Families and Households- Diversity and Social Change Flashcards
What does Chester think?
There has been some growth in family diversity but the nuclear family is still the dominant family structure
What does Chester argue that statistics show?
A greater increase in diversity than is actually happening because the UK has an ageing population which increases the number of people who are at a stage in their life when they’re not in a nuclear family
What doe New Right theorists believe that family diversity is?
The result of a decline in traditional values and it is a threat to the traditional nuclear family and blame it for antisocial behaviour and crime
What does Murray suggest?
Single-mother families are a principle cause of crime and social decay because of a lack of a male role model
What does the New Right believe about state benefits?
They should be cut and social policy targeted to discourage family diversity
What does the personal life perspective focus on?
What families themselves see as important in their lives rather than what sociologists see as important
What does the individualisation thesis state?
People don’t have to conform to strict family roles
What does Smart think about the term ‘family’?
It is often linked to traditional ideas about family and ‘personal life’ is better for studying family relationships because it includes the newer types of relationships that exist in postmodern society
What does the connectedness thesis argue?
Individual choices are influenced by relationships and past experiences
What ethnicities are more likely to be divorced?
Whites and African-Caribbeans
What ethnicities are most likely to be married?
Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and African Asian
What ethnicity is the most likely to be lone-parent matrifocal families?
African-Caribbean
Which ethnicity have more extended familes?
South Asian
What did Weeks and Donovan found?
There has been an increase in the number of gay and lesbian households due to changes in attitudes and legislation
What have fertility treatments allowed?
Gay and lesbian couples can have children, creating new family structures
