
- Reluctant to marry (aware of high divorce rate)
Identify 3 reasons for the increase in remarriages.
- Divorce is easier - the divorce legislation - cheaper
- More socially acceptable
- The institution of marriage is still valued by people who have previously been married.
- Ageing population
Identify 3 reasons for people marrying later.
- Establish a career - then get married.
- Co-habit before they marry.
- Wait until they are financially stable.
Identify 3 reasons for an increase in civil ceremonies.
- Church needs notice/need to attend mass.
- Greater variety of places to get married e.g. beach
- Secularisation
- More difficult to qualify to marry in a church.
- Cost
Name the two key trends in cohabitation.
- Permanent alternative to marriage.
- Prelude to marriage. (stepping stone).
What did Barlow et al find about cohabitation?
That marriage is a lifestyle choice rather than an expected part of life.
What did Coast find about cohabitation?
- 75% of cohabitating couples expect to marry each other.
- Approximately 80% of marriages being preceded by cohabitation.
Identify the three categories marital breakdown can be divided into.
- Divorce
- Separation
- Empty shell marriage
How many marriages today are estimated to end in divorce?
42%
Identify 3 reasons for an increase in divorce?
- Secularisation.
- Change in role of women - increased financial independence.
- More socially acceptable.
- Easier/cheaper - legal changes in the law.
Identify the 3 influences that increase the likelihood of divorce.
- Year of marriage.
- Age of marriage.
- Whether married before.
What are two factors for the recent decrease in divorce?
- Cohabitation has increased
- The age of which people first marry is increasing
What is The New Rights view on high divorce rates?
- Undesirable because it undermines the traditional nuclear family.
- Creates underclass of welfare dependent female lone parents.
- Deprives males of role model. :-(
What is The Postmodernists view on high divorce rates?
- Gives individuals the freedom to chose to end a relationship when it no longer meets their needs.
- Cause of greater family diversity. :-)
what is the interactionists view on high divorce rates?
Aim to understand the meaning that divorce has to the individual, recognise it varies from being positive and necessary to a negative emotional development. :-I
In 2012 how many families were there in the UK?
18.2 Million
What are the 4 trends in childbearing?
- Increase in the number of children born outside of marriage.
- Women are having children later.
- Women are having fewer children.
- More women are remaining childless.
According to Brown what does this trend (increase in the number of children born outside of marriage) reflect?
- A reduction in ‘shot gun weddings’.
- Statistics may also only provide a snapshot picture of family life.
What is The New Rights view on single parent families?
-They are critical of SPF and idealise the nuclear family.
Identify the 3 key factors The New Right are critical of SPF.
- Expensive - believe they are disproportionality dependent on benefits.
- Lacking Moral Responsibility - Content to live off the state.
- Dysfunctional - Defective family form + need two parents to bring up children.
What is the Child Support Agency designed to do?
Designed to reduce the number of SPFs by stressing the financial responsibility of parents by enforcing absent parents to financially support their children.
Why are there so few SPFs headed by fathers?
- Judges usually rule in favour of the mother.
How does the media represent SPFs?
- Negatively.
- Dependent on government funds.
- Teen mums.
What is meant by the idea that SPFs are a transitory family type?
- Temporary state of the family.
- Usually marry later on.
Identify one advantage and one disadvantage of living in a SPF.
Adv - stronger relationship with that parent.
DisAdv - Lack of role model, usually male.
