Families and households-Topic 5 changing family patterns Flashcards
Two key divorce trends?
Divorce has increased since the 1960’s.
7/10 petitions are from women.
The reasons for the divorce trends?
Changing social attitude and stigma.
Divorce reform act.
What does each theory state about the rising divorce.
NR-society will be unstable
Fem-Women are gaining more control.
PM-People now have more choice
Funct- Re-marry rate shows that marriage is still of high importance.
Int-Cannot be generalised, some it may be positive, others it may be negative.
Two marriage trends?
Fewer people are getting married.
Ppeople are marrying later
Reasons for these marriage trends?
Marriage is less important, “just a piece of paper”
Cost of weddings, cohabitation is more acceptable.
Define cohabitation?
When couples are living together yet are not married.
Why has cohabitation become more popular?
Society is more accepting of sex outside of marriage(link to secularisation)
A good trial run to marriage.
The meaning behind cohabitation?
Many see it as a stepping stone to marriage.
Others see it as a permanent alternative.
Trends of same sex couples?
Increasing and now more socially acceptable.
Changes in the law reflect this as they can now marry and have the same legal rights.
Trends of one person households?
Increased due to more divorce and less marriage.
Also an increase in (Lats)…Living apart together.
Four patterns of parent and children?
Women are having less children.
Women head 90% of single parent families.
There are more lone parent families.
There are more step families.
Why have these parent and child changes occurred?
higher divorce rate
increased re marriage rate
less stigma about marriage
women have more power and control.
Ethnic family trends?
Black African and black Caribbean have a higher proportion of single parent families.
Asian families tend to be a larger extended family.
Extended families today
despite a lowered number they are still important.
although geographically separated the extended family still provides emotional and financial support.(new dispersed extended family)
