Families And Households Topic 2

Question 1

What are the different explanations for the increase in divorce rates

Answer 1

1.) Changes in the law
2.) Declining stigma and changing attitudes
3.) Secularisation
4.) Rising expectations of marriage
5.) Women’s increased financial independence
6.) Feminist explanations
7.) Modernity and individualisation

Question 2

What are the 3 key changes in the law that have made divorce more obtainable

Answer 2

1923 equalising the grounds of divorce- The grounds were equalised for men and women,following this there was a sharp rise in divorce petitions from women

1949 making divorce cheaper - Introduction of legal aid for divorce cases lowered the cost of divorce and made it more accessible for the working classes

1971 Widening the grounds for divorce - divorce rates doubled overnight as divorce was easier to obtain

Question 3

Although divorce is the legal termination what are the other solutions to an unhappy marriage

Answer 3

Desertion- where one person leaves the other but they remain legally married

Legal separation- where a court separates financial and legal affairs but remain married

Empty shell marriage - the couple live under the same roof but remain married in name only

Question 4

Define Stigma

Answer 4

Stigma refers to the negative label,social disapproval or shame attached to a person,action or relationship

Question 5

What do Mitchell and Goody argue

Answer 5

Since the 1960s there has been a significant decrease in the stigma attached to divorce

Question 6

Define secularisation

Answer 6

The decline of the influence religion has in society. Many sociologists argue that religion is losing its influence and society is becoming more secular

Question 7

What do functionalists such as fletcher suggest

Answer 7

The high expectations people place on marriage is the major cause of the increase in divorce rates.

Question 8

What do the The New Right say about divorce

Answer 8

The new right see the high divorce rates as undesirable as it undermines marriage and the traditional nuclear family which they see as ideal in society.

Question 9

What do feminists say about divorce

Answer 9

Feminists welcome the high divorce rates as in their eyes it is showing them that women are breaking free from patriarchal oppression of the nuclear family

Question 10

What do postmodernists and the individualisation thesis say about divorce

Answer 10

They see high divorce rates as showing individuals now have more freedom to end a relationship that no longer meets their needs

Question 11

What do functionalists say about divorce

Answer 11

They argue that a high divorce rate is not a threat to the institute of marriage as the high rate of remarriage shows people are still committed.Instead it shows us that people simply have a higher expectation of marriage

Question 12

What do interactionists say about divorce

Answer 12

They aim to look at what divorce means to individuals.Morgan argues we cannot generalise the meaning of divorce as its different for everyone.

Question 13

What does the personal life perspective say about divorce

Answer 13

Divorce can cause problems like financial difficulty and lack of contact with children.
Smart says divorce has become normalised and says family life isn’t disintegrating but adapting

Question 14

What are the reasons for Changes in marriage

Answer 14

Changing attitudes to marriage -now less pressure to marry and more freedom for individuals to choose a relationship they want
Secularisation - as church influence decreases people feel less pressure to marry
Decline in stigma
Changing position of women
Fear of divorce

Question 15

What are the reasons for the increase in cohabitation

Answer 15

Young people are more accepting of cohabitation
Increased career opportunities for women means they have less need for the financial security of marriage
Secularisation- young people with no religion are more likely to cohabit than those with a religion

Question 16

What is cohabitation seen as

Answer 16

Cohabitation is seen as a trail marriage and intend to marry if it goes well.
Most cohab couples marry if they have children

Question 17

What does Weeks argue

Answer 17

Same sex relationships are starting to resemble heterosexual relationships given their increased social acceptance

Question 18

Reasons for the changes in one person Households

Answer 18

Increase in separation and divorce has created more one person households
Following a divorce children are more likely to live with their mother
People are opting for creative singlehood - the deliberate choice to live alone

Question 19

What did Duncan and Phillips find

Answer 19

One in 10 adults are in a LAT

Question 20

Why do lone parents tend to be female

Answer 20

• The belief that that women are by nature suited to an expressive nurturing role
•Father’s not seeking custody as often as mothers
•Men may be less willing than women to give up work to care for a child

Question 21

What did Cashmore find

Answer 21

Some working class women chose to live on benefits without a partner because they had experienced abuse

Question 22

What does Murray say about lone parent families

Answer 22

He sees them as problematic for society as they rely on the welfare state and because they are generally female headed,produce delinquent boys who lack a male role model. This creates a dependency culture where people take for granted that the state will provide for them

Question 23

What did Alan and crow find out about step families

Answer 23

They often face problems of dividend loyalty with the non resident parent where tension can occur

Question 24

What is the beanpole family

Answer 24

Type of extended family which is extended vertically includes grandparents,parents,children but not cousins aunts uncles