Families and households - Changing family patterns Flashcards
3 examples of major changes in family and household patterns
People now marry later in life
Women have fewer children
Women have children later in life
What does reconsituted families mean?
Step families
What percentage of marriages end in a divorce?
42%
When did the number of divorces reach its peak?
1993
Why are divorce rates dropping?
More couples are choosing to live together for an extended period rather than getting married as cohabitation is becoming increasingly accepted as an alternative to marriage/civil partnerships
Priorities have changed with many choosing to marry late or not all
What is the average age for divorce, men and women?
Men - 45
Women - 42
Why might some couples never actually file for a divorce?
-expensive
-children
-takes up a lot of time
What are the 5 reasons for changes in divorce?
Changes in law - it was diffcult to obtain in 19th century, equalises grounds for divorce between sexes
Seclurisation - decline in the influence of religion in society
Changes in the position of women - increased willingness to seek divorce (improved economic position, less financially dependant) more women work than ever before and pay gap is declining over time, more likely to be able to support themselves following divorce
Rising expectations - less willing to tolerate unhappy marriage - ‘romantic love’ Past people married for other reasons such as money and status and often had little choice who they married, search for true soulmate. Individuals seek personal fullfillment which encourages couple to divorce if do not find it
Declining stigma - Was hugely ashamed, since 1960s rapid decline in stigma - more socially acceptable
What do Mitchell and Goody say about the changes in divorce?
As stigma declines divorce becomes more socially acceptable, couples become more willing to resort to divorce as a means of solving their martial problems
Begins to normalise and reduces stigma attached to it
What does Fletcher say about the changes in divorce?
Functionalists such as Fletcher argue that the higher expectations people place on marraige today are a major cause of rising divorce rates - make couples nowadays less willing to tolerate an unhappy marriage
What are the 4 key divorce laws?
Divorce reform act - enabled divorce to become easier for unhappy couples to access
The matrimonial and family proceedings act - allowed couples to petition for divorce after only one year of marraige, previousy 3 yrs
Family law act - conceived as an attempt to modernise the divorce process
The divorce, dissolution and separation act 2020
Who did the TED talk on the impact of divorce on children?
Afifi - children develop low self esteem, standard of living decreases, anxiety, emotional distress
Distant relationship with parents
Biggest impact - level of conflict between parents
Spit samples to measure stress hormones
